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New York Post
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Real life ‘Materialists': Why pricey personal matchmakers are surging in popularity
Love is in the air — for a price. Once relegated to the back of inflight magazines, whispered about furtively over lunch or thought of as a 'religious thing,' professional matchmaking is having a moment. The new movie 'Materialists,' which stars Dakota Johnson as a high-powered matchmaker caught in a love triangle with Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans, shines a new, glamorous light on the age-old profession. A recent episode of the hate-watch du jour, 'And Just Like That …' featured Cheri Oteri as a matchmaker hired for Saria Choudhury's character. In real life, NYC matchmakers say business is booming. 7 In 'Materialists,' Dakota Johnson plays an NYC matchmaker. AP It's 'blowing up' according to Bonnie Winston, the founder of Bonnie Winston Matchmaker, which charges clients as much as $150,000 for its services. Winston has seen her business grow 'exponentially' in the last few years and witnessed a 'ton' of new matchmakers enter the business. 'My clients are billionaires and multi, multi millionaires — they have success in all areas of life… except love,' she told The Post. 'They don't want to be alone.' Winston hosts an annual industry party every May for others in her profession. In 2022, she said about 90 people attended. This year, 165 matchmakers came. 'The industry is getting a lot bigger,' she said. 'And it should [be]. What's better or more important than helping people find love?' Winston, who has partnered with Patti Stanger from Bravo's 'The Millionaire Matchmaker' show at points, said she has been responsible for 'too many marriages to count' and added, 'The matchmaking industry has grown because it works,' Dating Services — which include both apps and old-fashioned matchmakers — have exploded in the past few years and are projected to reach revenues of $13.4 billion by 2030. At the same time, the traditional apps that dominate the market, such as Hinge and Tinder, are experiencing some decline. 7 Real-life NYC matchmaker Bonnie Watson says the industry is booming. Courtesy of Bonnie Watson/ By Eddie Sadiwa A study released in April by the digital companion platform Joi AI found that 64% of app users feel 'hopeless.' Shares in Match Group, the tech giant that operates a number of dating apps, including Tinder, Hinge and OkCupid, have tumbled more than 80% from pandemic highs. 'Post COVID, people are sick of the apps and the fakes, the scams, the Tinder swindlers, the fugazzis (crazies), and people are valuing love a little more,' said Lori Zaslow, who, along with partner Jenn Zucher, runs the NYC-based high end matchmaking service, Project Soulmate. The company charges as much as $120,000 for its services. 'People used to meet at work — but, legally, you can't do that anymore,' Zaslow said. 7 Jennifer Zucher (left) and Lori Zaslow are also matchmakers based in New York. They say their business, Project Soulmate, is also flourishing. Emmy Park for NY Post But, it's really the pandemic — not HR policies — that have led to a boom. 'Because of COVID, people feel like so many years of their life are just gone and they want to make up for it, they are going to use every avenue they have available,' Zucher noted. At the same time, shutdowns left people with rusty socialization skills. 'People forgot how to flirt over COVID and aren't good at it anymore,' Zaslow said. 'And you don't want to have to do something you're not good at — you fear rejection,' Zucher added. 'With a matchmaker you know you will be set up with someone who has been vetted, is actually single, and is also looking for love.' 7 On recent episode of 'And Just Like That …', Cheri Oteri (right) played a matchmaker hired for Seema (Sarita Choudhury). Photograph by Craig Blankenhorn/Max Winston agrees. 'People's flirting muscles atrophied and they didn't know how to do it anymore,' she said. 'They just didn't know how to get back on the horse.' On a recent Wednesday evening on the Upper East Side, a dedicated matchmaking event at the buzzy private club Casa Tua drew 50 single men and women, ranging in age from 24 to 65. The invitation-only evening was part of a member service for Casa Tua and a promotion for When We First, a new matchmaking company that launched this past February. 7 In 'Materialists,' Dakota Johnson must choose between two men. One is a wealthy businessman played by Pedro Pascal. AP 'Sex and the City' creator Candace Bushnell served as a co-host, and participants — a mix of financiers, lawyers, techies, media mavens, a few models and a former professional basketball player — posed and answered questions such as 'Have you heli-hiked and heli-skiied?' When We First founder Sandra Hatton, who charges as much as $4,000, declared the event a success and plans to hold others. To make things easy for their elite clients, nearly all high-end matchmakers offer services such as professional photography sessions and coaching on profiles. 