Dating apps have a love/hate relationship with much of the public. Tinder, one of the OG smartphone dating apps, remains heavily used, generating hefty frustration among much of its user base. Comedian, writer, actor, and musician Lane Moore has been there for much of the ride, often guided by an interactive audience.
Moore is the New York City-based creator and host of Tinder Live with Lane Moore, a decade-plus stage show and livestream where she, guest comedians, and the audience swipe right and converse with some of Tinder’s less desirable male profiles. The series has earned scores of praise for its ability to keep audiences laughing by poking fun, taking occasional shots at assholes, and showing that not everyone is as terrible as their Tinder profile may suggest.
After years of not agreeing with the comedian, Moore recently found a way to successfully integrate pot into her life. In doing so, she’s found physical and mental relief, helping spark creativity and other positive outcomes. The comedian’s next plan is to bring her fondness for the plant to the show for the first time with a Tinder Live 420 edition.
Moore spoke with High Times to discuss her life, career, Tinder, and how weed now fits into the equation.
Lane Moore and the Exploration of Human Connection
Lane Moore has been a fixture in media and entertainment for over a decade. Coming up in the New York City comedy scene, early roles included writing for The Onion. In 2014, she launched Tinder Live with Lane Moore.Soon thereafter, her music began picking up momentum, highlighted by the 2015 breakthrough of the band It Was Romance, with Moore writing, singing, and playing several instruments.
She then became the sex and relationships editor at Cosmopolitan. Intending to make the outlet “Super queer, super feminist,” Moore wanted to champion different messages to readers, mostly young women, offering them alternative approaches to life and their bodies. As editor, she led an overhaul at the publication, driving home the importance of LGBTQ inclusivity, earning her a GLAAD Media Award in 2016.
Moore’s mission was championed by a desire to bring alternative ideas to more mainstream media outlets. “Not everybody has access to these alt publications where they can find out about this stuff,” said Moore.
In November 2018, Moore released her first book, How to Be Alone: If You Want To, and Even If You Don’t. The author said the book reflected her struggles with meeting a partner, making the right friends, and other relatable battles with everyday human connection.
Her second book, You Will Find Your People: How to Make Meaningful Friendships as an Adult, was released in April 2023. Moore penned the book because she felt that many adults struggle with this issue, and little has been done to remedy it. “It’s very hard, and nobody talks about it,” she said. A paperback version will be released later this month, on April 25.
Swipe Right on Tinder Live
One day during Moore’s early comedy days, she saw her two roommates simultaneously swiping away on Tinder, unaware of what the other was up to. The comedian hadn’t used a dating app up to that point, and she was intrigued by the app. Soon, she wanted in on the swiping.
Moore, who had always been interested in meeting people randomly, was intrigued by app-based meetups. She signed up and made a profile. Before getting to action, she set up a camera to record the trio’s reactions.
Soon after, she felt that there was potential for a comedy show. Instead of overthinking the idea, as she admitted to often doing, Moore ran with her roommates’ support. In short order, a live show was born.
“It immediately started selling out, and it was a thing,” she said.
To make the show interactive, profiles are projected for everyone to see, allowing audience members to vote on whether a person should be swiped right or left. Once a match has been made, the comedian will kick off a conversation with the match based on something that stood out to the audience.
Moore said Tinder Live isn’t intended to cut down on all males. Instead, the comedian explained the show aims to highlight certain types, spanning profiles that appear hateful and narrow-minded to questionable content, like a naked, possibly Swedish man with a dead animal in his profile, a visual Moore said she witnessed during one show.
“If a guy’s profile comes up and he seems really wonderful and has a great spirit and he’s hot and kind, we don’t want him on the show,” Moore explained. “I wish him well.” The host emphasizes this mindset to the audience each show by reviewing a short list of rules before swiping.
“It’s supposed to be cathartic,” Moore explained. “Because the first thing I noticed when I signed on was I was like, ‘I bet every person out there feels like everybody else is having a better time on this app.’” Moore added, “They’re not seeing this really hateful shit on there.”
While often targeting misogynists, racists, and other seemingly unenjoyable types, the experience can, on rare occasions, show that some profiles aren’t what they seem.
“Sometimes they’ll have their own bits and turn out to be really cool,” Moore said. To avoid looking potentially questionable on a dating app, she recommends getting a second set of eyes to look over profiles, ideally from a different gender. Doing so can provide feedback from a different perspective on possibly unintended images, phrases, and other content choices that could come off as suspect or worse.
Moore reports finding the occasionally good dude among the bunch. “I set people in the audience up with guys that I’ve matched with who were weirdly cool and ran with the joke…I never could have imagined that when I started the show.”
Tinder Live’s popularity has taken Moore across the country. Over the years, the show has featured guests such as comedians David Cross, Jon Glaser, Stephanie March, Jo Firestone, Scott Adsit, and many other notable names. Part of the show’s growing success included Moore expanding into offering dating advice and professional dating profile makeovers through her podcast and Patreon.
After a youth and much of adult life struggling to find her community, Moore feels happy knowing she’s succeeded without sacrificing her authenticity as a self-described weirdo. If she could tell her younger self her life’s journey, Moore feels that, “Her mind would be blown.”
In sticking to who she is, Moore said she found a community of friends and scores of fans who share similar feelings about human connection. “It’s very nice when I hear other people relate to that.”
Moore Embraces Weed
Moore has lived much of her life sober, which can prove troubling during many of life’s adversities. “You’re just kind of like raw dogging all these like really rough things,” she said.
Moore only had a few mixed experiences with weed during most of her life, often resulting in bouts of paranoia. A turning point came during the pandemic, leading to a breakthrough after a Baltimore Tinder Live show when a guest handed her three joints.
“I finally was able to get high and not be paranoid,” she said, adding, “I just felt like the freest, lightest version of myself.” When high, Moore reports feeling like a kid with elevated interest levels, particularly for all things she considers strange. She calls this her truest version.
After years of not knowing about the plant and how to implement it, Moore said it is now a significant part of her life. Most in her orbit reportedly support Moore’s decision. However, some detractors are bound to pop up on social media. The comedian recalled an Instagram comment saying smoking was bad. She recalled replying, “So is constant, unmitigated stress.”
In addition to media endeavors and her show, Moore’s exploring the plant further, showing an interest in strain profiles and events like infused dinners. The growing ganja fondness has culminated in Moore launching her first 420 edition of Tinder Live. Infusing the typical show format with a stoned Moore, the comedian hopes to match with profiles on a similar psychoactive level.
She anticipates being drawn to profiles with bright colors or food. “I get very intense munchies,” said Moore.