Hooking Up, Episode 1: Deception from Both Sides

I had lunch recently at an Indian restaurant with a group of friends. While we were standing in line for the buffet, a woman who was eating Indian food for apparently the first time surveyed the buffet and then said to another diner, “I think I better look at the menu to see what else they serve.” Later on, I told my boyfriend that the same rules should apply to experiencing a new type of food and dating; don’t take one look at something (or someone) and dismiss it without trying it first. Immediately after making this comment, I thought of ABC’s new summer television program, Hooking Up. In my preview article, I introduced readers to 11 women from New York City who are using the Internet in their search for love. Just from their bios on the show’s web site, I get the feeling that many of these women have stood before the buffet, but left with an empty plate simply because of first impressions. Hopefully, after tonight’s show, we will learn differently; I’m not feeling optimistic about this though.

The buffet was wonderful, by the way.

The show opens with several clips of the woman either on their dates or discussing their dates. We’re told that approximately 40 million Americans are dating online. We also get the quote of the evening from Cynthia: “His eyebrows are better arched than mine.” This is going to be fun.

The first woman we meet is Claire. She seems a bit cynical about dating, but also optimistic. Can you be both? Her date for the evening is Nick.

Oh, wait. We’re switching already to another person.

Next we meet Jennifer who says that she feels her clock running. Maybe Cynthia doesn’t have the quote of the evening after all. Anyway, Jennifer has a date with Carmine and repeats all of the information I shared with you in the preview article about not wanting to post a picture due to security and professional reasons. (She’s a doctor.) Carmine is upset because he didn’t get to see a picture of her. He also says he has had bad experiences with people not being who they say they are. Carmine reaches over and touches Jennifer’s chest just below her neck. Then he asks if she shaved today. Obviously, she is annoyed and disturbed by him.

Next, we officially meet Cynthia. She is going out with Andrew, who is an actor/model. While on a telephone conversation with him, she tells him her size. When we finally get to the date, she tells us he is late and that she should not ever have to wait for a man. When Andrew finally arrives, the show lists his occupation as “musician.” Does that mean he’s an actor/model/musician? She says, “he looks nothing like his photograph,” and that she is aggravated.

Now the show jumps back to Claire. I’m getting dizzy. While on her date with Nick, she orders dessert. This tells me that she is somewhat confident about herself. I like it. She also says that she is impressed that he brought her flowers. At one point in the date, she explains to Nick that she works for Viagra. At least she doesn’t offer any free samples. She also says that she wants to see him again. Overall, it appears that the evening went well.

Back to Cynthia… she asks Andrew how old he is because apparently his online profile says that he is in his 30s. He tells her he is in his 40s and that his picture is old. He also confesses that he told her he looks like Fabio in order to get her to go on a date. It’s frightening that someone thought that would actually work. Cynthia says that Andrew is more like “a strung-out hippie.” Hey, they can be fun.

Jennifer is once again discussing why she hides her identity. [Editor’s Note: It seems rather ironic that she is unwilling to use her real name or real occupation, and she hides her picture, but at the same time she is willing to go on a nationally-televised network series and have all those same details plastered across our TV screens.] She also says that she is going out on a date with Doug who is a surgeon; however, she is not ready to share the details of her occupation. While on the date, Doug makes a joke about doctors and golf. She almost slips up and tells him that she is a doctor. Close call. He seems really into her.

Claire is going out with Nick again; however, she tells us that she doesn’t feel attracted to him. She also says that he keeps looking at her chest. In all fairness to Doug, it appears that she does have a tattoo of some sort on her chest. Maybe he’s just looking at that. OK, you can stop laughing at me now. They stop for ice cream; he gets a vanilla cone and she gets vanilla with sprinkles. I think this kills it for poor Nick because she comments on how his choice says a lot about him and that vanilla is boring. And you wonder why these women are single. I don’t think Nick has anything to worry about, though; he is cute and he seems like a nice guy. Someone will snatch him up eventually. Claire sends him an e-mail message to tell him there will be no third date. She also meets Josh online and sets up a date with him. They are both into music and she says that she is digging him.