'Men, please. No more shirtless selfies in your bathroom!' Zucher moaned. 7 Her other love interest is her arty college sweetheart, played by Chris Evans. AP Winston even hooks clients up with a psychotherapist she works with. 'If there's a break up or they are triggered or if something comes up that's above my pay grade, I include counseling sessions,' she said. Matchmakers say their expertise and assistance more than justifies their high prices. Winston claims to have an 85% success rate, where she defines success not as marriage but 'where people fall in love and they are loved back.' 7 Jennifer Zucher says, 'With a matchmaker you know you will be set up with someone who has been vetted, is actually single, and is also looking for love.' Emmy Park for NY Post Zucher and Zaslow say they have a 90% happiness rate 'We outsource everything these days,' Zaslow said. 'People give their dry cleaning to the dry cleaners. They give their children to a nanny. Why not pay someone to find your love match?' Paula Froelich is the senior story editor and entertainment correspondent for NewsNation. You can follow her on Instagram at: @pfro.
Express Tribune
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
How possible is it to win your way to a green card?
If you've ever watched The Amazing Race and thought, "What if the prize was US citizenship?" well, someone's already a step ahead of you. Enter The American, a not-yet-greenlit reality TV concept pitched by producer Rob Worsoff, who has worked on cultural powerhouses such as Duck Dynasty and The Millionaire Matchmaker. The show's premise centres around immigrants competing in challenges across the United States, trivia contests and all, for the ultimate prize: becoming an American citizen. According to the Daily Mail, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was somehow in on it, or at least giving it a polite, bureaucratic nod. But the DHS quickly jumped into damage control mode, issuing a firm (and rather theatrical) rebuttal titled "Fake News Friday," in which it accused the tabloid of running wild with a "media hoax." The agency insisted Secretary Kristi Noem hadn't "backed" any such project and, in fact, had no idea it even existed. That's when things got murky. Because while the DHS is very clear that Noem isn't signing off on The American anytime soon, they aren't denying that the pitch was, in fact, received. And that's where this story takes a deliciously absurd turn. On being American Worsoff himself confirmed to The New York Times that The American is a real pitch. And he's not shying away from its patriotic glitz. "We need a national conversation of what it means to be American," he told NYT, highlighting how the show would spotlight immigrant stories, journeys, and dreams. "We're putting a face to these people and celebrating them as humans." So, yes, it's part game show, part civic lovefest, part high-stakes Survivor. While only the winner gets citizenship, Worsoff has made it clear that no one would be penalised or deported for losing. It's a competition without cruelty, he promises. Still, the idea of gamifying citizenship, something that many immigrants spend years, even decades, pursuing through paperwork and legal limbo, isn't sitting well with everyone. Critics have raised concerns about turning a deeply personal and often painful journey into prime-time entertainment. Is it celebration, or is it exploitation? What's even more eyebrow-raising is the DHS's two-tone messaging. Publicly, they blasted the Daily Mail's report as "an affront to journalism," but in the NYT story, assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin seemed to soften a bit. "The pitch generally was a celebration of being an American and what a privilege it is," she said. "It's important to revive civic duty." Not exactly a glowing endorsement, but not a total shutdown either. So, where does this leave us? The DHS says it gets "hundreds of television show pitches" every year. Most don't make it past the idea stage. But The American clearly made enough noise to spark a national headline war, a departmental press release, and a whole lot of speculation. The idea of The American isn't entirely without precedent. Reality television has long flirted with themes of national identity, competition, and transformation. Shows like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and America's Got Talent frame personal struggle and aspiration within an entertainment lens. But no reality show has yet offered US citizenship as a tangible prize, an idea that raises thorny legal questions. For one, naturalisation is a highly regulated federal process, governed by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The law requires applicants to meet stringent requirements, including lawful permanent residency, English language proficiency, and passing a civics exam; not exactly reality-show material.
