During the 1-900 number craze of the Nineties, one company provided the vast majority of phone sex. American Telnet was an empire founded by the man who called himself “The Telephone Pimp.” He ran the company “like General Motors” and got filthy rich doing it. But for the (mostly) women who answered the calls and delivered fantasies 24-7, it was a different story. The powerful stigma against sex work was always lurking just beneath the surface, until it threatened to tear apart the whole company.

Hosted by Tina Horn (Why Are People Into That?), OPERATOR is an eight-part series about big ambitions, Shakespearean-level corporate backstabbing, men and women at the cutting edge of a technological revolution...and on the front lines of a sexual one.

You can binge all episodes of Operator exclusively and ad-free on Wondery+. Find Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.

Mike Pardes has already had a colorful career before he ever hears about pay-per-call phone sex. He’s been on all sides of the transaction, so it makes sense that he would be the one to bring sexual fantasies to millions of landlines across the country. With one phone call from a lawyer, American TelNet is born.

All episodes are available now. You can binge the series ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ here: https://wondery.app.link/Operator

Support us by supporting our sponsors!

In the first episode of Operator, you met Mike Pardes, a colorful character with an even more colorful career history. So, when he first heard about pay-per-call phone sex, still in its infancy, he realized there was no better way to make millions. Once he got the go-ahead from a lawyer, American TelNet was born and, shortly after, the 1-900 phone sex craze hit the stratosphere.

If you want to hear the rest of Operator, you can binge all eight episodes exclusively on Wondery plus.

On Wondery Plus, you can listen to all your favorite podcasts early and ad-free. With a library featuring over 50 #1 Apple Podcast hits and 45,000 binge worthy episodes, there’s something for everyone.

Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or an Apple Podcasts.

Pardes assembles his team of executives, including an ex-Marine named Victoria. She’ll oversee the operators who answer the phones 24/7, 365 days a year. And computer prodigy Michael Self builds the technology that keeps the calls (and cash) flowing in, even as a Category 5 hurricane approaches their Florida offices.

CREDITS:

This series is produced by Topic Studios, Hardball Entertainment, Five by Eight Productions, the Department of Motion Pictures, and Wondery.

Host: Tina Horn

Writer: Michael Connors and Tina Horn

Series produced by Daryl Freimark and Michael Gottwald

Created by Daryl Freimark and Michael Connors

Editor: Chloe Prasinos

Sound Design, Scoring, Mix: Jeff Schmidt

Executive Producers: Michael Connors, Daryl Freimark, Michael Gottwald, Chloe Prasinos

Executive Producers for Topic Studios: Maria Zuckerman, Christy Gressman, Lisa Leingang, and Leital Molad

Executive Producers for Wondery: Erin O’Flaherty, Marshall Lewy, Jen Sargent

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As the dial-a-porn business is booming, the folks at ATN constantly face new hoops to jump through: Federal regulators. Outraged politicians. Anti-porn crusaders. Victoria’s operators need to keep the calls sexy and selling without running afoul of FCC language regulations. Meanwhile, Michael Self works around the clock to build tech despite his own embarrassment at being in the phone sex industry.

CREDITS:

This series is produced by Topic Studios, Hardball Entertainment, Five by Eight Productions, the Department of Motion Pictures, and Wondery.

Host: Tina Horn

Writer: Michael Connors and Tina Horn

Series produced by Daryl Freimark and Michael Gottwald

Created by Daryl Freimark and Michael Connors

Editor: Chloe Prasinos

Sound Design, Scoring, Mix: Jeff Schmidt

Executive Producers: Michael Connors, Daryl Freimark, Michael Gottwald, Chloe Prasinos

Executive Producers for Topic Studios: Maria Zuckerman, Christy Gressman, Lisa Leingang, and Leital Molad

Executive Producers for Wondery: Erin O’Flaherty, Marshall Lewy, Jen Sargent 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Okay, you’ve waited long enough. This episode takes you inside the phone room to hear phone calls based on the manuals, the stories, and host Tina Horn’s own years of sex industry experience. We’re taking a break from the behind-the-scenes drama at ATN to go deeper into the sex part of phone sex — while also showing the hard work of sex work. (Note: This episode contains graphic sexual content.)

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

ATN’s business is at its peak, but a national exposé on Dateline brings unwanted attention to the 1-900 industry. Pardes thinks there’s no such thing as bad publicity, but Michael Self disagrees and starts looking for a way out.

Host: Tina Horn

Writer: Michael Connors and Tina Horn

Series produced by Daryl Freimark and Michael Gottwald

Created by Daryl Freimark and Michael Connors

Editor: Chloe Prasinos

Sound Design, Scoring, Mix: Jeff Schmidt

Executive Producers: Michael Connors, Daryl Freimark, Michael Gottwald, Chloe Prasinos

Executive Producers for Topic Studios: Maria Zuckerman, Christy Gressman, Lisa Leingang, and Leital Molad

Executive Producers for Wondery: Erin O’Flaherty, Marshall Lewy, Jen Sargent

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At ATN headquarters, Victoria works harder and longer than ever, only to watch everyone else get a raise except her. Meanwhile, Michael Self starts a “cleaner” offshoot of the company, but Mike Pardes is less than enthused when it doesn’t take off. Desperate, Self decides to take matters into his own hands...

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.