Do they have kissing booths at fairs anymore?

[Idle Thoughts]

I've never seen one, save for in movies and reading about them in books.
Tell me personal tales that have to do with kissing booths?

[Musicat]

Negative reasons not to have kissing booths: fear of AIDS, not to mention germs

Positive reasons: sexual mores are more relaxed and a kiss ain't what it used to be in Victorian times

Which makes this clever song by Bill LaBounty obsolete: "Loan me fifty cents for the kissing booth..."

[Ruken]

There was one at a party once in college. You didn't know what gender you were getting until after you paid.

I didn't try it out. Mmmm...tastes like herpes.

[Rigamarole]

Originally Posted by Musicat

Negative reasons not to have kissing booths: fear of AIDS, not to mention germs

You are not going to get AIDS from kissing someone. Maybe if you both have open sores on your mouths and end up swapping blood but even then it seems really, really unlikely.

Anyway, I saw an actual kissing booth once in Mexico during the Cervantes festival in Guanajuato around 2004. I think they wanted 10 pesos (about $1) to kiss a relatively cute girl. I didn't do it because I was young and shy but in retrospect I really wish I had. Gonna go back someday though...

[Musicat]

Originally Posted by Rigamarole

You are not going to get AIDS from kissing someone. Maybe if you both have open sores on your mouths and end up swapping blood but even then it seems really, really unlikely.

I know that, you know that, but the public doesn't, which is why I said fear of AIDS.

[bup]

They still have them but you have to wear a dental dam.

[tr0psn4j]

Originally Posted by Rigamarole

You are not going to get AIDS from kissing someone.

He said there's a fear of getting AIDS. Not the likelyhood of getting AIDS from kissing.

[Gus Gusterson]

The high school football team in my town had a kissing booth at the town fair in 2007. I don't remember if they did it again last year and I can't find any information about this year's fair, which is in three weeks.

From what I could tell, the only people who actually were kissed by a player were teenage girls. I saw other people give money and decline the kiss. All of the kisses I saw were on the cheek.

[Gus Gusterson]

By the way, I spent my money on cheerleaders. For a dollar, one of them would do a backflip.

[blondebear]

In the late 70s/early 80s, the Renaissance Faire up in Novato's Black Forest used to have kissing booths called "Soak A Bloke" and "Drench A Wench". For $5, you got to shoot wet sponges with a slingslot at a line-up of men or women. You got to kiss anyone you hit (as far as I remember, it was set up for "straight" contestants only). My room mate was one of the "blokes", and he had many interesting tales to tell of his interactions with the patrons.

[Elendil's Heir]

Never saw one except in movies.

[Valgard]

Originally Posted by blondebear

In the late 70s/early 80s, the Renaissance Faire up in Novato's Black Forest used to have kissing booths called "Soak A Bloke" and "Drench A Wench". For $5, you got to shoot wet sponges with a slingslot at a line-up of men or women. You got to kiss anyone you hit (as far as I remember, it was set up for "straight" contestants only). My room mate was one of the "blokes", and he had many interesting tales to tell of his interactions with the patrons.

I was going to post this exact thing (the Novato Ren Faire). I recall it from around 1986 or so.

[gotpasswords]

Originally Posted by blondebear

In the late 70s/early 80s, the Renaissance Faire up in Novato's Black Forest used to have kissing booths called "Soak A Bloke" and "Drench A Wench".

And people still want us to bring it back. Sadly, for a number of reasons, we're not able to.

Basically, the whole game was a disease-fest. Not sure which was worse - the probably mythical germs being passed from person to person, or the sponges sitting around in fetid water, landing on the ground, and then splashing the blokes or wenches in the face. Yes, getting wet on a hot day is refreshing, but amoebas are not.

[Rigamarole]

Originally Posted by gotpasswords

Yes, getting wet on a hot day is refreshing, but amoebas are not.

Amoebas not refreshing? I don't know what kind of amoebas you've been hanging out with, but I think you should broaden your horizons before making such a sweeping statement, sir.

[Maggie the Ocelot]

Originally Posted by blondebear

In the late 70s/early 80s, the Renaissance Faire up in Novato's Black Forest used to have kissing booths called "Soak A Bloke" and "Drench A Wench". For $5, you got to shoot wet sponges with a slingslot at a line-up of men or women. You got to kiss anyone you hit (as far as I remember, it was set up for "straight" contestants only). My room mate was one of the "blokes", and he had many interesting tales to tell of his interactions with the patrons.

At Southern, we had the kissing bridge...which was free, but a lot skeevier. I'm ashamed to admit that I used to hang out there, back when I was still in the "ZOMG guys actually want to kiss ME???!!!?!!????" part of my life.

[corkboard]

Originally Posted by Gus Gusterson

By the way, I spent my money on cheerleaders. For a dollar, one of them would do a backflip.

In my highschool, the cheerleaders gave it away for free. Backflip optional.

[kayaker]

Originally Posted by Gus Gusterson

By the way, I spent my money on cheerleaders. For a dollar, one of them would do a backflip.

. . .and for $20, you could pick her landing spot.

[TheMadHun]

I've never seen one, and I'm over a hundred fifty years old, so I have my doubts they were ever common.