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E3 'Booth Babe' Interviews Reveal Comedy, Tragedy

Thanks to GameCritics.com for its series of interviews with 'booth babes' at this year's E3 videogame show, discussing "the tales these women had to tell." A model promoting Saga Of Ryzom is asked "if she's comfortable with so many guys posing with her", and answers: "It's weird when they put their arms around me... but then I feel them shaking and I'm like, whatever, if it's so important to you... it's funny when guys come up to me and tell me that it's their first time touching a girl." Girls at the Nintendo booth are also interviewed, complaining of the trade-show melee: "It's funny that people act this way over little stuffed toys... there have been people attacking us for free stuff. People will walk up to us and just try to grab it."

11 of 191 comments (clear)

  1. it's weird by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Interesting

    Posting anonymously, because I don't wanna seem like a prick.

    But, women check me out and hit on me almost everywhere I go. It's actually kind of weird. They didn't do that a few years ago, but now that I've actually grown up...

    Now I know what it feels like, it's just weird. You almost feel dirty. But then, you think back on it, and you're like "what was I thinking, I should have hooked up with her."

    In any case, I don't think anyone likes being objectified.

  2. Shaking just to touch by slaker · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It's incredibly fucking sad that there's a large enough group of people from whom contact with members of the opposite sex is such a foreign concept as to induce such atypical physical reactions - the article refers to the awkwardness the male conventiongoers have around the so-called "Booth Babes".

    I freely admit I'd likely be in the same category. I don't think I've actually touched another human being in a couple years.

    The question is, what does one do about it?

    --
    -- I wanna decide who lives and who dies - Crow T. Robot, MST3K
    1. Re:Shaking just to touch by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Aside from work and the occaisonal visit to a friend's house, my social life consisted of nothing but my computers, yardwork, and talking to my neighbors. That is until I discovered dancing! I'm an argentine tango fanatic, and am getting to be pretty damn good now too. People in these circles largely accept others based for their efforts, skills, and general attitude. Body style, social skils, and general looks are largely ignored.

      It was terrifying to start, but now it's a regular social outing for me. The best part; I've met someone very special!

  3. A close friend of mine was an E3 booth babe by daviddennis · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Not one of the front-rankers, she said, but she had to admit that she thrived on the male attention. It was just a great big high for her.

    She had a good time, but at the end of the day it was exhausting - 12 hour days on your feet will do that to you. File it under the kind of experience you're glad you had but not terribly keen to repeat.

    She said she was one of the few babes who didn't cut up the provided clothes to be sexier and I guess get more photo ops. It's pretty funny since a friend of mine hates her normal, um, lack of modesty in dress, so we were both thinking she would have gone to town on it.

    But she got plenty of attention anyway, and it definitely made her a little high on life for a while, which I cheerfully admit I enjoyed seeing.

    She had much more of a natural look than the booth babes I've seen in pictures. Curiously enough I felt she was much more attractive than the women who actually got photographed, but, well, that might have to do with her personality and 10,000 watt smile more than her looks. Not that the latter were deficient, you understand, but it's that personality that keeps me coming back for more.

    The game she was representing was someting called 25 to Life. Her comment was that I wouldn't like it. Smart girl; I have no interest whatsoever in killing people or pretending to kill people or being in the ghetto because it's "cool".

    I'd rather be in my house at the top of the hill with my PowerMac G5 and Cinema HD display.

    Why do people, in games and in music, find such repellant environments attractive?

    D

    1. Re:A close friend of mine was an E3 booth babe by Cornflake917 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The game she was representing was someting called 25 to Life. Her comment was that I wouldn't like it. Smart girl; I have no interest whatsoever in killing people or pretending to kill people or being in the ghetto because it's "cool".

      That's probably because you aren't 13 years old.

      I'm not a big fan of being in the shoes of a gangsta living in the slums or something. I do, however, play violent fps's such as counter-strike or Unreal Tournament 2004. For me, the gore in these games are a very small reason for me to play them if any. I like UT2k4 because the graphics are very beatiful and immersive. Like many people, I like to take a break from my real life every once an while...it relieves stress and it keeps me something to focus on. I think the kid and me has always wonder what combat would be like. Althought these games are far from realistic combat, it appeals to the violent side of me...without hurting anyone.

      Some of the enviroments that you call "repellant" (which comes of as somewhat elitist to me...sorry to offend) are good represenations of REAL enviroments that REAL people live in. People who live in these enviroments are constantly afriad...it's not the easiest thing in the world to be non-violent when your family is in danger every day. I feel incredibly lucky that I don't live in such a situation. But sometimes I want to get an idea of how it feels like to be in dangerous enviroments...without actually endangering myself.

  4. What's your proof that women dig intelligence? by GuyMannDude · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I find that most girls are very attracted to intelligence and to guys with a passion for technology.

    Would you mind tell us how you came to this determination? I'm not being an ass; I really want to know. I've never found any indication that this is true of "most girls" like you suggest. Oh sure, I find lots of women who claim they are attracted to intelligence. But I think many say this because it sounds a lot better than stating that they are attracted to good-looking morons. There's also a question of what they mean by "intelligence". Many people (not just women) seem to think that those people on Jeopardy who have crammed tons of useless trivia into their heads and can regurgitate it at will are intelligent.

    While I am not a techie, I am a mathematician. And you know what? When I tell women that I'm a mathematician, they give me an obligatory "ooh" or something along like that before starting to tell me about how much they suck at math or hate math or didn't understand math. That's pretty much where the conversation ends. Sometimes, I'll get someone who still wants to know more about what I'm working on. But even that conversation doesn't go on for very long.

