October 28, 2025 • 6 mins
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Single people are paying two hundred dollars each to hold
each other in dark rooms.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
I'm sorry what you heard me?
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Single people they're paying two hundred dollars to hold each
other in dark rooms. So they've got like these dimly
lit rooms with candles around and red cushion chairs arranged
in pairs, and people strangers who are single, they're supposed
to be single anyway, walk in and the whole point
(00:32):
is to just go hold someone. And they're paying. It's
like a cover charge. That's what they're doing.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Okay, I feel like I've missed a step here.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
It's called The Fields and it started at Columbia University.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Where's it's now got nationwide.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
It's a nationwide business franchise events held in cities across
the United States.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Huh. And the person.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Who created it, Alf Hoffman, says that they believe that
modern dating is broken due to the macro level forces
like capitalism, technology, and pop culture.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah, I'm not disputing that. I still don't understand where
the I must pay to go into a dark room
and hold a stranger comes in.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
There's two different levels, by the way, in pricing. Oh,
you can pay level one, you can pay between ninety
and one hundred dollars. You don't take a survey and
you don't get personalized matching, or you can up it
to two hundred dollars, and that includes a pre event
survey to match with participants based on emotional intelligence and
(01:37):
spiritual atonement.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
So it's like a dating gap, but in person.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
But it's not really dating.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
It's just to cuddle. Well, I don't get to talk
to you. Well, you can if you want. Why would
I need to connect with you if I can't talk
to you?
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Because you want to be held, You want some physical touch.
Attendees have shared feelings like I feel seen and I'm
more at ease in my body and I was warmly renewed.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Wait, I feel like I missed a step here. No,
let me understand, because I'm not I'm not. I mean,
I guess I'm being judgy. But so you pay money,
you go to this dark room. Correct, you find a stranger.
Uh huh, you cuddle with them? Correct, you got it?
But why would you pay the money?
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (02:26):
What you like?
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Because if you're.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Do you know how many drinks one hundred dollars could buy?
I could find someone.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
You could get more than a hug.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Well, that's what I'm saying, right, I mean possibly. I
mean I feel like we're really you're really selling yourself short.
If you're I mean one hundred dollars, that's you can
do a lot of damage with one hundred dollars.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Okay, the fields, which is what this place is called. Yeah,
they say it's less about finding the one and more
about learning tools for deeper connection.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Aren't there like forum boards or the dating app? They
charge for these dating apps? Is it costs money to
be on them? They're usually free? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:01):
It is?
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Oh it is, yeah something the popular ones are free.
How do they make money? They sell ads? Or something like?
How does the dating app make money?
Speaker 1 (03:08):
You can pay for a premium account, and I think
you get access to certain things like different filters like LinkedIn.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yeah, it's like, but are there ads on these dating
sites like brought to you by sometimes Oca Cola or yeah,
occasionally you'll get because they got to make money somehow,
product placement. Well, that's what I'm saying. I mean, I
was thinking some other things, but this is a family program,
and I didn't want to things that were popping into
my head. I didn't want to throw out there I'll
tell you off the air once we get to the
commercial break. Well, that would be good product placement. Uh,
(03:36):
you're like, okn't wait to get away from this guy, Gause.
You've all almost made it four years. I know you're
closing in on four years.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
The season three finale of Indianapolis is a banger.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
I just I don't understand why people are paying for this.
I don't I don't get what you're getting. I mean,
I mean, I'm not saying this to be okay, but
your name is supposed to be getting handsy with the person.
Like it's just you're supposed to like.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
This, just go and be held.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Yeah. Just it's like a Meloncamp song. Everyone needs a
hand to hold onto as Mellen Camp right.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
I wonder if there's stipulations what you can hold strong
like it's just just a long embrace, a long hug.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
I don't know. I'm asking you. Have you never heard
of this, Kevin? What is the age range of these people?
Does it say? Is there a target? Is there are.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
I imagine it's gen z ish eighteen thirty four people
who aren't going out anymore to meet people.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
So, keV, would you be if we are there any
in Indianapolis. Does it say no, not yet, keV. If
they it'll come if they have one here in case
you never willing to pay the fee? Would you would
you go to this for us for the show? Yeah,
I mean I'd probably stroll down there. Yeah, I mean
you can shift. I mean you can't just stroll down.
(04:52):
You have to go in and be a part of
the We want the whole experience.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
You probibly have to sign some sort of waiver that
you can't record your experience so you can't talk about it.
Oh no, no, no, no, you can talk about it, you
just can't Videotapeeah.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
No, I'm saying. So if they have one here, case,
would you be fifty we would probably be willing to do.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Well, we'd have to go at least forty five to
get the minimum and oh it's ninety to get in ninety,
so we'd have to get forty five dollars.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
But you have to stay the whole time. You can't
just like go in there and like be like there
are a bunch of broad ripple threes and I'm out
of here. How long of a session is this?
Speaker 1 (05:27):
I think it's however long you want.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
You just go in we want you to cuddle to
with at least three people that we'd have to come
up with some sort of like numbers, like a bare
minimum that we would want you to cuddle with. Right, Yeah,
this sounds like the creepiest thing ever.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
The creator said that her dream is for participants to
carry the practices into their everyday life. Uh huh, asking
open questions, offering longer hugs, and reflecting presents.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
You have to be very friendsent. I did this in
Broad Ripple for years and you only got charged by
like a five dollars cover.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Yeah. Yeah, there's not even cocktails involved in this.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Oh there's not. I was going to ask, is there
any like? No, I don't think gen Z doesn't really drink,
that's true.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
There's just somebody's creating ways for gen Z to meet people.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
This is rotten. This is just rotten and horrible. Be unbelief.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Somebody saw a need and is trying to fill it.
