It’s become one of the most popular accounts on Instagram.
‘VHS Dates‘ has racked up over 100million views online over the last 12 months with what it claims are unearthed tapes from a 1980s dating service.
In the hilarious and often cringeworthy clips, sad singles rocking overstyled perms and shoulder pads list off what they’re looking for in a partner and delusionally tout some of their own desirable traits.
‘My best quality is my unwavering allegiance to myself,’ says a woman named Tina in a video that’s now been viewed over nine million times.
In another video, a divorcee named Gwen describes her ideal date as dinner at Benihana, before boasting about owning a timeshare and complaining about her ex-husband.
‘VHS Dates’ on Instagram has racked up over 100million views with what it claims are vintage videos from a 1980s dating service
‘I blew out my knee jazzercising so I don’t want a guy who’s too active,’ she adds.
While the videos look like eerily authentic time capsules from a pre-Tinder dating era, they are in fact staged and scripted using professional actors.
Online sleuths have recognized some of the performers, which include members of the iconic Los Angeles comedy troupe The Groundlings.
‘Gwen’ is actress Annie Sertich, while ‘Tina’ is played by Allison Dunbar, best known for a five-episode stint on The Sopranos.
One of the most popular VHS Dates tapes is goofball Ronnie, a beauty consultant with Mary Kay who is a ‘terrible cook’ but ‘great at being a guest at a restaurant’.
In real life, ‘Ronnie’ is Maddie Ballard, a queer musician and sketch comic from the Bay area.Â
Daily Mail has contacted VHS dates for comment.
Despite the videos being fake, it hasn’t stopped thousands of people online from falling for them.
‘Gwen’ is actually actress Annie Sertich (pictured), proving that the videos are staged and not authentic vintage tapes from the ’80s
‘Ronnie’ is Maddie Ballard, a queer musician and sketch comic from the Bay area
‘It should be illegal to post these videos without a “where are they now?” at the end!’ wrote one fan.
‘I hope she’s doing well today, I really do,’ another wrote on Tina’s tape.
Others have pointed out the telltale signs that convinced them early on that the tapes were fakes.
‘The one giveaway is that every single person featured has crystal white teeth,’ wrote one fan on Reddit.
‘That wasn’t a thing in the 80s and 90s. Teeth were more “natural” colored. They can do what they like with video quality, hair and makeup, clothing, but the perfectly blindingly white teeth are a dead giveaway.’
Another wrote, ‘And a few of them have cosmetic fillers/Botox. Another giveaway is Beth speaking with vocal fry. I feel like that wasn’t normalized in speech in the 80s.’
