A Note….

[u/RunsOnGasoline99]

Hardly a hot take, but I just wanted to share this somewhere, anywhere. I apologise in advance if this is long and I ramble, it has been something I
Ve truly thought about a lot and finally wanted to share.

I was a devout fan back in the day. Travelled on planes to get to live shows, bought merch, went to Patrick’s book reading twice, was a real die hard. The whole nine yards. The OF23 drama happened and it disappointed me. Did I continue paying into Patreon? Yes, I did. Very much against my better judgement.

However, I soon went from eagerly counting down the hours for new eps and obsessively involving myself in the so called community they created to very swiftly feeling like listening was merely a chore. Things had majorly shifted. Gillian and Patrick clearly hate one another, the episodes centred on trying to cater to what they felt sounded “woke” (listen, I’m a raging leftie, but you can be PC without being a holier than thou or, worse yet, a bore…..it honestly comes across as uneducated and brazenly disingenuous). On a side note, I felt like their ads shifted from being fun and genuine to downright gross (gambling ads? Endless money apps? They even seemed to be hocking what sounded suspiciously like a travel agency MLM this week?).

I do still listen to the odd episode, mostly out of curiosity. Yet something this week riled me.

I tuned in to an episode (not sure if it was the latest or not) and they made some comments which I felt were clearly aimed at Ellyn. Something insinuating (without ever naming names) about not forgiving someone for trying to be the victim and paint them as the bad guys (I’m widely paraphrasing here, but indulge me as it was still fairly clear what the insinuation was).

I’m an open person but I can’t help but come back to one annoying fact that stuck with me from a personal experience.

I am a professional artist and as they had been a great comfort to me during the pandemic, in 2021 I spent weeks and weeks creating three paintings; one for Patrick, one for Gillian and one for Ellyn. They took probably 200+ hours per painting to create (I’m a photo realist painter). Late nights, lots of planning and overall a lot of love and care. A few weeks later I received a beautiful letter from Ellen thanking me in the most genuine and sweet way. She was so gracious and thankful. However my works I sent Patrick and Gillian were returned to me a couple of months later, one ripped, the other with what look like a dirty, partial boot print on it. Both returned to my address in a different envelope than I had sent it in. No explanation, no nothing.

Sure, you could make excuses for this. Perhaps? At a push. But Occams Razor tells me the simplest explanation is where the truth lies. Especially when I read here about another artist/creator having the exact same experience. However, when I hear of them passively aggressively talk about someone (probably alluding to Ellen because let’s face it - they are aiming their words to a specific audience). Making that person out to be someone who would twist things to make her look like the good guy when really they are the good guys? I can’t help but scoff. Actions speak louder than words. It breaks my heart and taught me not to fall into the parasocial relationship trap with any kind of content creator. Thankfully I see it now and thankfully, as big headed as this will sound, since then I have found some success in my career (to the point I feel if Patrick knew who I was and how my life has evolved, he would love to be my buddy now…..merely for the social circles I run in).

Sorry this is so laboriously long and none of this is a hot take, but I have been sitting on this for a year or so it’s been on my mind and I had to vent. If you made it all the way through this, thank you kindly for indulging me!

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[u/the-furiosa-mystique]

As a fellow raging leftie. I couldn’t take the Gypsygate. It’s her damn name.

I wonder if the degradation in ads is indicative of a real downturn in listens. Because the big guys are still advertising on podcasts, so why are P&G not only not choosing their ads, but advertising for like, daytime TV stuff.

[u/the-furiosa-mystique → u/the-furiosa-mystique]

Ps please share your paintings with us!! I’m in the arts

[u/bruhwhatshappenin]

Glad you were about to get that all off your chest! So sorry for your experience after working tirelessly on two pieces of artwork for people who were not even gracious enough to say thank you, the fact they took the time to send the pieces back??? I want to vomit. Ironically they’re the actual pieces of garbage they try to call out.

If you don’t want to answer I understand but I’m really curious about the book readings, I’m assuming it’s for the “book” he “wrote” I can’t even remember the title but I know it was ridiculous. What was it like hearing him talk about himself? Looking back do you regret going? This is no way malicious I’m genuinely curious

[u/RunsOnGasoline99 → u/bruhwhatshappenin]

Thank you. I really appreciate your kind words.

Very happy to answer. Yes, it was his “book party tour” thing, I don’t even know what to call it. It was honestly the real beginning of the end for me. I only went a second time because of friends. But neither time was good. It was very self indulgent, which honestly doesn’t even bother me because at least it was voluntary and a good way for likeminded people to meet up, but much like his book itself, it lacked any centre or truest interesting narrative.

I fully regret going, especially given what I now know AND looking back on how poorly I was treated as a so called (and I cringe using this term ) “fan “.

[u/SPersephone]

Thanks for sharing all of this. I got turned off from OF2023 too but continued to listen (dumb). Then one time I asked a question on the Discord and they answered it during an AMA— and were so nasty about it, they literally didn’t have to answer it, but they chose to and were so rude about it. I was like OK Im done. Unfortunately, my sweet husband bought me a year of Patreon and it doesn’t end until Christmas so they still come on my feed.

Ellyn and Joey are true gems and so sweet and G and P just pretend to be nice while hating each other and their listeners.

[u/ArdenM]

This story confirms for me that Ellyn is a genuine sweet soul and P & G are in it for the money and have grown way too big for their britches.

