Love reality dating shows but tired of the obsession with marriage? Welcome to Hang Up, a reality dating show with no rings attached.
In each season, one person is matched with six prospective love interests. They go on dates over the phone and never see each other. After the dates, the Star chooses one person to “hang up” on and eliminate from the show.
And there’s a twist— in the end, the final, winning caller makes their own choice: to either choose the Star back and take an all-expenses-paid vacation together or hang up on the Star and take a cash prize instead.
Transcript:
Zakiya: I see why people love reality dating shows, because I do too. I mean, I live for the competition, the drama. But y'all. I’m tired of all the same basic ass storylines. It’s almost always a boy and a girl whose ultimate goal is to get married to this person that they just met.
So what if there was a show for people who just want to connect, go on dates, even fall in love, just for the hell of it?
Well, welcome to Hang Up, a reality dating show with no rings attached. Hosted by me, Zakiya Gibbons. Meet Maxine, our Star.
Maxine: Life is a nightmare. Dating is no exception.
Zakiya: She’s a 26 year old bartender from Richmond, Virginia.
Maxine: Yeah, I haven't really been in a good relationship before.
Each week, she goes on a date with her six Callers.
Maxine: I'm excited to see how effectively you all toe the line between charming and creepy through this experience.
But they never see each other— All of these dates are exclusively over the phone.
Caller: It’s gonna be really weird when this is my cousin.
After the dates, the Star chooses one Caller to ‘hang up’ on, eliminating them from the show.
Maxine: The caller I have decided to hang up on is…
And there’s a twist— the last Caller standing gets to make the final call.
They have two choices: An all expenses paid vacation with the Star, or hang up on the Star, and walk away with a cash prize.
This season, we’re asking the hard questions:
Maxine: What about you feels hardest to love?
Zakiya: I need to be clear. Do you or do you not fuck with Harry Potter?
Caller: Is it giving?
And you know it's bound to get messy…
Caller: Some part of me is thinking maybe one of them is playing her.
Caller: It becomes a game of telephone where it’s like he said/she said.
Maxine: The end of this, it’s just stressful. I feel stressed out and I don’t know what to do.
The pressure is on! Kinda...
Maxine: Do you mind if I take a bong hit?
Caller: No worries just don't put it in my butt.
Caller: it’s just a good ol' time
Caller: They like to smack that ass like a drum. For sureskies.
Maxine: Is that something you like to do?
Who will stay on the line?
Maxine: What if this is my love story?
Whose connection will be dropped?
Caller: It could all fall apart at the end.
Find out on Hang Up. New from Radiotopia from PRX. Episodes drop every Tuesday starting July 25th. Listen to Hang Up wherever you get your podcasts.
Thank you to Freesound for many elements in this trailer, including:
"WeddingBells1" by acclivity; https://freesound.org/s/23090/
"Kisses" by dcaval1@towson.edu; https://freesound.org/s/70793/