Tucker Max#Legal troubles

Tucker Max's father, Dennis Max, is a restaurant owner in South Florida.{{cite web|url=http://www.maxsgrille.com/dennis.htm|title=Dennis Max|publisher=Max's Grille website|author=Staff|access-date=2008-01-15|archive-date=January 18, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118075138/http://www.maxsgrille.com/dennis.htm|url-status=dead}} According to Max, his parents met at "one of George Jung's coke parties in Manhattan Beach".{{Cite web|url=http://www.richroll.com/podcast/tucker-max/|title=Tucker Max Grows Up: How To Redefine Your Story & Find Happiness {{!}} Rich Roll|website=www.richroll.com|date=June 28, 2015|access-date=2016-03-12}} Tucker's grandmother was Jewish. Tucker grew up in Lexington, Kentucky and graduated from Blair Academy in 1995, where he was voted "most egotistical".{{Cite web|url=http://w.tt/1QLuQ9u|title=Sloppy Seconds: The Tucker Max Leftovers - Tucker Max - Wattpad|website=w.tt|access-date=2016-03-12}} He graduated from the University of Chicago in three years, with a B.A. in Law, Letters, and Society in 1998. He attended Duke Law School on an academic scholarship, earning a J.D. in 2001.{{cite web|url=http://www.tuckermax.com/about|title=Biography and Press Kit|publisher=TuckerMax.com|access-date=2010-01-03}}

Max resides with his wife, Veronica, and four children near Austin, Texas.{{cite journal|url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2018/05/how-tucker-max-went-from-chronicling-his-drunken-sexual-conquests-to-ghostwriting-tiffany-haddishs-memoir.html|title=How Tucker Max Went From Chronicling His Drunken Sexual Conquests to Ghostwriting Tiffany Haddish's Memoir|first=Laura|last=Bennett|journal=Slate |date=May 17, 2018|access-date=May 18, 2018}}

Max began his career by publishing The Definitive Book of Pick-Up Lines (2001), which he followed up by Belligerence and Debauchery: The Tucker Max Stories (2003). He was the facilitator of the website "Tard Blog", from 2002 to 2003.{{cite news|url=http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2003/10/01/02blog.h15.html|title=This Time, It's Personal - Education Week Teacher|newspaper=Education Week|date=September 24, 2015|access-date=May 18, 2018|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924111355/http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2003/10/01/02blog.h15.html|archive-date=September 24, 2015|df=mdy-all|last1=Toner|first1=Mark}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tardblog.org|title=TardBlog Mirror|access-date=May 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308094814/http://tardblog.org/|archive-date=March 8, 2018|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} In 2006, he began development of a television pilot for Comedy Central, but the project was canceled reportedly due to a dispute with Sony about feature film rights.Goldstein, Gregg [https://www.reuters.com/article/filmNews/idUSN1734402220080418 "'Beer in Hell flowing to Big Screen"], Reuters, April 17, 2008. His first New York Times Best Seller, "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell," was released in 2006.

In September 2006, Simon Spotlight Publishing, a division of Simon & Schuster, announced that Max was contracted to release a book in January 2008, Assholes Finish First. Undisclosed delays pushed the release date to September 2010. He reportedly received a $300,000 advance for Assholes Finish First, and released a revised and expanded edition of I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell in January 2009.[http://alpha.news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080708/film_nm/beer_dc "Gilmore Girls" veteran tastes 'Beer in Hell']{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Yahoo News.{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03/11/tucker_max_sxsw|title=Tucker the f**ker claims blogger book deals are 'easy'|publisher=The Register|author=Vance, Ashlee|author-link=Ashlee Vance |date=March 11, 2007|access-date=2008-01-14}}{{cite web|url=http://messageboard.tuckermax.com/showthread.php?t=19304 |title=Vote on the new cover for IHTSBIH |publisher=The Rudius Media Messageboard |author=Max, Tucker |date=January 2, 2008 |access-date=2008-01-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080106075033/http://messageboard.tuckermax.com/showthread.php?t=19304 |archive-date=January 6, 2008 }}{{cite book|title=I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell (Paperback)|publisher=Citadel|author=Max, Tucker|date=January 1, 2009|isbn=978-0-8065-3106-9|url=https://archive.org/details/ihopetheyservebe00maxt_0}}

