VHS Dates: The unbelievable truth behind viral ’80s dating videos that have taken social media by storm

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It’s become one of the most popular accounts on Instagram.

I’ve been totally hooked on ‘VHS Dates‘ lately! It’s incredible – they’ve gotten over 100 million views in just the last year. The whole thing is presented like they’ve discovered old tapes from a dating service back in the 80s, and it’s just fascinating to watch.

The funny and sometimes awkward videos feature people looking for love—often with outdated hairstyles and fashion—describing their ideal partner and confidently highlighting their own best qualities.

A woman named Tina recently shared in a viral video – now with over nine million views – that her greatest strength is staying true to herself.

In a recent video, Gwen, who is divorced, shared what she looks for in a date: a dinner at Benihana. She also mentioned owning a timeshare and expressed her frustrations with her former spouse.

‘I blew out my knee jazzercising so I don’t want a guy who’s too active,’ she adds.

Although the videos seem like incredibly realistic glimpses into dating before apps like Tinder, they’re actually carefully planned and feature professional actors.

People online have identified some of the performers as members of The Groundlings, a famous comedy group from Los Angeles.

I’m a big fan, and I know that Annie Sertich is the wonderful actress who plays Gwen. And for those who recognize the name, Tina is brilliantly brought to life by Allison Dunbar – you might remember her from a few episodes of The Sopranos!

Among the most well-known VHS dating tapes is one featuring Ronnie, a Mary Kay beauty consultant. She’s known for being a poor cook, but a fantastic dining companion.

In real life, ‘Ronnie’ is Maddie Ballard, a queer musician and sketch comic from the Bay area. 

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.

One fan commented that videos like these should come with an update on what happened to the people featured in them.

‘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.

One Reddit user pointed out that everyone shown in the photos has perfectly white teeth, which seems unrealistic.

Perfectly white teeth weren’t common in the 80s and 90s – teeth looked more naturally colored back then. While things like video quality, hair, and clothing can be enhanced, overly bright, white teeth always stand out as artificial.

Someone else pointed out that some of the cast members appear to have had cosmetic procedures like fillers or Botox. They also noticed that Beth’s voice has a vocal fry quality, which wasn’t common in the 1980s.

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2025-12-24 23:50