That image is pretty difficult to read, so have a transcript after the break!
Transcript thanks to Morgan:
-I recently read your Feedback response to Angelo's defense of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic ("Who You Calling Frilly?", issue 233). Now, I won't harp on you (love and tolerance is key), but I'm curious; just how many emails did you receive regarding the show? I ask because fellow bronies were posting pictures of your letter before I got the issue, and a main FiM news source mentioned it as well. I just hope that they didn't spam you with hate mail; that's just rude
-David Rawls
Southbridge, MA
-Hey guys, I just wanted to comment on the one dude talking about my Little Pony. When I read that, I just shook my head. I hope you guys don't think that all us bronies are that over-sensitive. Most of us are normal guys, girls, and even servicemen like myself! I love the show as much as anyone, but dang, that dude should learn to take a joke. "Frilly" is a pretty much the series in a nutshell-but that's what makes it great
-Michael F.
Montebello, CA
-Despite never describing FiM's frilliness as a bad thing, some bronies took serious offense to our comments and responded with language that would make the show peaceful ponies wither up and die. most fans were surprisingly cordial, though, so in the spirit of peace and crap, we won't hold a grudge.
110 comments:
feedbacks... why dont they just watch and bwecome bronies? :D
ReplyDeletehippopotamus
ReplyDeleteI actually saw this in the Gameinformer, but I'd also seen bronies mentioned numerous times so I didn't submit it, figuring it had become so common an occurrence.
ReplyDeleteI remember that, and I was wondering when the backlash would come. I still think GameInformers original response to the first letter was a little condescending myself though.
ReplyDeleteShame on all you vulgar bronies.
ReplyDeleteSometimes people go a little overboard, was a little over the top from both sides there I think really.
ReplyDeletedamn my spelling
ReplyDeleteWay to step up and make us look like douches, whoever you were.
ReplyDeleteThe last thing we need is militant members to turn this into another "furries vs everyone" war.
At least EqD remains a fairly polite community; I'm keeping my plot away from other sites.
Nothing too major in this, just a small amount of publicity in a gaming magazine, whether it's good publicity or bad is to be seen. It does show the common theme of love and tolerance(along with the deserved apology from the bronies), but it also shows the immaturity of those that overreacted. It's fairly neutral.
ReplyDeleteHere's to more exposure!
ReplyDeleteAgreed. A lot of folks do get bent out of shape over it. I know I still get flak from co workers about liking the show, well just wait till they get aload of me in a pony shirt!
ReplyDeleteHeck, even my own mother made some comments about it, but can't let it get you guys so worked up. Remember, we are bronies. Lets be better then the rest of the internet.
Love and Tolerate indeed!
Also...PARTY CANNON! MAHAHAHAHAHAHahahahahaa!!
I remember reading that before i became a brony at the time i thought it was a joke or something it wasnt until i saw the Heavy's Sandvich song video and realized it was takin form the show that i started to get interested and finally just gave in and watched a few episodes and well im sure you can guess the rest
ReplyDeleteLook, its the internet. Though this is easily the most civil and intelligent fandom in the world (great job :D), people will instinctively get a bit flustered and defensive when someone disagrees with them or insults something they love so passionately. Its understandable.
ReplyDeleteBut they still need to learn that its wrong to force something upon someone and insult them when they reject it. It doesn't make you sound intelligent; it makes you sound like an obnoxious religious fanatic.
Side note: Gameinformer is still one of the most well-written and least biased game magazines in the world, and is totally worth the subscription.
@Firmly_Grasp_It I agree with every point made in there(including them being worth the subscription).
ReplyDeleteis there a link to this article?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete@Firmly_Grasp_It
ReplyDeleteBut...but...the Church of Pinkie Pie would have been so...awesome...
*sighs and takes off his pink cupcake hat with sprinkles and party robes*
I never get to have any fun...