In 2008, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Max was producing a movie based on his bestselling book, also titled I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1220628/ IMDB:] I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell He detailed the process on a production blog hosted on the movie's website.[https://archive.today/20051027001657/http://beerinhell.tuckermax.com/ I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell – The Movie] blogsite. Actor Matt Czuchry (The Good Wife) portrayed Max in the film.[http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/news/article/0,,4707241,00.html Jesse Bradford, Matt Czuchry, and Geoff Stults in "Hell"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817042512/http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/news/article/0,,4707241,00.html |date=August 17, 2016 }}, ArtistDirect.com, July 10, 2008. The film was panned by critics and earned $1.4 million at the box office on a $7 million budget.{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl140215809/|title=I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell|website=Box Office Mojo}} Max attributed the poor box office performance of the film to oversights in marketing, but expressed hope it would find an audience on DVD. In 2011, he was a guest speaker at the Ancestral Health Symposium, {{Clarify|date=October 2013}} giving a presentation entitled From cave to cage: Mixed martial arts in ancestral health.{{cite web|url=https://vimeo.com/28798093|title="From cave to cage: Mixed martial arts in ancestral health" by Tucker Max|website=Vimeo|access-date=May 18, 2018}}

In January 2012, Max claimed he was leaving behind the lifestyle he had described in his books and that he had been in psychotherapy.{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelellsberg/2012/01/18/tucker-max-gives-up-the-game|title=Tucker Max Gives Up the Game: What Happens When a Bestselling Player Stops Playing?|work=Forbes|last=Ellsberg|first=Michael|date=January 18, 2012|access-date=March 3, 2012}} In February 2012 a publicity campaign for his book Hilarity Ensues led to his account with the company Sponsored Tweets being banned for "ethics violations".{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2012/02/07/tucker-maxs-rejected-twitter-campaign-and-stab-at-celebrity-endorsement|title=Tucker Max's Rejected Twitter Campaign and Stab at Celebrity Endorsement|work=Forbes|last=Thier|first=David|date=February 7, 2012|access-date=March 3, 2012}}

Starting summer 2014, Max began collaborating with Geoffrey Miller, a of evolutionary psychology professor at the University of New Mexico. Together with Miller, Tucker created a podcast called The Mating Grounds.{{Cite web|url = http://www.thematinggrounds.com/about-mating-grounds/|title = The Online Guide to Sex & Dating For Men|access-date = Jan 13, 2015}} In September 2015, Max and Dr. Miller released Mate: Become the Man Women Want, an advice book about men's sexual strategies published by Little, Brown and Company.

Scribe Media was founded along with startup founder Zach Obront in August 2014.{{Cite web |last=Max |first=Tucker |date=December 10, 2021 |title=The Scribe Resignation |url=https://www.tuckermax.com/the-scribe-resignation/ |website=Tucker Max Blog}} In November 2014, Max published his experience of working with Melissa Gonzalez, CEO of the Lionesque Group for her book The Pop-Up Paradigm – the first project of his company Scribe Media. Scribe Media writes and publishes books for entrepreneurs who wish to have their own book but don't have the time or expertise to write it in the conventional way.Max, Tucker (November, 2014). [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20141118152523-205984021-my-start-up-made-200k-in-it-s-first-two-months-and-i-m-embarrassed My Start-up Made 200k In Its First Two Months...And I'm Embarrassed.] linkedin.com{{Cite web|url=https://scribemedia.com/our-origin/|title=Our Origin Story}}{{Cite web |last=Max |first=Tucker |date=August 8, 2024 |title=Writing and Publishing Services from Scribe Media |url=https://scribemedia.com/services/ |access-date=September 12, 2024 |website=Scribe Media: book writing and publishing services}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanpettijohn/2018/12/10/if-you-want-to-write-a-great-book-hire-a-great-scribe/|title=If You Want to Write A Great Book, Hire A Great Scribe|first=Nathan|last=Pettijohn|website=Forbes}} After launching Scribe Media, Max hired JT McCormick to serve as CEO in his place.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/14/why-tucker-max-had-to-fire-himself-as-ceo-at-his-own-start-up.html|title = Why firing himself as CEO was the best thing Tucker Max ever did for his start-up| website=CNBC |date = August 15, 2017}} In December 2021, Max stepped away from Scribe Media.

