The DTR Podcast Is Back, Just in Time for Cuffing Season
Whether or not you were aware of it at the time, you’ve DTR-ed. Not sure if you’re familiar with the acronym? Allow us to bring you up to speed. The “define the relationship” conversation (fondly known as “the DTR”) happens at that key moment when the romantic haze begins to fade ever so slightly and you can’t help but wonder where you stand with the person you’ve been dating. What’s the status of the partnership? Are you seeing each other exclusively? How should you be referring to your boo when you tell your friends about them? Should you even be telling your friends? This is the DTR, and while there are many non-scary ways to define the relationship, it’s most definitely a watershed moment in any courtship, and one that needs to happen if you want to move things forward.
DTR has an alternate meaning, however, thanks to a new-ish podcast created by famously swipe-y dating app Tinder in partnership with production company Gimlet Creative. After launching its first season in 2016, DTR — The Official Tinder Podcast is now back for round two. Grab yourself some popcorn and a glass of wine, because there’s no better soundtrack for cuffing season than the stories of other people working out the state of their love lives in this oh-so-crazy digital age.
This season, Peabody and Emmy Award-winning host Jane Marie — along with a roster of hilarious celebrity guests — is taking control of singles’ Tinder profiles: tweaking their bios, swapping out their photos, and ultimately seizing (peacefully, of course) the all-important power of the swipe. When a match is made, the single in question is sent out on a date, which is recorded for further analysis on the podcast. And, yes, it’s about as addictive as it sounds.
“The funnest thing this season was reading people’s bio out loud to them,” Jane says. “It looks different when you’re writing it or glancing at it, but when a stranger reads it back to you, it’s mortifying.”
The bio’s language is tweaked to better reflect the single’s interests and personality. Next up? Profile photos. One of Marie’s major takeaways of the season, she says, is just how unaware people can be of what makes a good picture for a dating app. Once the profile has been cleared of all photos featuring sunglasses, hats, and crab costumes (yes, crab costumes), the swiping process begins.
“I can do whatever I want,” Marie tells us. “But I’m not an evil person. I’m not trying to ruin anyone’s life.”
Far from ruining anyone’s life, Marie says she’s actually had several success stories in the second season. While it remains to be seen if those relationships can go the distance, it’s certainly gratifying to see a good first date — especially since some of the first dates are admittedly, well, bad.
Marie (who admits to being a matchmaker in her personal as well as professional life) had this to say about the biggest misconception she’s noticed about online dating as the host of DTR: “It isn’t any different than dating in real life. You meet people how you meet them, and as soon as you get face-to-face with somebody, it’s exactly like being face-to-face with someone you just met at the grocery store or a bar. Everything leading up to that doesn’t really matter. When you see someone and you’re in their presence, you either fall in love with them or you don’t, and that’s just how it works — no matter how you got to that place.”
Would you like to take over someone else’s Tinder profile? Tweet us @BritandCo!
(Photos via Gimlet Creative)