I remember being conned into buying a year's subscription to gameinformer. That reply was a positively uncouth response from a largely sub-standard publication. (Read that in Rarity's voice)
ReplyDelete@reclaimedvalor I looked for it... couldn't find it.
ReplyDeleteIt's always nice to see the community mobilize. I'm also glad to hear that most of them were cordial and kept within the spirit of the fandom.
ReplyDeleteBronies UNITE!
ReplyDeleteThat is surrender, pure and simple. ALthough, I expect that when fighting is magic comes out they'll cover it it.
ReplyDeletePeace and crap. Truer words man, truer words.
ReplyDeleteSeen the informer got over it. Don't hold a grudge fellow bronys. Bronys unite
ReplyDelete@Stormcaller
ReplyDeleteI prefer the Church of the Pink Pony of Death, ma'self.
Anyway, I agree - fairly neutral on their part. I doubt we'll be seeing another response about the show.
@ Flutterguy:
ReplyDeleteI spent a year (came in around the time of "best pet") believing it was the same as the prior MLPs (30-minute commercial aimed at little girls and poorly written even FOR a 30-min commercial), I wasnt //rude// about bronies but I thought they were silly, strange, etc and over all I avoided them as much as the Twilight(vampire) fanatics... And I scoffed at anyone suggesting I watch FiM for the above reasons...
It took the combined force of the Internet in general, all my friends AND TV Tropes before I gave in. Even then I spent the first 7 minutes or so ready to turn it off (and almost did at AJ's cheesy "We sho' do like makin' new friends!") ...but then I met Rainbow Dash, and I was hooked. (And my status as a Brony was cemented by Winter Wrap Up)
Funny part is I fought it so long but I've not been as happy in years as I am now that I'm a brony......
Is Andy McNamara still editor-in-chief of GI? That explains a lot.
ReplyDeleteFriendship is magic.. and volatile. :P
ReplyDeleteI accept and embrace choice of Rarity pic there.
I saw another gaming magazine, I'm pretty sure it was Gamepro, where the editor mentioned wanting to play Diablo 3 "Right nooooooow!!" and it left me wondering if he was a brony as well.
ReplyDelete@ndrazzar
ReplyDeleteThey're not required to like it or admit they like it. That's their prerogative. Saying that they "should just watch it and become bronies" is pointless and just makes us look pushy.
I remember reading that issue and laughing, as well as the issue with the other letter. Glad GI has enough class (as well as our well-behaved bronies) to overcome the Gildas in our mix.
ReplyDeleteThey're a print magazine. Gamepro's dead now. It's only a matter of time.
ReplyDeleteOne thing to keep firmly in mind is that, like any unconventional group, Bronies will be treated as if the worst behavior of any of us is representative of ALL of us, all of the time.
ReplyDeleteWhich is sad, because most Bronies I've seen and talked to are very rational, smart, and caring people.
So, while I understand the knee-jerk reaction to anything critical of the fandom (trust me, I share the outrage), please, please, PLEASE take a moment or ten to breathe deeply, regain your sense of calm, and respond with measured and well-thought out words, if you decide that responding is even needed at all (it often isn't).
Partially, because extreme meltdowns is one of the things that the anti-Brony types WANT to see, but mainly because in the end, it hurts us more than it helps us.
Also, I agree with not being pushy on the internet. Ponies are great, but they aren't for everyone, and a lot of the backlash we get is from people just fed up and tired of having ponies shoved down their throats whenever they go online.
Gaming magazines are still a thing?
ReplyDeleteRule of thumb: If Fluttershy would cringe at your choice of words, don't use them.
ReplyDeleteLook, it's Game Informer! ALL there letters are like that. Quite frankly they get a rise out of making people rage like that, and I think it's pretty funny too. The only thing you really can't do is take them seriously.
ReplyDeleteTo the above, valid points, all. But we've heard them before and already agree.
....Why is GameInformer involved in something out of their topic area anyway? And didn't they hide Twilight Sparkle in a picture thing before? Game Informer is too double-faced.
ReplyDeleteThat said, people shouldn't get all butthurt at things GameInformer says either. :v
@R10t Pol1ce
ReplyDeleteDone.
@Lanin
ReplyDeletethis.
When people who are not bronies criticize what I like it doesn't hurt:
ReplyDeleteeither they are speaking their honest opinion of dislike, and that is perfectly acceptable...
or they're being abusive, in which case I can disregard them entirely. Both ways, no harm done.
But when a brony pulls a Twilight-bursting-into-flame spat, it stings me more than whatever intended neighsayer it's aimed at.
That all said, I understand the impulse and reactivity to be defensive. If my sort of closted bronyhood was suddenly called out in real life, I surely would be all a flutter. But that's the silver lining of the internet in that everyone can take time to think and postulate before responding.
er, think I'm preaching to the choir here anyway >.>
Like I said before when the initial response was made and published, Game Informer assumes it has a target audience of 10-21 year old males who would never in (what the consider) their right minds allow themselves to be interested in MLP.
ReplyDeleteAs such, Game informer feels a need to slander the show and/or remain neutral about the entire fiasco.
Responding to responses to your response.
ReplyDeleteWe need to go deeper.
@OtterMatt
ReplyDeleteAfter the catastrophe of the /b/ article I'll never believe that EqD's community (not Seth, Phoe or Cereal mind you) is nowhere near 'polite'.
I actually do start giving some merit to the haters; there's no denying a portion of the brony community is rotten, and will hate them back for not liking the show.
ReplyDeleteWe're disadvantaged by the fans unable to comprehend that their behavior is far worse, especially when someone politely claiming to have no interest in the show is harassed by spiteful bronies. It may be because the fanbase is mostly made of underage fans trying to appeal to anyone, but I won't go there.
Many gain their interest in the show by passively watching it until their own, personal appeal in the show blooms. Nowadays, most 'outsiders' are straight-out turned away by the sheer hatred and hypocritical 'tolerance' shown by these extreme bronies.
I often hear 'I want this person to be a brony, but he/she doesn't like the show/won't watch it, how should I make them?', and it makes me sick. This is a fandom, not a damn cult.
I honestly don't think they're being that big of jerks about it. Us trying to force them to like it does nobody any favours. Besides, it's a show, not a game, so it's not like it should even matter to them anyway. Now, maybe they'll do a review of Fighting is Magic when it gets a proper release. Will it be good or bad? Who knows? But hopefully they'll be fair and civil about it.
ReplyDeleteGood news? Good news.
ReplyDeleteI never got the impression that anyone, GI or otherwise, was taking things too seriously. The entire exchange was tongue-in-cheek, and I thought it was pretty funny. I assumed that would be obvious to everyone but apparently not, heh.
ReplyDeleteMy wife doesn't let our kids watch the show. She thinks it's a bad influence. True story...
ReplyDeleteI still watch it in my closet though :D
its just typical gameinformer being dicks b/c they can its their right as a publication and its our right to troll them...not that i did though lol I'm glad some bronies responded with class though
ReplyDeleteAnd that's why i get Gamepro. :)
ReplyDelete@InfinityDash
ReplyDeleteI agree! I thought the response from the brony to GI was him joking. It was pretty comedic, and I find it hard to believe he was trying his hardest to be serious. Whatever, it's settled now. All in good spirits, I say.
Well, it's letters to the editor. You have to consider:
ReplyDeleteA) They'll only print letters that are entertaining to read and respond to, and...
B) The mindset of somebody who actually WRITES A LETTER TO THE EDITOR.
Just enjoy it for the entertainment value: the Gildas vs. the Parasprites. Any jabs made at the brony community are obviously in light-hearted jest and not meant to be taken seriously.
@Sothalic
ReplyDeleteYou're right. There is no reason to incessantly rail on people who simply don't like the show, or who don't want to watch it in the first place.
