"On this episode, originally released in 2019, we talk to the creators of the Found Footage Fest, VHS collectors who unleashed on the internet; ask the creators of video dating services like Videomate's Steve Dworman and Great Expectations' Jeffrey Ullman what they were thinking; and talk to participants who used these services but not necessarily in the way that was intended."
"In retrospect, Videomate: Men is a bizarre and hilarious time capsule, but at the time it was one of many manifestations of what was known as video dating. To find out how anyone thought this was a good idea, Decoder Ring examines the weird and forgotten world of video dating in the 1970s, '80s, and '90s to find out why video dating once seemed like the future-and if that future is still yet to come."
Videomate: Men was a 1987 VHS featuring 60 single men pitching themselves as dates to women on the other side of the TV screen, promising that "The love of your life could be on your TV tonight!" Video dating emerged in the 1970s through the 1990s as a quirky intersection of videotape technology and matchmaking, spawning services and rental tapes. Contributors include Found Footage Fest creators and VHS collectors, as well as video dating founders Steve Dworman (Videomate) and Jeffrey Ullman (Great Expectations). Participants recall unexpected uses of the services. Modern perspectives come from Coffee Meets Bagel co-founder Dawoon Kang and Andrea Silenzi. Production and research credits are listed.
Read at Slate Magazine
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