Nerve, September 3, 2001    » Visit the original URL for this article
Judging Emily
Popular website hotornot.com (formerly amihotornot.com) and comparison-shopping spin-off strangerinyourbed.com seem so cold and anonymous. Why not just ask people on the street? By Emily Nussbaum

SHAGGY BLOND BUSINESS GUY

Am I hot or not?
Yeah, you are.
How would you rate me one to ten?
Well, that’s relative, compared to other people…
Sure, of course.
I would rate you a solid nine.
Would you rather have sex with me or that woman?
Um, are you better in bed than her?
Yes.
Then I would rather have sex with you.

DOROTHY HAMILL–HAIRCUT WOMAN

Am I hot or not?
You’re all right.
How would you rate me, on a scale of one to ten?
Five.

BRUNETTE IN THIRTIES

Am I hot or not?
Looking good, girlfriend!
How would you rate me?
[pause] Eight.
Would you rather have sex with me or that person over there?
[bursts out laughing, slyly] I’ll never tell.

SCRUFFY GUY

Am I hot or not?
What? What is this for?
There’s an Internet site …
Yeah — I’ve seen that.
And we’ve decided to take it to the streets! Destroy the anonymity.
So are you hot?
Yep — it’s okay, you can say no.
No, actually, you are.
And would you rather have sex with me, or that person over there?
Probably her.

WOMAN WITH PINK HAIR

Am I hot or not?
Yeah, you’re hot. Do you have a light?
Sorry, I don’t.
You’d be really hot if you had a light.