I think the problem is that there are no shortage of individuals in the internet who are more than willing to go out of their way to paint all bronies in a negative light. So can see some people in the community getting fed up with the trolls and over-zealously defending themselves.
MLP is not frilly in the least. Go call RD or AJ frilly. Go ahead! I'll call the ambulance.
ReplyDeleteWhat issue was this in anyone know?
ReplyDelete"we won't hold a grudge"
ReplyDeleteThat is possibly the most backhanded way of apologizing ever. Make it look like it was everyone else's fault.
I give GI props for showing the intelligent sounding letters and not the hateful ones. They also point out that the majority were "cordial".
ReplyDeleteWell, this one guy decided to "stand up" for bronies, though, he did so in a negative tone. Which obviously did not help. I am glad others sent apologies, I hated being "The butthurt guy from game informer".
ReplyDeleteIt still always makes me unhappy when others claim this show as manly sure ADMITTING you watch it takes guts, you can easily tell the actual show is not manly.
I can't love and tolerate this, I just can't.
ReplyDeleteI dunno, maybe it's just me, but I've been around the internet for so long and so many subcultures at this point this is just the same 'ol thing I've seen time and time again. So I'm not really that stirred up about it in any way. There will always be people in any fandom who go to more extremes and act up. All the fandoms have one. This one will never be any different in those regards no matter how much better you claim it to be. All you can do is try and be as respectful of others as possible and be a good rep to the community.
ReplyDelete@Sothalic
ReplyDeletetl;dr ponychan in a nutshell
@D'Artagnan Rossfeld
ReplyDeleteWould you look at that, haters within our own borders.
Haters gonna hate.
Some ponies should not be allowed to read. I bet the rude ones were former furs.
ReplyDeleteTolerance is KEY here.... How do you know you hate it until you try it?
ReplyDeleteI'm a pretty much a skeptic myself, and it took me some time to get into watching an episode... but here we are.
This is why I love this community: The majority doesn't support this imperialistic behavior that I see all the time. You guys are awesome!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for my issue to come in the mail. MAIL Y U SO SLOW
ReplyDeleteLove and Tolerance!
ReplyDelete(Of course I already dislike Game Informer for their biased reviews. I'll still tolerate them.)
I thought GI's response was fine when I read it in the magazine. There's no real need to get upset over what other people say about this community. We've only been around for about a year, so of course people are going to look at us funny (at first).
ReplyDeleteAlso, I do like the brony community, but I don't find it to be different from any other fandom. The only real difference is that the first people you see are usually the nice ones; deep down there still exist every type of fan possible. It has also become evident to me that some of the bronies here at EQD are just simply unwilling to take any kind of criticism or laugh at themselves (compared to a nearly 30-year Transformers fandom where their entire wiki makes light of itself).
In the end, I guess I just don't see why anyone had to get upset toward GI in the first place. All they did was call My Little Pony frilly and that's it (and very true if you think about it). It wasn't a giant stab at bronies, it wasn't purposefully trying to upset anyone, it was just an offhanded comment that anyone unfamiliar with this community would say. They aren't "rebelling", they're just not into it as much as we are (and they have had articles pointing out gaming/pony remix videos to watch, but I guess no one on here bothered to take that into account).
GI was just being pretty casual about the whole thing from the beginning. Then they got a letter that hugely overreacted and got super-defensive for the show when it wasn't needed, and for some reason they decided to publish it and respond to it (this was the only thing I really fault them for.) Even their response there was perfectly sane and reasonable though.
ReplyDelete@ndrazzar because then they would be watching ponies all day and there would be no GameInformer anymore.
ReplyDelete@calyurk
ReplyDeleteYou can and will.
@EHeroFlareNeos
ReplyDeleteHave I ever told you...
...that you are best pony?
Honestly, I wish the brony community could poke fun at itself a bit more. But instead we do the one thing that in every respect simply makes no sense - we make the so-called "haters" feel as though their words have meaning to us.
