In the season premiere of Freeform’s (formerly called ABC Family) Young & Hungry, the episode titled “Young and Hawaii” promotes “thrupples,” or three-person couples, as the new sought-after novelty for vacation resorts. Out with boring old gay marriage, in with polygamy. In this case, it is two gay men and a woman.
After their vacation rental home turns out to be a hellhole, Yolanda (Kym Whitley), Alan (Bryan Safi) and Elliot (Rex Lee) get their refund approved and decide to go to Flip Flop for Lovers Resort with the money. Turns out, it is a couples-only place and the manager mistakes the three of them sitting at the bar together as a “thrupple.” Excited, he tells them he is trying to attract more thrupples and will give them three free nights if they are a thrupple. They fake it for the free stay.
Fortunately, the script is done in a tongue-in-cheek fashion. The three are asked to pose for pictures in the kissing booth to commemorate their relationship. Grossed out by the thought, they try to decline but the manager insists—otherwise he’ll charge them for their stay. They pose with the help of tequila, but no kissing.
Alan: To thrupples.
All: Thrupples!
Manager: Guys, the hotel would like to commemorate your special relationship with a picture of the three of you kissing.
Elliot: Oh, no! I, uh, got a cold. Achoo.
Manager: You know, if I found out you were faking it just to get the free nights, I’d have to charge you.
Alan: Wait one second, mister! How dare you question the moral integrity of this thrupple!
Elliot: Yeah! We’re the real deal.
Yolanda: That’s right, honey. We’re a pudding parfait. Chocolate on the top, butterscotch in the middle, and vanilla on the bottom.
Manager: Oh, good. So you don’t mind proving it by kissing in the kissing booth.
Alan: Not at all.
Elliot: Our Pleasure.
Thrupples, the next marriage frontier. Bleh. {eoa}
Karen Townsend is a Culture TV blogger for the Media Research Center.
