I love dating shows. You love dating shows. We all love dating shows. Dating shows are literally the human version of National Geographic; we are obsessed with watching the mating rituals of others out in the wild as they brave the dating scene just as we do. The only bummer is that they are almost exclusively for straights (womp womp).
But Netflix has provided us with a glimmer of hope; the bachelorette in episode 6 of “Dating Around” is *gasp* ONE! OF! US! The setup of the show is that one person goes on an identical date with 5 different people and then chooses their favorite in the end for a second date. In episode 6, Mila, the beautiful single hopeful, meets 5 women for drinks, dinner, and dessert. I loved the entire episode for how vastly different each of the contestants were from one another, but the best part was watching all of them could bond over being involved in lesbian culture. It was cutest and least cringey dating show episode that I have ever seen!
I got the chance to interview two of the daters on the show, and lucky for you all, they gave me some behind-the-scenes dirt.
The first is Ashley Taylor, a gorgeous femme who has her finger on the pulse of NYC nightlife. This is what she had to say about the show and her dating life:
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GO Magazine: How did you find out about the show?
Ashley Taylor: My friend forwarded me an email with a casting flyer that said they were looking for singles in NY. I figured why not, I’m single! I applied, and the next day received a call from the casting company.
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GO: What was it like going on a first date on camera?
AT: First dates are hard enough, and then you add cameras and a whole production crew (who become your best friends by the end of the night). I thought for sure I would end up knowing who I was being set up with, but when I didn’t, I was pleasantly surprised. When I realized she was a complete stranger, the nerves really set in. When we sat down for dinner, I was now not only concerned about my table manners in front of my date, but all the cameras glaring me in the face! I had a few drinks to calm my nerves, but eventually, I forgot the cameras were there. That is when the good stuff comes out.
GO: Have you seen Mila after the show? Did she come to your house to pregame for Pride?
AT: I reached out to her a few times, but we never saw each other or have spoken since the show. Needless to say, she did not come to my Pride pre-game.
GO: What’s new with you since then? You know, lady-wise.
AT: Lady-wise, I am single. Just waiting on the right one to sweep me off my feet! I am truly a hopeless romantic.
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GO: Is your life any different now after being on the show, dating or otherwise? Do you get recognized?
AT: I definitely was asked out a lot on social media after the show premiered and have been recognized a few times which blows my mind. I find this has been an incredible experience and has allowed viewers a peek into dating as a lesbian. I get asked a lot about all the terms used to describe types of lesbians and is the community really that small, and what was it was like when I came out to my family. If anything, this has helped open people up to understand what it is like being a lesbian in New York and allowed younger people coming out to reach out to me for advice.
GO: On the show, you said that “sliding into DMs is the new dating app.” Why do you think that is?
AT: I think when you meet someone on a dating app, there is a barrier between you and that person. You don’t know much about them other than the 5 pictures they choose to show and a few words on who they are. Meeting someone on IG or “sliding into DMs” in my opinion is more personal, as crazy as that sounds. You can find out more information on the person and make a quicker assessment of who you are talking to (aka it is easier to stalk their entire life).
The second datre I interviewed, Charlotte “CB” Glasser, was described by Mila as “looking like a f*ckboy,” but in the end (spoiler alert), got chosen for a second date. Her undeniable swag and smooth lines even had me blushing. This is what she had to say about her experience on the show and as a lesbian in NYC:
GO: How did you find out about the show?
Charlotte “CB” Glasser: The team from The House That Casting Built originally reached out to me. Honestly, I have no idea how they found/heard of me. Once I spoke with them, though, I was interested — they were really fun. Following our initial Skype Meeting, I flew to NYC and met with the team of producers. That part was kind of intimidating it was like being interrogated (in a friendly way of course). There were about a dozen of them sitting all in a row at a table with just me sitting across from them!
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GO: What was it like going on a first date on camera?
CB: I had a lot of fun with the fact that the entire experience was filmed. When I get nervous, I sort of get even more loud and enthusiastic, so when the cameras were rolling, I became even more over the top. Between them stopping and going during the date, I would flirt with Mila or members of the crew. So when the camera’s started again, I already felt comfortable and was having a great time.
GO: Did you see Mila after the second date?
CB: After the second date, Mila and I texted for a while. I thought she was gorgeous and we had great chemistry on our date, so I was definitely open to seeing her again, or at the least staying friends. Simultaneously, I had started seeing someone else, my now girlfriend, so I think I fell off a bit with our texting. A few months after we filmed in New York, I decided to ask Genie to be my girlfriend and the entire Netflix experience seemed like a distant memory. It wasn’t until Valentine’s Day when the show aired that I reached back out to Mila but didn’t hear back. I hope all is well with her and hope we can be friends when she feels comfortable. I am sorry it didn’t work out more intimately but am very happy that I still did, in fact, find love and hope she did too.
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GO: Is your life any different now after being on the show, dating or otherwise? Do you get recognized?
CB: My life is a little different, only because some of the things I had been working on have some additional visibility. I won NPR’s The Moth a few years ago, so I have been interested and active in the storytelling world for some time. I had some random woman hit me up and ask me if I needed representation, which I thought was really funny but also I sort of thought she was full of s***, so I didn’t pursue that. However, I did get a lot of positive feedback from people suggesting I do a podcast, and THAT interests me a lot. I think there are some important topics that I want to continue conversations in. Being on “Dating Around” opened up a lot of topics on coming out, queer sex and expression as well as questions about relationships, style and other everyday topics – even my anxiety! So I’d love to keep doing relevant work highlighting those topics. I have been recognized once, and it was by a TSA Agent at LAX. That was probably one of the most incredible moments ever. She said, “you look familiar…” and I winked and said, “Did I forget to call you?” She laughed and said, “you were on that NETFLIX DATING SHOW!” We high fived and laughed, and then I had to run to catch my flight; it was spectacular.
GO: How has dating in NYC been for you? Where do you meet girls?
CB: Dating in NYC for me was always a really positive experience. I find the NYC queer scene to be very inclusive and open. You do see a lot of the same people, but you also are constantly bumping into completely new groups of queers in different places. New Yorkers are so much nicer and more approachable than people think. I would recommend queers looking to have a good time and meet girls go to Henrietta Hudson in the Village, The Woods on Wednesdays with DJ Amber Valentine, and the largest and longest running NYC Party, and best one (though I am biased as I was a partner from 2013-2017), Hot Rabbit — incredibly curated and produced by Emily Hall Maresca.
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GO: On the show, you talked about how seeing that girl in the play helped you realize you were gay. How do you think lesbian representation like this episode will help girls come to terms with their sexuality?
CB: The absolute highlight of this experience is all the messages I’m getting from people appreciative of my visibility on the show. I think doing a show like this and trying my best to be authentic really impacted the people who watched and/or could relate. I have heard from a 48-year-old mom of 2, I have heard from an ex-Mormon now with her dream woman, I have heard from baby gays, and I have even heard from straight girls saying things like “I used to think being gay was something I could never even consider and now I feel more fluid and open in my sexuality.” It has been really special and important to me. I responded to every single DM, email, text, whatever. I love hearing other people’s stories, experiences or thoughts about whatever they want to share. Meeting new people and connecting with them is really the best part.
What Do You Think?