Does someone calling this show "gay" mean anything to you? It shouldn't. Gay isn't an insult, and it's not even true of most fans of the show. So you don't even have to see their words as offensive - if you take offense to the meaningless words of people who don't know what they're talking about, that's on you. I'd like to think we're smarter than them.
Which leads me to my next point - GI wasn't even doing that. They weren't trolling us, or even hating on us. They stated their opinion fairly, and to bash them and scream at them for that is probably the most immature action I've ever seen this fanbase take.
I confess myself disappoint. In all of you.
@Dave
ReplyDeleteFor the guy who shares a same name as I, I feel you, bro.
@Lupus Albus
ReplyDeleteThe cynic in me says that they posted it to get the rise up from others. As has been stated by others, print media is dying a long, dragged out death. If they can print one over-the-top letter, knowing that they can get a lot of responses and publicity for it, and possibly expose their magazine to others who currently don't follow it, then yes, they will do so. Which is why they ended their current response with such an ambiguous reply. If they had come out and said everything was alright, many of the people who had rushed in to see what the kerfluffle was all about would have left. By leaving the end result up in the air, people will stick around an issue or three, increasing sales and maybe getting a few more people to buy s subscription.
@Zamoonda
ReplyDeleteyou know it be true.
Anyone who refers to "the show's peaceful ponies" has never seen Dash nuke a barn.
ReplyDeletewhat issue?! Don't think it was december, cause i didn't see it.
ReplyDeleteI remember when I read that first thing about. Made me upset but lost track after I forgot to resubscribe
ReplyDeletethis is why i hate ponychan.
ReplyDelete>>Timber said...
ReplyDelete>>I bet the rude ones were former furs.
Hey, watch it, some of us still ARE furs... (and yanno technically Bronies are "lovers of anthropomorphic Ponies" so you guys fall under "furries" too... pot needs to stop calling the kettle black...)
@Ashton
ReplyDeleteThat might be true, but that doesn't mean all of us find anthropomorphic characters sexually arousing. HOWEVER, I've got no problem with that at all, you ain't hurting nobody so have fun.
Wow, I read this in my cousin's Gamer informer.
ReplyDelete"We won't hold a grudge"?
ReplyDeleteNice way of making it seem like our fault, GI
Frankly, I could care less what a gaming magazine thinks. Besides, haters are a VERY small portion of this fandom. If they'd received actual messages from the good side of this fandom, maybe this would've gone out better...but instead, all the blame is pinned on us.
YAY WRONGFUL PERSECUTION.
*Sorry, not haters. Rather, Bronies who hate ON haters of FiM.
ReplyDeleteDuuuuhhhhuhhhhhhh... My... Oh my Celestia...
ReplyDeleteMy... my e-mail... It... They used my email?
~David Rawls
Well for one if asked.. I just explain.. I know MLP is for the female ages 5-11, but the Bronies are the parents and grandparents of the intended audience, that are fans themselves. That usually shuts the middle of the road folks up.
ReplyDelete@David Reinold I agree the community needs to learn to laugh at itself every once in awhile it's something I've said ever since May
ReplyDeleteI think Derpy's handling my own copies of gameinformer, They always come late, I was wondering about this. but anyway, i have a feeling that some of the staff are probably bronies and just can't admit it to themselves ;D
ReplyDelete>>otakon17 said...
ReplyDelete>>@Ashton
>>That might be true, but that doesn't mean all of us
>>find anthropomorphic characters sexually arousing.
That is so hypocritical. To say all furs are hypersexual, and then to say "not all bronies" are like that... I'll have you know that I appreciate art as art, whether it's a bowl of fruit, or an artful nude (not into spooge) none of it arouses me... Likewise I can only name 2 friends of mine who *are* aroused like that... Furs are not hypersexual, I'd appreciate if you didn't spread such rumors (though admittedly it's a step up from the 'pedo' rumors thankfully)
I really wish people would stop spouting "love and tolerate love and tolerate".