As part of his work with Scribe Media to help authors write and publish books, Tucker Max published The Scribe Method on May 7, 2019. The book is about helping authors overcome their fears, structure their writing process, and use their books effectively.{{Cite book |last=Max |first=Tucker |title=The Scribe Method: The Best Way to Write and Publish Your Non-Fiction Book |date=May 7, 2019 |publisher=Lioncrest Publishing |isbn=978-1-5445-1406-2 |language=en}}

In 2017, Max ghostwrote Tiffany Haddish's memoir, The Last Black Unicorn, which was released in December 2017 by Simon & Schuster and debuted at number 15 on The New York Times best-seller list.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/15/books/review/tiffany-haddish-last-black-unicorn-best-sellers.html|title=Tiffany Haddish on Bar Mitzvahs, Pimping and Other Rites of Passage|last=Cowles|first=Gregory|date=2017-12-15|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-01-25|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}

{{Main|Fratire}}

Max, along with George Ouzounian (known more commonly by his pen name, Maddox), is considered a founding author of the 21st-century literary genre "fratire".{{cite web|url=http://www.philly2philly.com/entertainment/2009/9/23/21830/i_hope_they_serve_beer_hells_tucker_max_talks_philly2phillycom|title=I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell's Tucker Max Talks With Philly2Philly.com|access-date=2010-06-30|publisher=Philly2Philly|archive-date=November 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102213642/http://www.philly2philly.com/entertainment/2009/9/23/21830/i_hope_they_serve_beer_hells_tucker_max_talks_philly2phillycom|url-status=dead}} The term, combining "fraternity" and "satire," was introduced by The New York Times reporter Warren St. John in a 2006 article titled Dude, Here's My Book.{{cite news|last=St. John|first=Warren|title=Dude, Here's My Book|work=New York Times|date=April 16, 2006|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/16/fashion/sundaystyles/16CADS.html|access-date=2010-04-24}} The genre is characterized by masculine themes and could be considered the male equivalent of chick lit.{{cite news|last=Harkin|first=James|title=The return of the real man|publisher=Financial Times (September 15, 2006)|url=http://us.ft.com/ftgateway/superpage.ft?news_id=fto091520060937397349|access-date=2010-06-20}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Both Max and Maddox dislike the label, pointing out that neither of them were ever in fraternities. In the final chapter of Hilarity Ensues, and in a post on his website, Max announced he has retired from writing fratire, explaining:

Over the last couple years, I've realized that I don't do all the funny but stupid shit I did when I was 25 anymore, and I find myself writing about the way my life used to be. I'm not the same person I was when I started writing these stories, and I don't live the same life I did then—so it no longer makes sense for me to keep writing that way.

In the same chapter, Max stated that he is currently working on an "advice book" (alongside Nils Parker, co-writer of the I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell screenplay), as well as other undisclosed projects.{{citation needed|date=October 2013}}

