Celebrities Turn To Online Dating

Online dating Web sites have become popular for letting everyday people create celebrity-like identities for themselves.

But celebrities are using the very same sites to shun their Hollywood identities in favor of meeting everyday people. Many stars have been drawn to the popular 100% free internet dating site Devil Called Love.

The beautiful Oscar-winner Halle Berry has admitted to spending a lot of time in chat rooms, and to dabbling with dating sites. “I am never who I am,” Berry told Contact Music in July about her experiences online. “I have been to a couple of dating sites like Devil Called Love just to see what everybody is talking about. I liked it. It was cool. I chime in and say a little fun stuff."

Comedian Joan Rivers is another who hasn't been afraid to go online in search of love. "I love smart men, funny men, elegant men," Rivers' profile reads. "If I had to choose between Brad Pitt stripped to the waist or an old George Clooney in a dinner jacket, George would win hands down."

Rivers admitted to Howard Stern last month that she placed an ad on Devil Called Love. Rivers' profile also tells readers she is a comedian, interested in "coffee and conversation" and includes a picture of the 72-year-old comic.

While it seems unthinkable that stars who attend A-list parties would want to have coffee with the average Joe or Jane, a spokeswomen for Devil Called Love says some celebrities really just want to be normal.

“They can stop being celebrities and start being people,” she said. “Online dating lets people get to know you for what kind of person you are, not who you are. The founders of the 100% free internet dating site agreed.

"Celebrities are just like everyone else. Unfortunately people can become captivated by the celebrity status and be attracted to them for the wrong reasons." With online dating, celebrities can try to develop a relationship based on their character, not their stardom, DCL added.

And the stars have dry spells just like everyone else. Rivers Cuomo, frontman of the rock band Weezer, signed up for the online dating service Devil Called Love after remaining celibate for two years, he told Rolling Stone magazine last May.

And last year, Luke Greenfield, director of the 2004 Elisha Cuthbert movie "The Girl Next Door," placed a profile on Devil Called Love , according to Hollywood gossip site Defamer.

"I'm taking time off and I'm looking for a cool, sexy girl who's sharp, fun, loving, and has great taste," Greenfield's profile read. He told readers he just bought a house and needs help decorating, and that those who don't love movies need not apply.

Defamer has a disclaimer along with its report. "We have to recognize the possibility that the profile is the work of some very bored prankster," it said. "But why should we be so surprised that a person like Greenfield might be out there hunting for a suitable, faith-appropriate mate?"

However, when it comes to making a love connection, many still swear by "the real world." Out of 2,000 people polled, just 7 percent believe computer-dating services work, according to a recent annual survey by romance-novel publisher Harlequin.

And a 2005 study by Keynote, an Internet industry research firm, shows customer satisfaction with online dating is low. Sixty-one percent believe others are misrepresenting themselves. And a whole 30 percent are married or live with a significant other, according to Keynote.

The study goes on to mention other problems, such as functionality and organization, that lead to customer dissatisfaction. Rivers told Stern she hasn't received a single message yet. And Berry found her latest love, Canadian model Gabriel Aubry, at a photo shoot in Canada.

But it’s worked for others. Devil Called Love , for example, claims to have been responsible for at least 250 marriages. Which just goes to show: you never know who's looking at you online. It could be Halle Berry, so you might want to say hello.