    I'm sure some here will argue that it's unfair to expect a non-scientist to ask too many questions of a mathematician they are meeting socially because there is such a large barrier to entry in the field. I disagree. Hell, I don't know shit about marketing but when some woman tells me that she works in marketing I can ask enough questions to keep the converstation going. Hell, even generic questions like "Can you describe for me what a typical day at work for you entails?" or "How much interaction do you have with coworkers/bosses/customers?" or "How much stress is involved?" It's hard to take their lack-of-questioning to be an indication that they are secretly attracted to my intelligence.

    Again, I'd really like to hear how you came to the conclusion that women are "very attracted to intelligence and to guys with a passion for technology." I haven't really seen any clear evidence of that. I think the women are mostly looking for someone who is (a) kind, (b) stable, and (c) fun to be with. I don't think your IQ or ability to recompile your linux kernal really enters their decision process to any signficant degree.

    GMD

    1. Re:What's your proof that women dig intelligence? by Cornflake917 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      You bring up a very good point. As I was writing the sentence you quoted, I was thinking to myself that's not a completely valid statement. Now that I give it more thought I know a shitload of girls that are dating guys who don't seem to have a shred of intelligence located within them.

      But I think a more accurate statement would be "Girls are very attracted to guys with alot of money" or perhaps "guys who are really talented at something." I realize that intelligence isn't always proportional to how much money you have, but I think in most situations, that's the case. I think I read something saying that girls are narturely attracted to the talents a guys has, more than anything. Because those talents usually allow the guy to make money to support her and her babies.

      One of the girlfriends I had in college liked me because she thought I was smart. Although the reason she thought I was smart was because I was CS major and had good grades (which I believe is more of a result of hard work than intelligence). She also liked the fact that I had passion for video games (I competed in LAN tournements).

      I find that each person gauges intelligence in variable ways. For example, people who are very good at speaking and able to start very interesting conversations, seem intelligent to me. While my x-gf thought intelligence was something totally different.

      I also have a few friends that who are very bright (to me at least). And they always have no trouble getting girls...or even "stealing" the ones I like from me.

      I think there are many slashdotters out there that have nice high-paying jobs that they somewhat enjoy (more so than alot of people I think). Engineers, scientists, programmers, technicians...these are the "nerds" that are making the dough, and alot of girls/women are at least initially attracted to that. I know a couple of programmers with some drop dead gorgeous wives.

      I think this is enough evidence(to me) that at least the "nerds never get any action" stereotype is nothing more than a stereotype. Maybe not most of the girls like intelligent guys, but enough to make it possible for nerds to at LEAST touch girls. I think your view of "women look for someone who is kind, stable" is more of a reason why a girl stays with a guy. But I notice girls seem to be initially attracted to guys for reasons ranging from "wow he so so smart" to more stupid things like height or curly hair. Being fun is another thing I have seen girls be attracted to, however.

      Most of the examples of the girls I've used are college students from Texas though. They could possibly be different than the females you come into contact with now.

    2. Re:What's your proof that women dig intelligence? by real_smiff · · Score: 3, Interesting

      i think what you're missing is that there's many kinds of intelligence that people can have. i think when women say they want an intelligent guy, it usually means witty, observant, sensitive and things like this. *not* a walking encyclopedia, or even someone who is any good at academic work at all. being good with your hands (no double entendre intended) is one example, being practical and so on. if you think about it (to get deep), evolution has favoured women who went for these sort of things. oog oog ape man. console yourself with the thought that being a mathematician is such a recent idea that women haven't had a chance to catch up ;). i am not an expert on sexual attraction.

      --

      This is my Sig, this is my Gun. One is for Slashdot and one is for Fun.

  5. Re:Stumped for words. by Urox · · Score: 2, Interesting
    from your post: it didn't really show any dramatic insight or anything

    from the article: Candice tells me she studied Journalism in college, but is now an actor and model. "I work one trade show a month to pay the rent," she says

    Only one day of work a month and the rest to do whatever you want (well, I suppose eating and activites that cost money will probably require you to work more than that). Doesn't sound too bad to me.

    I think it interesting the comment from the non-booth babe. She sounds like a hypocrite to me because she knows exactly what she looks like as well, in-character excuse or not.

    --
    "Would you rather have a playstation addicted dork wearing a star wars t-shirt?"
  6. I have the opposite problem by M3wThr33 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Of the 5 years I have gone, three of them have been with my girlfriend. So it's a bit awkward being around her. Of course, if it's any X-Men or Roman person, SHE wants her picture taken.

  7. Part of the problem is... by MMaestro · · Score: 2, Interesting
    ... that "demographics" have led developers to think that most gamers are in their 20's or 30's so they should make more 'mature' games. This of course leads to the article's problem, gamers supposedly 'objectifing' women. True women at times have been major... topics of discussion, but whens the last time someone went out and bought a copy of the horribly buggy Tomb Raider : Angel of Darkness over Half-Life just because Gordon Freeman was male?

    The second major problem is too much media coverage on booth babes. We know they exist. We know they look hot. We know when the show ends all the makeup comes off and the costumes are presumably destroyed in an act of corporate waste. We don't need thousands of pictures of them on hundreds of different webpages in "post-E3 coverage" reports. We don't need web contests of 'which E3 babe was the hottest looking this year?' contests. I don't know about other Slashdotters but after reading my 4th or 5th E3 coverage I'm getting kinda tired of looking at pictures of women I'll never speak to, hear about ever again, let alone meet in real life.