Henry Zebrowski's Tinder tips: Guys, show you're rugged
LOS ANGELES — Comedian Henry Zebrowski has gone from podcasting ("The Last Podcast on the Left"), the big screen (Alden the "Sea Otter" in The Wolf of Wall Street), to the smaller screen, co-starring in NBC's new A to Z sitcom. His character works at a fictional online dating service, so naturally when we met, we asked for tips on navigating the online dating world.
ONLINE DATING
Zebrowski's character works at Wallflower Online Dating, which he calls "a cross between OK Cupid and eHarmony. They want people to find love ... but won't make money if they find people love, so it's a distinct mixing of intentions."
TINDER TIPS
To research his role, he spent a lot of time on Tinder, the dating app that uses no words, just photos, to try to connect two people.
How to use it successfully?
• In a group shot, "Set yourself up as the center of the picture."
• "A picture of you next to a celebrity will really help you."
• If you're a man, "you can meet someone very quickly showing that you're rugged. So get a photo on a kayak or a mountain trail."
• Don't use a head shot. "That's a cry for help. You're half trying to find someone, but also hoping he's a producer."
HENRY LOVES YOU
On Twitter, @henrylovesyou is what he tells his followers, a tool to put less Internet-hate into the world. "I love to give love out. We're all part of a pansexual, one-identity, big dance party."
Does it work? "Yes. Say 'I love you' to somebody and see what you get back. It works."
PODCASTING
Zebrowski has a weekly comedic podcast, "The Last Podcast on the Left," every Wednesday with Ben Kissel and Marcus Parks that he calls a "funny take on weird and dark subjects." He has played notorious bad guys like Ted Bundy, O.J. Simpson and Ted Kaczynski, ghosts and aliens in this spoof of paranormal shows. "Aliens are the biggest mining ground of comedic material because people are just crazy."
He meets his New York-based partners from his Los Angeles apartment via Skype, and records his parts into a Blue Microphone Yeti with a sock over it to soften the sound.
FAVORITE APP
Seamless (free; Apple, Android, BlackBerry). He uses the app for home delivery from local restaurants. "What would I do without it? I wouldn't be able to say hello to the delivery man in my underwear. Seamless allows you to order food from the darkness of your home, and it just shows up."
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