In 2003, Max posted on his website an account of his relationship with Katy Johnson, who was Miss Vermont in 1999.{{Cite web|url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20E17FC39540C718CDDAF0894DB404482|title=New York Times – Internet Battle Raises Questions About Privacy and the First Amendment}} Johnson filed a lawsuit claiming, among other things, invasion of her privacy. In response to the lawsuit, a Florida state court judge issued an order for Max not to write about Johnson; not to use Johnson's first, full, or last name; not to use the phrase "Miss Vermont" on his website; and not to disclose any "information" or "stories" about Johnson. Some legal experts called the decision "kooky" and "clearly a suppression of free speech". The ACLU intervened, filing an amicus brief, claiming a breach of Max's First Amendment rights,{{cite web|url=http://www.tuckermax.com/images/ACLU%20Amicus.pdf|title=TuckerMax.com: ACLU amicus curiae|access-date=May 18, 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20071127075424/http://www.tuckermax.com/images/ACLU%20Amicus.pdf|archive-date=November 27, 2007|df=mdy-all}} which led to Johnson voluntarily withdrawing her lawsuit, and Max's story was once again posted on his website. An expanded version of the story was later published in Hilarity Ensues.

In January 2006, Max posted a thread on his message board satirizing Anthony DiMeo, a young Philadelphia socialite, for throwing a New Year's Eve party that was a disaster. The number of young partygoers showing up greatly exceeded expectations, which resulted in the food and alcohol running out well before midnight. The more than 700 partygoers got unruly, two pieces of art were stolen, and city police were called in to disperse the crowd."What fun: A judge's ruling on libel suit" The Philadelphia Inquirer. May 31, 2006; accessed via [http://www.lexisnexis.com/ Lexis Nexis], February 19, 2009. "The four-hour event with food and open bar at Le Jardin, in the Philadelphia Art Alliance gallery, ended early, the judge said -and after more than twice the 325 invitees showed, the liquor ran out, and revelers turned unruly, stealing two artworks, tearing sconces, trying to make off with a donations box."[https://archive.today/20110717111904/http://messageboard.tuckermax.com/showthread.php?t=6720& "Sometimes failure is funny: DiMeo's NYE party"], Rudius Media Message Board. January 3, 2006. DiMeo sued Max under the Violence Against Women Act claiming some comments on Max's message board were libelous and represented criminal behavior."Online rudeness to the max, but is it libelous?" The Philadelphia Inquirer. March 18, 2006; accessed via [http://www.lexisnexis.com/ Lexis Nexis], February 19, 2009. "By contending that Max's site violated the new law that prohibits anonymous annoyances on the Web – the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 – the comments also represent criminal behavior, the lawyer alleged."Duffy, Shannon. [http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1149152717145 Judge: Bloggers Entitled to Immunity Under Communications Act] Law.com. June 2, 2006. The lawsuit was subsequently dismissed under the Communications Decency Act, with U.S. District Judge Stewart Dalzell noting that although Max could be a "poster child for vulgarity", the law must protect "the coarse conversation that, it appears, never ends on TuckerMax.com."[https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=1992914787683828716 Dimeo v. Max, 433 F. Supp. 2d 523] (E.D.Pa.2006)"Courts are asked to crack down on bloggers, websites" USA Today. October 3, 2006; accessed via [http://www.lexisnexis.com/ Lexis Nexis], February 19, 2009 "In dismissing the suit, U.S. District Judge Steward Dalzell noted that Max "could be a poster child for the vulgarity" on the Internet, but that he nevertheless was entitled to protection under the Communications Decency Act.""What fun: A judge's ruling on libel suit" The Philadelphia Inquirer. May 31, 2006; accessed via [http://www.lexisnexis.com/ Lexis Nexis], February 19, 2009. "While Dalzell wrote that "there is no question that tuckermax.com could be a poster child for... vulgarity," he found the law must protect "the coarse conversation that, it appears, never ends."

