Why “Who Could Love Them”? Finding love on Cape Cod ain’t easy
WCLT - Catchy, clever, confusing… all of the above?
“Who Could Love Them… Why would you choose that as a name?” People have been asking me this question a lot. Some people love the name for a dating docuseries—they see it as funny and appropriate for their situation. Those who can laugh at themselves generally resonate with the sentiment.
Others think the question is offensive or off-putting, though — “Who could love them? Isn’t that sending the wrong message?” Hmm…
Sure, I get it. WCLT could be asked in many different tones and can land with folks in a variety of ways. But that lack of clarity is precisely why I love it.
Whether genuinely asking the question out of curiosity (non-rhetorically) or asking it sarcastically (rhetorically), it makes people think about the answer (or lack thereof). This name centers the person or people in question. Whoever “they” are, their capacity to be loved is the obvious thread to pull. The audience knows the plot from the get-go.
I forever wish people would chill out across the board, so perhaps this fiery name is also a built-in filter for those who need to simmer down a wink. This is a lighthearted doc project at its core, to remind us that it’s not all so dreadfully serious. Some things are dreadfully serious, to be sure, and many docu-film projects are unfathomably heavy. Not this one, though. This one is sprightly.
Time to lighten up.
“Them,” aka the motley lot of Cape Singles in my dating pool
Examining Cape Cod singles through a wider systemic lens, these humans constitute a particularly interesting slice of the island’s cultural tapestry. I am learning a lot as I meet these people and hear what they have to say.
The “them” in question, from a zoomed out perspective, encompasses singles of all ages, sexualities, backgrounds and ideals. Some are very lonely, some are content but curious to be involved, some simply aren’t sure how they feel.
But despite the diversity of “them,” these insulated east coasters share one eminent understanding—they all possess a distinctive, niche familiarity of the dating landscape of Cape Cod. They have tirelessly mapped the bumpy terrain and have lived to tell their tales from the trails. And let me be clear, these hikes are not for the faint of heart… Nearly all year-round residents I have screened over zoom (about 25 so far—with over 80 still to go) have lamented the difficult and disheartening process of finding potential partners in this peculiar place.
It’s not just you… Dating on Cape is a never-ending loading screen
It is an arduous undertaking to look for love here, to say the least. There are many reasons dating on Cape is a struggle. There are few prospects (limited year-round population), few places to dwell (especially in the off-season), and few viable means to connect. There are no regular speed dating events, singles-specific social opportunities, or matchmaking services… Well, until now. It’s me. I’m the matchmaking service.
And of course, the most obvious option for finding new romantic connections is perhaps the most notable in its fruitlessness: dating apps are largely experienced as dim and doleful on Cape. This, in my estimation, becomes a self-perpetuating cycle of quality singles swearing off the apps, a lack of prospects on the apps then discouraging new people, they proceed to delete the apps… And so it goes. What a nightmare.
These numerous barriers to dating beg the question — Who could love all of these lonesome peninsula people? Is there hope for the hopeless romantics? Are there any compelling single humans on this side of the bridge? Does anyone else wonder what’s going on here? Are we all just lonely specks floating further into the abyss by the day? …Hello!?
Four syllables, four words, four beats: For the sake of sparks in forsaken places
This project contains a captivating collection of stories already, and we’re only in pre-production. I am so excited to create this thing! Anyway, back to the name:
Above all, I find WCLT catchy. It is easy to remember and repeat with a built-in rhythm in one word per syllable. The inherent beat is sweet. As a musician I am used to expressing myself in measures of four. One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four, who, could, love, them, one, two, three, four.
The inquiry can be posed in other locations, too; WCLT isn’t just a question for Cape Cod. Ideally, this will unfold into a multiple-season series featuring other uniquely complicated places to date. Why? Big cities are over-represented in dating media. I, for one, am more interested in seasonally shifting boroughs, quirky and transient college towns, and the like.
September 2024 at Dowses Beach, Osterville MA.
I hope to capture tales from the lesser known outskirts of well-known bustling urban hubs. Wherever I go, “Who Could Love Them?” is an orienting question for unfolding a production aimed at assisting people in finding connection right where they are. Love changes people. I believe love changes places, too. Attempting to inspire folks to merrily ask questions of connection in unpresuming settings seems a worthy goal.
In today’s fragmented world, such questions might just impel our curiosity enough to find some much needed answers.