Economic Times
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
The Immigration Games? DHS weighs wild new reality show concept where migrants compete for US citizenship
The US Department of Homeland Security is considering a reality show concept. In this show, migrants will compete in challenges for a chance to win US citizenship. The show, titled 'The American', involves contestants traveling across the country. They will participate in region-specific cultural tasks. The winner may get sworn in as a citizen at the Capitol. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reviewing a pitch for a reality television show in which migrants would compete for US citizenship through televised challenges. According to a Wall Street Journal report, while the proposal has sparked comparisons to dystopian fiction and prompted backlash on social media, DHS officials confirmed that the idea is undergoing a preliminary concept, titled The American, was developed by Canadian-born writer and producer Rob Worsoff, who has worked on shows such as The Millionaire Matchmaker, Dating Naked, and Duck Dynasty. According to The Daily Mail, the proposal outlines a competitive format where 12 pre-vetted immigrants travel across the country, undertaking region-specific cultural challenges in a bid to fast-track their path to show begins on Ellis Island, with contestants arriving on a ship named 'The Citizen Ship.' Each participant would receive a baseball glove from a 'famous, naturalized American,' with names floated including Sofia Vergara, Ryan Reynolds, and Mila Kunis. None of them is formally attached to the there, the contestants would board a train called 'The American' and compete in challenges such as collecting gold in San Francisco, rafting in Colorado, log-balancing in Wisconsin, rocket launching in Florida, clam-digging in Maine, assembling a Model T in Detroit, and delivering mail on horseback in Kansas.'We'll join in the laughter, tears, frustration, and joy — hearing their backstories — as we are reminded how amazing it is to be American,' the pitch states, as quoted by The Daily spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin confirmed to The Daily Beast that the department is reviewing the proposal but rejected claims that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem supports or is even aware of the added that DHS receives hundreds of show pitches annually, ranging from border operation documentaries to white-collar crime programs. 'Each proposal undergoes a thorough vetting process prior to denial or approval. This pitch has not received approval or denial by staff,' she show's finale reportedly involves the winner being sworn in as a US citizen on the steps of the Capitol by 'a top American politician or judge' as the US Air Force Thunderbirds fly overhead. Contestants who lose would receive 'iconically American' prizes such as a million American Airlines points, a $10,000 Starbucks gift card, or a lifetime supply of 76 gasoline—though no companies are currently linked to the Noem's approach at DHS has been marked by an emphasis on publicity, including a $200 million ad campaign urging undocumented immigrants to return home. Her recent visit to a high-security prison in El Salvador, where she posed before inmates wearing a $50,000 Rolex, further drew media attention and has argued in the pitch that the show could attract major sponsorship deals and broad commercial success. However, the project still requires financial backing and a distribution of now, there is no confirmation on whether the show will proceed.
Time Magazine
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Time Magazine
Is the Department of Homeland Security Considering a Reality Show Where Immigrants Compete for U.S. Citizenship?