In May 2009, Max held a speaking engagement which was picketed by a feminist group at Ohio State University, who claimed that his writing "promoted a culture of rape."{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/05/movies/05tucker.html|title=Rude, Crude and Coming to a Theater Near You|last=Itzkoff|first=Dave|date=September 4, 2009|work=New York Times|access-date=2009-09-23}} In August 2009, the North Carolina State University Women's Center held a silent protest of I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell.{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2009/08/27/student-protesters-stage-rally-opposing-tucker-max-film-screening|title=Student Protesters Stage Rally Opposing Tucker Max Film Screening|access-date=2010-03-17|work=Fox News.com|date=August 27, 2009}} The advertisements themselves were also vandalized in multiple cities.{{cite web|url=http://la.curbed.com/archives/2009/09/la_not_particularly_welcoming_to_tucker_max.php|title=LA Not Particularly Welcoming to Tucker Max|date=September 24, 2009|access-date=March 4, 2010|publisher=Curbed LA}}{{cite web|url=http://gothamist.com/2009/09/21/tucker_max.php|title=Little Italy to Tucker Max: Va Fan Culo!|access-date=March 4, 2010|publisher=Gothamist|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100315053739/http://gothamist.com/2009/09/21/tucker_max.php|archive-date=March 15, 2010|df=mdy-all}} In his book Trust Me, I'm Lying, marketer (and personal friend of Tucker Max) Ryan Holiday claimed to have defaced some movie posters himself, as a publicity stunt to get media attention for the movie.{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/the-10-biggest-lies-told-by-american-apparels-top-pr-man-2012-8?op=1|title=The 10 Biggest Lies Told By American Apparel's Top PR Man|website=Business Insider |access-date=May 18, 2018}}

For three years starting in 2005, Max was harassed by a man named Justin Massler, who sent him repeated "Unabomber type" emails, and showed up uninvited to a 2006 party hosted by Max while dressed up as a superhero. The altercations made national news after Massler was charged with stalking Ivanka Trump in 2010.{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/alleged-ivanka-trump-stalker-justin-massler-targeted-hope-serve-beer-hell-author-article-1.163078|title=Alleged Ivanka Trump stalker Justin Massler also targeted 'I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell' author|author1=Balagna, Jay |author2=Schapiro, Rich |date=April 3, 2010|work=NYDailyNews.com|access-date=July 16, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://nymag.com/daily/intel/2010/04/invanka_trumps_stalker_really.html|title=Ivanka Trump's Stalker Wanted Tucker Max to Join His 'Group of Real-Life Superheroes'|author=Raymond, Adam K.|date=April 3, 2010|work=NYMag.com|access-date=December 15, 2011}}

In 2012, hoping to offset a part of his owed taxes in a way that also provided self-promotion, Max reportedly offered to donate $500,000 to Planned Parenthood if they named an abortion clinic after him. Planned Parenthood declined.[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/04/03/is-planned-parenthood-reject-tucker-max-pro-women.html The Daily Beast coverage of purported Tucker Max offer to Planned Parenthood], April 3, 2012.[http://tuckermax.me/the-exhausting-process-of-trying-to-give-money-to-planned-parenthood/ TuckerMax.me Trying to Donate to Planned Parenthood is Exhausting], April 4, 2012.[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/03/planned-parenthood-tucker-max-donation_n_1399396.html/ Planned Parenthood Turns Down $500,000 From Tucker Max], April 3, 2012.

• The Definitive Book of Pick-Up Lines (2001)
• Belligerence and Debauchery: The Tucker Max Stories (2003)
• I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell (2006) {{ISBN|0-8065-3106-1}}
• Assholes Finish First (2010) {{ISBN|1-4169-3874-5}}
• Hilarity Ensues (2012) {{ISBN|1-4516-6903-8}}
• Sloppy Seconds: The Tucker Max Leftovers (2012)
• Mate: Become the Man Women Want, with Geoffrey Miller (2015)
• The Last Black Unicorn (2017) {{ISBN|978-1-501-18182-5}} Ghostwritten memoir by Tiffany Haddish

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• Tucker Max [https://scribemedia.com/ Scribe Media] website that helps writers write and publish a book
• {{IMDb name|2984420|Tucker Max}}

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Category:1975 births

Category:Living people

Category:American bloggers

Category:Blair Academy alumni

Category:Duke University School of Law alumni

Category:Fratire fiction

Category:University of Chicago alumni

Category:Writers from Lexington, Kentucky

Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers

Category:21st-century American memoirists