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As social distancing and isolation start to become the norm amid the coronavirus, comedian Lane Moore is working to help people tackle their loneliness and seclusion with the new live stream show, How To Be Alone.
Moore—who’s known as the creator of Tinder Live and is the author of the bestselling book How To Be Alone— described the show as “PeeWee’s Playhouse for lonely adults,” according to the show’s press release. The show premiered Monday night on Twitch, where Moore displayed their whimsical personality, welcoming viewers to their “set” donned with multi-colored twinkly lights, cartoonish pillows, and colorful posters.
Episodes will air nightly, featuring variety-like segments where Moore will share coping tips and host Tinder Live, where they go on Tinder and let audience members choose who they swipe on and message.
“What I do is I entertain people, I make people feel less alone. … So I thought this would be amazing to create a show that does that when people need it more than they probably ever have before,” Moore told the Daily Dot.
The show will also feature “wellness check-ins” where Moore asks viewers about their mental health and reminds them of practical steps on how to take care of themselves. Moore receives from donations from viewers and Patreon supporters to help run the show online.
“I’m not going to remotely pretend to be an expert on what is going on out there, but I just want to hold space for all of the different ways people are having to cope with (the coronavirus) right now,” Moore said during one of the show’s first episodes.
Moore, who uses they/them pronouns, said the show will also feature separate content for kids. The children’s portion of the show will be called “Strawberry Milk,” where Moore plans to sing songs with their dog for kids to enjoy. Aside from their other creative endeavors, Moore also fronts the band It Was Romance.
Moore is not alone in bringing their talents to the digital space in light of changing events. Drag queen Biqtch Puddin and producer Megna are also hosting Digital Drag: An Online Drag Show, airing on Twitch on March 20 with performers such as Alaska Thunderfuck and Louisiana Purchase, PAPER reports. “Drag performers are being hit hard,” according to the magazine, due to precautions being implemented in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
So far, there are over 5,000 coronavirus cases in the United States, with the death toll reaching about 100, CNN reports.
As someone who makes a living doing live performances and has seen the effects preventative measures surrounding coronavirus has had on their shows, Moore said they’ve had to deal with “not really knowing,” what comes next. Based on circumstances, they said, it’s not clear as to whether their upcoming tour Tinder Live, will continue.
However, the uncertainty hasn’t hindered the chance for Moore to channel their talents in a new format.
“I love being able to make people feel less alone and more connected,” Moore said. “I didn’t like the idea that that was going to be taken away from me. … This is going to be different, but it’s going to be OK.”
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