ReplyDeleteNever used in the show. It, like the name Lyra and the connection between Derpy and the little grey unicorn, is entirely fanmade crap that the fanbase has run with and basically tried to make sound canon, and it's incredibly obnoxious.
Stop trying to force a slogan that's not even part of the show on people, people. God DAMN.
@Ashton
ReplyDeleteYou didn't quote my whole comment. Regardless, I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to be an ass about it. Also, your the first person I've seen use the term "hypersexual" as well. And I do not spread rumors. I heard always heard that "furries" are into odd stuff. Like I said, it doesn't bother me if you are or aren't. I was obviously ignorant of the truth, and once again say sorry.
@Something To Quack About
ReplyDeleteThe reason I said "Love and Tolerate" in the email was not because they say it in the show, because I know they don't. I said it because the fandom, us bronies, accepted it as representation of our feelings towards many things.
At NO point did I force anything.
Don't believe the Yaysayers!
ReplyDeleteBeing a brony is all about Hatred and Bigotry.
And frills. Lots and lots of frills. ;-)
@Something To Quack About Never was made to sound canon,called fanon.
ReplyDelete@ otakon17:
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry too, I snapped, it's kinda a sensitive issue for me. One day I was just 'odd' then the media spouts hate and suddenly I'm a monster who violates animals, plushies, and children... T_T I apologize for being so harsh *hugs*
Well, I'm glad this was resolved peacefully!
ReplyDeleteI hate the oversentsive bronies just as much as I hate the pushy ones that try to force the fandom upon those who will never like it because they are teenagers obsessed with artificial guns and artificial violence and REAL profanity.
@Mattwo
ReplyDelete...Is it OK that I actively force it upon my twin, in hopes that he cracks one day with the doom-saying "Fine, I'll watch one episode if it'll shut you up"?
@ Guywithpasta:
ReplyDeleteyou left out a vital piece of information! Nobody can answer you until you reveal.... Which of you has the Goatee! Otherwise we wont know who the "evil" twin is! ;)
@Ashton
ReplyDeleteIt's okay man, we all do it some times. As earlier with me.*hugs back*
100 and 1 comments
ReplyDeleteI can't stand Game Informer. I actually cancelled my subscription over their harassment of that guy who wrote in about their unfounded hatred of the Wii
ReplyDeleteI used to love and tolerate... But then I took an arrow in the knee. Death to all who oppose!
ReplyDeletePlease everypony, let not act like Gilda, when someone say something bad
ReplyDeleteJust love and tolerate :)
So I take it no one in here reads the daily /oat/ on ponychan? Turns out that the guy who runs the daily /oat/ (ARGH) had a chance to talk with the guy who sent the second email at a brony meet up. Upon talking to him he found out that the person had actually put a message before the email saying, "This is a joke please do not take this seriously." and so Gameinformer (being Gameinformer) took out that note he put before the email and just responded to the body of it instead. This of course, led to a massive rage within the brony community. It's like Gameinformer planned it all along....
ReplyDeleteI was a little bothered with GI's response, but it's to be expected from a magazine.
ReplyDeletePlus let's be honest: South Park was on the cover. No one is going to take anything in that issue seriously.
@ Timber you forget that each and every brony is, by definition, a fan of anthropomorphic animals.
ReplyDeleteNow coincidentally, the definition of a furry happens to be the exact. Same. Thing. Nothing more, nothing less.
All that comments like yours do, is show anyone reading them that their writer(s) misunderstand the word 'anthtopomorphic' or having some weird ideas and misconceptions about either fandom. Or perhaps both.
But, my point is that there is not a single difference between your average furry and your average brony,
In fact, I hereby challenge anyone to prove above statement to be false.
And grudge rhymes with fudge. And I like fudge. but if I eat too much fudge I get a pudge and I can't budge.
ReplyDeleteSoooo..... no fudge?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletejeez trying to find the timeline that started it all is worse then looking for waldo
ReplyDelete