Inferno spoke with Jeff Goldblatt in a phone interviewabout his popular project, the RejectionHotline.
“Hello, this is not the person you are trying tocall…Unfortunately, the person who gave you thisnumber did not want you to have their real number. Weknow this sucks, but don’t be too devastated.”
If this sounds familiar, then you have either rejectedsomeone or have been rejected through the RejectionHotline. Either way, you are one of millions of people tohave experienced a huge pop culture phenomenon.Jeff Goldblatt created the Rejection Hotline in 2001,born from a private joke between he and his friends.
When asked how he came up with the idea, he explainedthat one day while visiting a bar he witnessed an awkwardencounter where a man approached a strikinglybeautiful blonde young woman and failed to get hernumber. He used this scenario as his inspiration to beginthe Rejection Hotline, a fake phone number that pick-upvictims can use as a subtle way to reject those they arenot interested in.
This hotline was created to provide pure entertainmentfor people. But in 2002, the humorhotlines.comWeb site turned it into a business, establishing the RHBrands, LLC. It immediately started a nationwide buzz.
Originally from Framingham, Mass., Goldblatt attendedEmory University in Atlanta, Ga., and graduatedwith a degree in Journalism and Creative Writing. Likemany college students, he was not sure what he wantedto do with his life post-graduation. He knew that he refusedto be one of those people who hate their jobs.
“I was pretty fortunate to fi nd something that I enjoydoing, something I was able to make a career out of,”Goldblatt said.
In the early stages of the hotline enterprise, Goldblattreceived no profi t from it. After four years of being theself-proclaimed “America’s Worst Entrepreneur,” he realizedthat it was time to fi re himself and hire someonewith more experience, thus handing over the CEO title tohis friend and business partner Brian Kujawski.
Goldblatt could not be more proud of his company.He has facilitated millions of pranks across the countryand has been the cause of the laughter of millions ofpeople.
“I would much rather have millions of callers thanmake money,” he said. “I believe that it is important forpeople to have a sense of humor and a smile on their faceat all times.”
The company has expanded by creating three newhotlines a month. Some include the It Could AlwaysSuck More Hotline, the Psychiatric Hotline, and the AngrySanta Hotline, which all started receiving millionsof calls. Since most of the new hotlines have nothing todo with “rejection,” which was the original idea behindthe Rejection Hotline. The company has since developedinto a full humor company.
Goldblatt is looking forward to surpass the numberof callers they had last year on April Fool’s Day, whenthey received millions of phone calls making it the busiestcall logging days of the year.
Goldblatt said that his hotlines make pulling prankseasy for those who are not naturals at it.
When asked what his advice for the novice pranksterwas, Goldblatt stressed to keep it simple.
“It is essential to make sure that you do not do toomuch because pranks can always back fi re on you,” hesaid. “Remember to plan for all the worst case scenariosand just allow the humor hotlines to take care of it foryou by delivering the news.”
For a quick April Fool’s Day prank, call the assistancehotline at (413) 497-0033.
But callers can still enjoy and utilize the original RejectionHotline by calling (212) 660-2245.
For more information, visit www.humorhotlines.comand spread the humor.