‘Pop the Balloon’ Was a Viral Hit for Black Daters. Then Netflix Gentrified It

One of the more heated exchanges from the original Pop the Balloon or Find Love—a wildly popular YouTube show through which eligible Black singles ruthlessly assess each other’s attractiveness face-to-face—should have culminated with a lesson in humility. Aaron, a 29-year-old plumber whose deal breakers included “being promiscuous” and “non-cleanly” had just finished insulting a woman for having too much hair on her arms when fellow contestant Kailah cut him down to size. “You kinda look like a Ninja Turtle, you’re not that cute, you need to relax, and you're stocky as hell,” Kailah said as the other women erupted in applause and cheers. Rather than backing down, though, Aaron shot back: “You’re not even qualified to be dealing with me,” before bragging that he had more money than her. The moment, like many of the exchanges on the show, brings its appeal into sharp focus: Pop the Balloon doesn’t hold back. Set in a no-frills, stark-white studio, with many slow-motion fit checks, the ... Read full article.