Dating show comedian shares Seattle quirks
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In on the joke. Photo: Courtesy of Allison Goldberg
Seattle audiences have a curious habit when comedian Allison Goldberg introduces a dating game contestant who's a software engineer: They boo.
- "I'm sorry, are we booing a man with a job?" says Goldberg. "I live in Los Angeles, where I would love to meet a man with a job and benefits."
How it works: Goldberg has become something of an anthropologist after hosting nearly 100 live dating shows across the country, amassing an entertaining collection of observations about Seattle and the other cities she's visited.
- Her show, "Love Isn't Blind," puts a bachelorette on stage to choose among four bachelors — with one catch: The men aren't allowed to speak.
- Instead, Goldberg searches their phones, calls their moms and rifles through their Notes and AI apps while the audience waves literal green flags to show approval.
Zoom in: The Notes app for Seattle magician Travis Kim perfectly captured the sweet side of Seattle's nerdy stereotype, Goldberg tells Axios.
- His list of "High Thoughts" included wondering whether it would be cringe to ask his neighbors to be friends before concluding: "I think it might be, but I don't have good judgment right now."
- Another entry from Kim read: "No matter how lost I feel like I am in life, I know that any time I show someone a magic trick, I'm right where I need to be."
- "The room fell in love with him," Goldberg says about the moment that's since gone viral.
State of play: Seattle contestants and audience members skew smarter than average, with more software engineers and Ph.D.s than most cities, says Goldberg.
- They tend to drink less and dress more casually, especially compared to San Diego.
- The Seattle Freeze is real, she says, and audiences start the night reserved. But they loosen up once the show begins and real-time matches during the aftershow party are not uncommon.
What's next: Goldberg's show returns to Seattle this week, playing at the Fremont Abbey on Friday.