Micro-post #155: 1-900-9099-CRY (and Phil Edwards explaining the origins of 1-900 hotlines)

Thanks to the weirdos over at r/ObscureMedia, I stumbled across a strange video from the early 1990s promoting a crying-focused hotline number. Turns out the video posted was actually an edit with someone making fun of the video but the real deal is just as over-the-top. Luckily, former Vox writer Phil Edwards delved a little deeper and has a good video himself about where 1-900 numbers got their start.

Long & short of it: I'm glad my parents forbade me from ever calling those stupid things 🙃

https://youtu.be/41EMJE1mTzY?si=qTHoCaVdSKL9nsrR

https://youtu.be/MHsszDrknx4?si=AN4-Ix5-31BxKG_O