
Comedian Aaron Karo gets around. A lot. And he doesn't think that just because he's hit 30, he has to start pondering marriage, babies and barbecues in the 'burbs. His latest book, "I'm Having More Fun Than You," explores the upside of being single and ready to mingle with, well, just about anybody.
While reading, we didn't know whether to laugh out loud or feel bad about the state of modern manhood; "I'm Having More Fun Than You" is occasionally so vile and depraved that dropping thousands of copies into American cities could convert the entire female population into lesbians. In other words, he recognizes that dudes can be amoral, horny beasts, and he ain't making any apologies about it.
Still, we had to wonder: Was Karo's relentless pursuit of ass truly a pursuit of happiness? What's the line between perennial singledom and sex addiction? And are we old-fashioned prudes for even asking? You'll have to read on to decide for yourself if this Lothario's guidelines for flying solo are the only way to go.
The Pinnacle of Bachelorhood
We agree with Aaron Karo on one major point: getting hitched in your 20s seems a bit lame. "I realized that 30 was so much better than 20 -- you have confidence, a little bit of money, you know your way around women a little better. You can date women who are older, younger. Bachelorhood really peaks around 30. Women ask me why the men they meet are afraid of being committed. I'm like, 'We're just getting the hang of being single.'"
Hang in There, Single Soldier
Karo had to suffer through the weddings of six friends last year. It's no surprise that most people make the leap into marriage around the same time -- call it peer pressure or mass hysteria. But there's a silver lining for guys who refrain from getting down on one knee. "The guys who've made it this far, unscathed, are now excited to do another couple years in the trenches. [But] some guys can't hack it. You need to have a real constitution in order to maintain being single this long."
The City That Never Sleeps (But Sleeps Around)
There's a bit of bad news if you live in Peoria or Poughkeepsie. According to Karo, the real single life is only thriving in major cities, like sex-crazed New York and Los Angeles. His advice for those in the rural and suburban areas, "F**king move? I don't know. What advice can I possibly give? Certainly, this is an urban phenomenon." That said, there could be a killer pick-up scene at the local Applebee's. Don't give up the dream just yet.
What Double Standards?
Before you start writing angry hate mail to Karo about why he's a pig who doesn't understand the age-old "slut versus stud" paradox, hear him out. He certainly wouldn't judge similarly promiscuous behavior in girls. If he met the female equivalent of himself: "I'd try to f**k her. That'd be perfect. Society or other women or married people look down on them. I say God bless."
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Ass
Being single can be addicting -- who would deny the weird thrill of being able to sleep with a different woman every night, guilt-free? But reading "I'm Having More Fun Than You," we couldn't help wondering where the line is between pleasure and compulsion. (For instance, Karo brags about bedding a young woman on a weekend night. She leaves by 11 p.m. ... so he gets suited up to out on the town again, in the hopes of a second score.)
"I think that bachelorhood is a lot more than just sex," Karo clarifies. "In fact, I would say that's a small component of it. To me, it's really the independence. It's decision-making where you're the only factor involved. When you're in a relationship, or when you're married, especially, every decision you make -- what you eat, where you go, where you travel to, who you talk to -- has to be filtered through this other person. I like to operate autonomously. Again, I'm 30. If I was 45, saying the same thing, I would say: OK, time to pack it in, buddy. You're done."
The Economical Stud
"You've got to be prepared to spend some money, that's for sure," says Karo. "If you're aggressively buying a girl drinks, you're tipping your hand. I don't recommend that right off the bat. You let the girl buy her own drinks, and it puts her a little off balance."
Karo also says to skip dinner and head straight to the bar. And avoid luxury clubs or places with a valet for all the BMWs. "You go to these crazy clubs -- come on, you can't compete with those douchebags." And speaking of d-bags: "If you buy a girl three drinks and she's talking to some other dude, still, who she says is just a friend ... and he's wearing Armani and he's bigger than you ... just bail. You're out."
Virtual Pleasure
"It's kind of hard as a public figure to go on a dating Web site, but honestly I know friends who get so laid on some of these sites. J-Date? I have friends who just tear the shit up. So, if you have the temperament to go on and spend some time and figure out that world, apparently it pays off in spades. I definitely have met up with girls I met on Facebook. It vets it a little bit. People ask me, where's the best place to meet women? I say: Bars and Facebook. Where am I gonna go, f***kin' church?"
Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too?
There's always a trade-off involved when dating. Being single means you can have (potentially) limitless sex with whomever you want, but you don't have the emotional attachments you get in a relationship. Yet being in a relationship means you're stuck having sex with the same person, over and over again. (If you're lucky.)
Many dudes fudge their morals a bit and combine the best of all words: a committed relationship, with whatever action they want on the DL. Karo says he's never cheated, and couldn't imagine doing so. "It's not my thing. Certainly I know many people who have, and it seems to work for them. You could make the argument that if it keeps your relationship intact and makes the guy happy, and the woman is unaware, then more power to you. I think I'd feel too guilty. Surprisingly I have a conscience -- even after writing this book."
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Monday 19 October
By Rantips
Read this book last week. It's now my Bible. Preach on Karo, preach on!!!
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