"Charm school" helps men perfect the pick-up

[Omaha Steve]

Full long story: http://reuters.excite.com/article/20060814/2006-08-14T143207Z_01_N08423155_RTRIDST_0_ODD-LIFE-CHARM1-DC.html



"Charm school" helps men perfect the pick-up
Email this Story

Aug 14, 10:32 AM (ET)


By Matthew Verrinder

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ben had a rough Friday night picking up women on the Hotel Gansevoort's balcony after being coldly rejected by two attractive blonds.

The 23-year-old documentary filmmaker, who asked his last name not be used for fear of ridicule, suffers from an acute case of "premature ejectulation" -- ejecting himself early from promising conversations with women for fear of rejection.

Such was the diagnosis from the coaches of "Charm School Boot Camp," a three-day crash course on seducing women that Ben and five other men paid $1,600 apiece for in early August.


A row boat in New York's Central Park in a 2004 photo. "Charm School Boot Camp" is a three-day crash course on seducing women men pay $1,600 apiece for in early August. The lesson plan stays away from canned lines and instructs men to think on their feet when talking to women, to put their insecurities aside and react naturally to a women's subtle cues, says an instructor. REUTERS/Jeff Christensen


"If I were to look at it objectively, I would feel really good about it, and then just leave," Ben said.

Ben is not the only man with crippling fears when it comes to chatting up women. That's why Charm School, run by an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based company called Charisma Arts, has no problem finding men who need intense guidance and fieldwork approaching women at places like bookstores and bars.

"People think we're teaching guys with no confidence who are bad with women," said Charisma Arts co-founder Wayne Elise. "We teach guys how to be themselves in a very unnatural environment, how to cold approach strangers and make them comfortable enough to open themselves up."

Charisma Arts runs weekend Charm School seminars in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London and Sydney. Some students find out about the course from the company's Web site, www.charismaarts.com.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

1. Do they offer sincerity lessons, too?

I've known some real scumbags who know all about charm.

[ForrestGump]

2. Do you come here often?

And I'm sincere when I ask that... :P

[GoddessOfGuinness]

4. LOL

I never saw the letch smiley before!

[Guava Jelly]

3. I am like so going!!

I am gonna be quite the playah!! woot.. woot..
:rofl: