To this day I can't decide if Jared Guynes is a person who truly means to do good or if he's someone who's only out for himself and is willing to let everyone else help him get there along the way. I think in the end it's somewhere in the middle of the two. Aside from not being able to shut his mouth, I think his biggest downfall is not being able to follow through on his word.
tl;dr Jared has lots of burned bridges. Also has left many reasons why nobody wants to keep faith with what he has to say anymore, since it's no doubt going to involve the words 'me' and 'epic'. I'm sorry, it's long. I'm tired of you guys whining how great Jared is and how mean us Dallas folks are, however.
The local DFW group had a blowout, there were many words exchanged on both sides, in the end Jared was removed from the group. I'm not a moderator, for the record. I will /never/ understand why people can't be adults, say what they want to say to one another, and if you have that many problems with another person ... just squelch them. Apparently there's a lot of folks who can't or haven't figured out the squelching portion. I'm pretty sure the other biggest reason why he was kicked had to do with his first OMFGEPIC party and how that was handled, and some private messages between him and some of the moderators. Regardless, I'm not a mod, and I can't speak for them. I just live in Dallas and like to play pinball.
After the group mods kicked him out Josh (Frax) and I invited Jared over to our place not only to play some pinball, but to try and figure out what in the hell had happened, and what if anything we could do about it - as Josh and I both feel like it's really dumb to ban someone over words. It's not like he's threatening someone's safety in real life, or tracking down their personal information and address, or anything of that nature. He's a really, really nice guy in person. Online, he's simply annoying (at best) and antagonistic (at worst).
(here's where we get to those bridges, anyone local can feel free to correct me anywhere - I've slept and all that)
DFW EPIC Arcade House Party: http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/jared-guynes-presents-ultimate-arcade-house-party-ifpa-rockwall-tx-8313
Jared asks folks to bring machines to his party, his goal is to fill a friends' business storefront with machines and have a bunch of people come play pinball. Compared it to a summer Texas Pinball Festival. All profits were to be donated to the Scottish Rite in the name of the DFW Pinball club. Sounds great. Drinks were provided (soda and beer), the event was BYOB, and on a donation basis. He had pre-registration in order to get a head count and have plastic name tags/lanyards available. There was a food truck that was originally going to be free as well, this was later changed and he asked if people wanted to eat that they contribute some money towards that/the drinks. T-Shirts were also sold. This was added a few days before the event actually occurred: "PS: BRING MONEY TO DONATE!!! THIS EVENT HAS GONE ABOUT $1000 OVER BUDGET!!! LOL. HELP US OUT! THANKS!!!"
Problems happened when he came up short on funds for the food truck. Seems as though more people ate than paid. He also claimed to not be making a profit on the t-shirt funds - but the price of them went up closer to/at the party. There was no money donated to the Shriners, and I honestly don't know how he and his friend who owned the storefront came out financially in the end. I know that Josh and I donated well above what he was asking for - and we didn't even eat any of the barbecue. His wife makes great cupcakes?
IMO the biggest issue was the constant in your face promotion, the massive overuse of the word 'EPIC', and how things kept changing - free is not free, donation is not donation... there were people who afterward said that they were in the middle of a pinball game and had Jared come up and shove the donation box in their face asking if they contributed.
DFW Epic Vanilla Ice Birthday Bash - This section is going to be in a timeline, as I have a full timeline reference to go by:
Middle of last November. Jared's 30th birthday dream is to have Vanilla Ice sing at his party. He starts talking about it, asks for 350 "Likes" on his Facebook status in order to pursue his dream. The dude has FIVE THOUSAND Facebook friends and who knows how many followers. I'm sure he had his 350 likes before I made it to the bathroom that morning. Party on, Garth.
The Crowdtilt page is opened. Original plan is to raise 35k, the list of 'features' is at six - Vanilla Ice, Ninja Turtles, Diamond Jim the magic man, the DeLorean from Back to the Future, and two sponsors - some tequila company and his friend's phone repair business (the same friend from party #1 above - who I will say I have met multiple times and even visited his business and had work done. Prices are great, he's a nice guy in person, etc, etc. Full disclosure and all that.). 17.5k for Vanilla, 17.5k to cover everything else. Tickets are $50/person. By the 20th he's talking Coolio, few other acts and the arcade over the next few days...