A producer behind reality shows like The Millionaire Matchmaker, Duck Dynasty, and Alpha Dogs has pitched a new reality show idea to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—one in which immigrants compete for U.S. citizenship. 'I'm putting a face to immigration. This is a great celebration of America,' Rob Worsoff told CNN in an interview that aired on Friday, May 16, noting that he himself is an immigrant from Canada. Worsoff says that he also pitched this reality show during both previous Democrat Administrations. In an emailed statement to TIME on Saturday, Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary who oversees the DHS' public outreach, said: 'DHS receives hundreds of television show pitches a year, ranging from documentaries surrounding ICE and CBP border operations to white collar investigations by HSI,' adding that each of these proposals goes through a vetting process. 'We need to revive patriotism and civic duty in this country, and we're happy to review out-of-the-box pitches. This pitch has not received approval or rejection by staff,' she said. McLaughlin also denied, as she had on Friday via social media, that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was backing the show in any way, and said that Noem is 'not even aware of the pitch.' Meanwhile, Worsoff claimed during his CNN interview that the DHS appears to be 'seriously considering' the show—which he said would include a series of elimination challenges across America. Examples he gave of such challenges included a 'pizza-making challenge' in New York, a 'rocket-launching challenge' in Florida, and a 'gold rush challenge' in California. Per his vision, each episode would culminate in a town hall-esque style vote, one he said is akin to a 'presidential election.' 'The people of Tennessee, let's say, will get to vote on which one of our future Americans they would most like to represent the state of Tennessee,' Worsoff offered as an example. Then, a winner would be granted citizenship. The pitch comes at a time when President Donald Trump and his Administration have launched a crackdown on U.S. immigration—embroiling themselves in legal battles to end birthright citizenship, upping mass deportation goals, and overhauling asylum access. On Friday, the Supreme Court barred the Trump Administration from using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged gang members to prisons in El Salvador. The Trump Administration had previously been utilizing the act to expedite deportations of Venezuelan nationals alleged to be in the Tren de Aragua gang, though the court argued that Trump only gave these migrants 24 hours to receive legal advice, and that they were 'devoid of information about how to exercise due process rights to contest that removal.' The ruling extends the court's April emergency order barring Trump from using the wartime law to deport migrants held in a detention facility in Texas. The stakes are high, Worsoff recognized in his interview, but he argued that his reality show idea is 'not The Hunger Games.' 'It's not some mean spirited thing that's trying to deport people; it's exactly the opposite of that,' he said. 'I'm very fortunate and lucky and honored to be an American. And I want everybody to understand the process.'
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Business Standard
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
Compete to be American! US eyes reality show for immigrant citizenship
In what sounds like a plot straight out of a television drama, the United States (US) may soon have a reality show where immigrants compete in patriotic and cultural challenges for the ultimate prize: American citizenship. The concept, titled 'The American', is being reviewed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as part of a broader push for 'creative outreach' on immigration. The show's format draws strong parallels with reality hits like Big Boss, with contestants living together and competing across a series of tasks meant to reflect American values, traditions, and history. The pitch has gained traction within the Trump administration, which has embraced unconventional methods to highlight its immigration agenda. A DHS spokesperson confirmed that such 'out-of-the-box pitches,' especially those that celebrate what it means to be an American,' remain a priority. The idea The show was pitched by Rob Worsoff, a seasoned reality TV producer known for shows like Duck Dynasty and The Millionaire Matchmaker. A Canadian immigrant himself, Worsoff said the idea came to him while he was going through the naturalisation process in the US. 'It's not mean-spirited. Instead, 'The American' is a celebration of what it means to be American... at a time when our morale is at an all-time low,' Worsoff wrote on Facebook. The proposed format would see immigrant contestants travel across the United States, participating in 'stereotypically American' challenges. These include collecting gold from a mine in San Francisco, assembling a Model T in Detroit, delivering mail on horseback in Kansas, and even assembling a rocket. Other segments would test civic knowledge through trivia and tasks based on American customs. 'We need to be reminded of how proud and how much of an honour it is to be American,' Worsoff told CNN. He also stressed that contestants who don't win should not be penalised. What the Homeland Security says According to Tricia McLaughlin, spokesperson for the DHS, the idea is currently under review by Kristi Noem, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. 'It's important to revive civic duty,' McLaughlin told The New York Times, describing the potential series as a 'celebration of being an American.' Trump's immigration crackdown This development comes amid a strict immigration crackdown under US President Donald Trump's second term, during which over 271,000 individuals have been deported—the highest number in nearly a decade. Earlier this month, the administration launched a controversial self-deportation programme, offering undocumented migrants free flight tickets and $1,000 in cash to leave the US voluntarily. However, Trump has softened his tone in some instances, saying that 'good' individuals could be allowed back through legal routes. 'Good people will be taken back legally,' he recently said, positioning the move as part of a merit-based immigration policy. Trump's administration has also previously shown interest in media-driven immigration narratives. In 2017, he granted access to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations for a documentary series titled Immigration Nation.