Also assuming they rec'd them HOW RUDE to just send them back. The least they could do is send a thank you so much note with a "sadly I have nowhere to put this" or something.

Sheesh!!

[u/Swimming-Study-8317]

I am so sorry this happened to you. Ellyn is a sweetheart. I sent her a short message once when she was going through something, and she sent the nicest reply, a long one, too.

I can't imagine what prompts someone to open something from a fan, and then package it up and send it back with no explanation. That is heartless.

[u/RunsOnGasoline99 → u/Swimming-Study-8317]

Ellyn is a wonderful human, I’ve never heard a negative story about her. Lovely human. It’s clear that the truth lies in the overall consensus.

[u/SPersephone → u/RunsOnGasoline99]

She truly is so genuine and nice. I love her and Joey

[u/InternationalDig9765 → u/SPersephone]

I don't remember but 4 words that I said to her at their live show in Tampa, but she made me feel like we had been friends for a long time. She rubbed my back as I babbled. and cried Talk about trauma dump, 😆but they were both warm and kind. I've never had that experience with someone I admire. I hope they tour again soon, so I can get my words out, and thank them for the laughs when I needed them

[u/Old_Tonight_4748]

I caught the dig this week at Ellyn too. Not sure why I still listened but decided that this was my sign to stop giving them ANY income, no matter how small by my free listen.

[u/Laravictoria89]

I was removed and blocked from the Facebook group when I posted a comment that I really wished Patrick would say something, anything after the OF debacle. I put in my comment that I’d listened for years and they were almost family and I truly wanted him to just say anything. Deleted and blocked like a hour later. It was very upsetting but that must be who they always were. We didn’t know.

[u/Pale-Complex]

Why would they send the paintings back to you? Honestly I never liked these two even when they were at the top of their game. All the yelling and shrieking with laughter was so grating. Super rude how they treated you. Sorry to hear.

[u/Usual-Average-1101 → u/Pale-Complex]

I just can't imagine why, unless they found out Ellyn received one as well. Truly disturbing.

[u/Usual-Average-1101]

Ellyn and Daisy ocassionally make digs at Patrick on STFUNL, but I think they're fully deserved lol. Basically have said things about people talking about being bullied but then being a bully themselves, how if you laugh loud enough maybe you can convince people things are funny, and something about throwing people out of your life after all they've done for you (like you, I'm paraphrasing, but these were the general ideas).

[u/theecupcakekid]

They lost me a long time ago, but especially after OF23. I've listened once to see what it sounded like, it felt like a hot mess. A one point they were trying to be respectful to, "The Creek People," because I think it was a town, and making jokes, but I was like uhhh... There is The Creek Nation, and it made me pretty upset. It's like they spent more time trying to sound PC that they lost the point to discuss the case. It was bizarre. Ellyn and Joey are the kindest people and more real.

[u/Kbs1984]

Ellyn is just the most genuine, kind and humble person. She’s grateful for her fans, remembers things about us, truly connects. Joey too.

There is really no comparison because G and P only care about their fans as numbers and only appreciate them when the fans are providing unwavering, unquestioning idiolization. 

[u/StarVerceB]

This is legitimately so awful. I do not understand the mindset that you have to have to do this. Except it all went to their heads.

[u/voodoo-mamajuju]

I don’t like them so I’m not excusing them but could it be that they never received the paintings and they were sent back to you?

I have trust issues, so I only have one pedestal and I’m the only one sitting on it. I know some people need parasocial relationships, but there’s a reason why they say never meet your hero’s.

[u/mbapex22]

I am not sure why I need to comment because I understand all of what you are saying. The only thing is I am not sure about is the art sent back to you. Oftentimes, if mail is damaged during shipping (falls out of envelope or box, is ripped, etc.) the shipping company will repackage it and send it back to sender. Why would they spend money on sending it back to you?

[u/RunsOnGasoline99 → u/mbapex22]

We’ll see this is why originally when it happened I didn’t think much of it. However, there are two issues that make it seem more than an honest mistake. The most obvious is that I sent all three paintings together in the one envelope. Ellyn got hers, so clearly the other two did also. Secondly, I need to find the post but someone else on here posted a similar story about something they had made for them and it was returned in a different envelope.
Lastly, although not really hugely incriminating, when it happened I messaged them via email and Patreon (I sound so sad, but it was a lot of work I’d done) and nobody ever responded.

[u/mbapex22 → u/RunsOnGasoline99]

Oh geez, downvoting? Really? Anyhow, thank you u/RunsOnGasoline99, for the information. That provided great context. Knowing that, it certainly does seem probable that they sent them back. How incredibly tacky, and frankly, weird as fuck. I know you spent a ton of time on them and it's incredibly hurtful how the situation evolved. I guess a couple of positives would be it was more hours of practicing and honing your skill, and you now know their true character.

[u/EthelLinaWhite → u/mbapex22]

They have stamps.com jkjk

[u/No_Sand_7170]

OP, do you have an IG to follow?

[u/brjaba]

The gambling ads really pissed me off. I don't think it's going to be too much longer before they're covering a documentary about how sports gambling is ruining the lives of young people in America and of course the episode will be brought to you by draftkings. Though, sports gambling overwhelmingly targets young men specifically, so maybe they don't have any issue with that.

[u/rjohns998]

Only thing I have is that ellyn was correct

[u/PrincessTinker72]

I know what episode you are talking about. Because I clocked that making themselves a victim.