Then we come to the 27th.
Jared Guynes: "Your RSVP says "going" but I assure you, you are not going until you purchase your ticket... and as a matter of fact... we aren't going until you purchase your ticket either!
It costs $0 to click "going" on an event, and believe me, I hope that all 409 people that have so far really do. And to the 217 "Maybe" RSVPs, I hope you do too...
But there is the meat and potatoes.
We must reach our TILT goal by 12/16/13. 100% of it. If you have contributed by then: you are coming. If you have not: you are not.
There will not be tickets at the door. Period.
There will not be tickets later when you are sure. No.
There will not be tickets when you decide this is epic and worth your time.
This event is also a REWARD for all of the people willing to believe... willing to put up their hard earned money to make it REAL... we are already 54% of the way there...
I hope that the HUNDREDS of you whom say you intend to come... I hope that you all make it real with a monetary pledge. Once we tilt... you are in: or out.
Better today than later. Lets do it."
Did you guys catch that? No tickets sold after December 16th, no tickets at the door. Okay.
--December 3rd--
JARED'S EPIC PARTY 2014
A 100% Crowd Funded Super Party Featuring Vanillia Ice, the TMNT and MUCH More!
http://epicpartydallas.com/
TICKET PRICE WILL INCREASE TO $55 ON 12/7/13 AT MIDNIGHT CST
(Wait, I thought Jared said that tickets were $50 and if you didn't get your ticket purchased you weren't going. Huh? --Apparently changing your terms mid Crowdtilt are completely okay according to their ToS--)
This is also the first plea for machines and free $100 VIP tickets: http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/so-i-am-hiring-vanilla-ice-to-perform-at-my-party/page/4#post-1284910
December 5th - "You must buy a ticket by 12/15/13 at the very latest. That's it. At this time we have no plans to sell tickets after this point. The longer you wait, the more the tickets could cost. Don't delay, act today." (Notice this was the first warning about future price hikes and ticket sales.)
https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1/p720x720/1454593_10201899483302456_891506713_n.jpg : Nerf battle announced, Guinness record attempt, all guns to be donated to Scottish Rite. (Since there wasn't any money donated the first time...)
December 9th - Campaign tilted, Jared confirms that ticket sales will continue until the end of the campaign. It's also when Jared posted this http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/best-pin-4500-could-buy shopping for a new machine. Very interesting.
December 14th - https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152139504284516&set=a.248435289515.138932.514189515&type=1
December 16th - Campaign ended at $73,178.69. Jared posts this on Facebook: "So I knew some of you guys would be asleep or lazy and miss my ticket deadline. So, I donated $2,035 last night myself and bought 37 general admission tickets. Because I knew this would happen. Heh.
I will sell the 37 tickets for $55 each, or $110 a pair while supplies last. Paypal only. Send money to [email protected] as a gift, no fees. Include your name and phone number in the payment.
Remember you have to be 18+ to attend, 21+ preferred. This will likely be the only tickets sold after CROWDTILT. Good luck.
Offer only good while supplies last."
December 29th - Additional tickets announced for sale. $75 price. ""We’ve got more tickets! After making final counts and venue upgrades, we’ve got the ability to offer more tickets to this magical once in a lifetime event. Once these are gone there will literally be no more. We can’t make any more venue upgrades, no more capacity. We are booked solid once these are gone!" Jared posts this: https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1/1503865_10202233055721842_819428275_n.jpg (It sure does appear that he's scalping tickets to his own event, and notice the firm NO MORE?)
****Jared posts this video
to the group/Facebook, it also goes mini-viral, is covered by local media, Huff Post, a few other places****
December 30th - This campaign is found: https://www.crowdtilt.com/campaigns/fox-4-charged-me-100-for-video-clip Where Jared, after raising 73k in another campaign and is shopping for personal pinball machines on Pinside, asks his followers (sycophants?) to pay for HIS Fox4 video clip that cost a hundred dollars.
"1. I would like to get the $100 back. I am too proud to ask for your help, but I was told I should request it here on crowdtilt. Thats it. Just the $100 I spent on the clip.
2. ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS from this tilt over $100 will be spent on food, goods, clothing and packages for the HOMELESS, to be given out in Dallas over the next 30 days. I will out every dollar raised to good use for people in need. "
At this point this was posted by one of our local members: "I'm waiting for the crowdtilt beg-a-thon after the party b/c the chances of him going over budget one way or another have got to be pretty high. He's quite adept at spending other people's money."
February 5th - Jared posts to his followers asking for some "likes" so he can get a free engine. When criticized, he replies with "In case you missed it, I asked the internet for $35,000 in December and got $75,000 instead. This was to throw a huge party. And I'm throwing it.
My point is, when I asked for money... I got it. Now I'm simply asking for likes... Should be even easier."
February 6th - ""Only 4 $75 tickets left then the final 100 go up to $100/ea. No more ever after that. No exceptions."
February 14th - "To everyone selling their tickets: really?
Like... I get it. Life happens. Jobs... obligations... kids... etc...
But listen to me, and look into my digital eyes when I say this. I am not exaggerating, or blowing this out of proportion. I mean what I am about to say from the bottom of my heart.
Many years from now... when you look back upon your life... and you reflect on all that you ever did... or ever accomplished... I fully intend... on your list to go like this.
1. The day that you got married.
2. The days you child(ren) were born.
3. That time in 2014 when you went to Jared's Epic Party
Yes. Yes. I said it. I mean it. I actually mean it.
I want this... no... this WILL be... a top 5 moment in your life. This will be something you never... ever forget... ever... your whole life.
I cant even remember what happened to me last week. lol
When you put your tickets up for sale... or debate to buy one... really... think about what you would do instead. Will you EVER have a chance to to it again? Because this party folks... this is... ONCE IN A LIFETIME.
For me... I could never put a price on it. You cant put a price on something so big... so important... so unique... so memorable... so EPIC.
So before you hop online talking about "someone paypal me $75 bucks because my mom wants to go to Applebees" you really... really... really need to consider what you are doing.
I am pulling out all the stops... only 1300 people will get to be a part of this. Will you?"
(Sometime between this and the end of the party the price went up AGAIN to $100 - since I don't have an exact date stamp on it, it's in parenthesis.)
Party day. Jared has a total of 46 "features", the first 18 of which were listed before the 10th of December - which means that the remaining 28 would have had to have been paid for by the additional ticket sales (explains the additional sales, I suppose). All of the issues with the party itself have been covered in this thread already. Some of them even made Reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/Dallas/comments/1yo4rg/the_line_out_back_of_gilleys_for_the_ninja_turtle/ The event page is a curious mix of "OMGITWASAWESOME" and "this event didn't live up to the hype" - the latter of which is quickly flamed and trolled by an army of JaredFollowers™.
Remember those Nerf guns? https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1/p180x540/1897666_10153921266285438_806974493_n.jpg Jared posts his charity donation receipt for his donation of 383 Nerf guns (used, no doubt contaminated by sweat and alcohol) with a grand total of $7000. The receipt is from a place called Buckner - who's mission appears to be giving shoes to underprivileged kids. They also sent humanitarian aid to Kenya. So either a bunch of orphan kids are going to have to strap Nerf guns to their feet or we are shipping them all to Kenya to be used by their army.
Among other things, Jared links this video http://on.aol.com/video/inside-the-most-epic-party-of-all-time-518133929?icid=bottom_related_thumb_3 The most telling quote is at the end: "I'm Jared Guynes, and I've had so much fun spending your money."
Finally, this is posted to Crowdtilt: https://www.crowdtilt.com/campaigns/help-finish-paying-for-jareds-epic-party
To which, Jared himself contributes. You'd think that when there's a set amount that people's cards will be charged at that it would look strange if the beneficiary is pushing the amount towards that total so that the slot machine, so to speak, would pay out. You'd think.
**What did we learn from that massive wall of text?**
Jared epics and epics and hypes and promises and in the end, it always seems like he's coming up short. He invokes the word 'charity' and doesn't deliver (when handling other peoples money, this seems particularly offensive). No matter the situation, he replies with a smile and an apology. He then tells you that he enjoys spending your money.
Dallas, TX