Single people are paying two hundred dollars each to hold
each other in dark rooms.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
I'm sorry what you heard me?
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Single people they're paying two hundred dollars to hold each
other in dark rooms. So they've got like these dimly
lit rooms with candles around and red cushion chairs arranged
in pairs, and people strangers who are single, they're supposed
to be single anyway, walk in and the whole point
(00:32):
is to just go hold someone. And they're paying. It's
like a cover charge. That's what they're doing.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Okay, I feel like I've missed a step here.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
It's called The Fields and it started at Columbia University.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Where's it's now got nationwide.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
It's a nationwide business franchise events held in cities across
the United States.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Huh. And the person.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Who created it, Alf Hoffman, says that they believe that
modern dating is broken due to the macro level forces
like capitalism, technology, and pop culture.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah, I'm not disputing that. I still don't understand where
the I must pay to go into a dark room
and hold a stranger comes in.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
There's two different levels, by the way, in pricing. Oh,
you can pay level one, you can pay between ninety
and one hundred dollars. You don't take a survey and
you don't get personalized matching, or you can up it
to two hundred dollars, and that includes a pre event
survey to match with participants based on emotional intelligence and
(01:37):
spiritual atonement.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
So it's like a dating gap, but in person.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
But it's not really dating.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
It's just to cuddle. Well, I don't get to talk
to you. Well, you can if you want. Why would
I need to connect with you if I can't talk
to you?
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Because you want to be held, You want some physical touch.
Attendees have shared feelings like I feel seen and I'm
more at ease in my body and I was warmly renewed.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Wait, I feel like I missed a step here. No,
let me understand, because I'm not I'm not. I mean,
I guess I'm being judgy. But so you pay money,
you go to this dark room. Correct, you find a stranger.
Uh huh, you cuddle with them? Correct, you got it?
But why would you pay the money?
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (02:26):
What you like?
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Because if you're.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Do you know how many drinks one hundred dollars could buy?
I could find someone.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
You could get more than a hug.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Well, that's what I'm saying, right, I mean possibly. I
mean I feel like we're really you're really selling yourself short.
If you're I mean one hundred dollars, that's you can
do a lot of damage with one hundred dollars.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Okay, the fields, which is what this place is called. Yeah,
they say it's less about finding the one and more
about learning tools for deeper connection.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Aren't there like forum boards or the dating app? They
charge for these dating apps? Is it costs money to
be on them? They're usually free? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:01):
It is?
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Oh it is, yeah something the popular ones are free.
How do they make money? They sell ads? Or something like?
How does the dating app make money?
Speaker 1 (03:08):
You can pay for a premium account, and I think
you get access to certain things like different filters like LinkedIn.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yeah, it's like, but are there ads on these dating
sites like brought to you by sometimes Oca Cola or yeah,
occasionally you'll get because they got to make money somehow,
product placement. Well, that's what I'm saying. I mean, I
was thinking some other things, but this is a family program,
and I didn't want to things that were popping into
my head. I didn't want to throw out there I'll
tell you off the air once we get to the
commercial break. Well, that would be good product placement. Uh,
(03:36):
you're like, okn't wait to get away from this guy, Gause.
You've all almost made it four years. I know you're
closing in on four years.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
The season three finale of Indianapolis is a banger.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
I just I don't understand why people are paying for this.
I don't I don't get what you're getting. I mean,
I mean, I'm not saying this to be okay, but
your name is supposed to be getting handsy with the person.
Like it's just you're supposed to like.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
This, just go and be held.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Yeah. Just it's like a Meloncamp song. Everyone needs a
hand to hold onto as Mellen Camp right.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
I wonder if there's stipulations what you can hold strong
like it's just just a long embrace, a long hug.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
I don't know. I'm asking you. Have you never heard
of this, Kevin? What is the age range of these people?
Does it say? Is there a target? Is there are.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
I imagine it's gen z ish eighteen thirty four people
who aren't going out anymore to meet people.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
So, keV, would you be if we are there any
in Indianapolis. Does it say no, not yet, keV. If
they it'll come if they have one here in case
you never willing to pay the fee? Would you would
you go to this for us for the show? Yeah,
I mean I'd probably stroll down there. Yeah, I mean
you can shift. I mean you can't just stroll down.
(04:52):
You have to go in and be a part of
the We want the whole experience.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
You probibly have to sign some sort of waiver that
you can't record your experience so you can't talk about it.
Oh no, no, no, no, you can talk about it, you
just can't Videotapeeah.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
No, I'm saying. So if they have one here, case,
would you be fifty we would probably be willing to do.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Well, we'd have to go at least forty five to
get the minimum and oh it's ninety to get in ninety,
so we'd have to get forty five dollars.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
But you have to stay the whole time. You can't
just like go in there and like be like there
are a bunch of broad ripple threes and I'm out
of here. How long of a session is this?
Speaker 1 (05:27):
I think it's however long you want.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
You just go in we want you to cuddle to
with at least three people that we'd have to come
up with some sort of like numbers, like a bare
minimum that we would want you to cuddle with. Right, Yeah,
this sounds like the creepiest thing ever.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
The creator said that her dream is for participants to
carry the practices into their everyday life. Uh huh, asking
open questions, offering longer hugs, and reflecting presents.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
You have to be very friendsent. I did this in
Broad Ripple for years and you only got charged by
like a five dollars cover.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Yeah. Yeah, there's not even cocktails involved in this.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Oh there's not. I was going to ask, is there
any like? No, I don't think gen Z doesn't really drink,
that's true.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
There's just somebody's creating ways for gen Z to meet people.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
This is rotten. This is just rotten and horrible. Be unbelief.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Somebody saw a need and is trying to fill it.
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