How to Rent a Friend

Contributor

By Amy Kniss
eHow Contributing Writer

Article Rating: (45 Ratings)

Can't take your real friends out in public? Why not rent a friend for social functions?

Tired of going stag to company functions? Sick of wearing your single-parent status too visibly at the parent-teacher conference? Find yourself dreading events when you have to go it alone?

If so, Japan may have an answer for you. There a new a new type of "social service" industry is helping folks fill their social void, according to the The Guardian. Renting a friend, or professional stand-in, is a logical and effective Japanese solution to singledom issues -- particularly for those who prefer to keep their dirty laundry closeted, along with their marital status, sexual orientation and employment history.

Ryuichi Ichinokawa, founder of one of Japan's first rent-a-friend agencies, says he feels Japan's traditions and formal culture drive many of its citizens to push personal problems out of public view. So even if keeping personal proclivities private requires hiring a professional to fill in the gaps, it's worth the price.

Ichinokawa has seen first-hand the growing popularity of the faux friend agencies since founding Hagemashi Tai (or I Want to Cheer You Up) three years ago. In the beginning, Ichinokawa played all the roles himself, but now he employs more than 30 "friends" who, for a pre-arranged rate, will fill almost any social role: friend, relative, colleague, spouse, parent, classmate, even best man.

It's a situation that made its way to the big screen in the 2009 movie "I Love You Man" when groom-to-be Peter Klaven realizes he has no close male friends and holds a series of misguided "man-dates" to try to find someone to fulfill the best man role. While funny, the agitating awkwardness that ensues demonstrates that renting a friend or "professional stand-in" may be the more sensible and efficient solution - not to mention far less emotionally draining.

Here's how you can go about renting a friend to fill that social void.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Social void
Cash
Internet access or phone book
Desired terms of service
Friend specifics

Step 1

Determine what you need in a rental friend.

Specify the age, personality traits, and if relevant, physical characteristics you want in your rental friend. Think about the social context of the role you need filled.

If you need a stand-in to attend a parent-teacher conference, consider the impression you want made on your kid's teacher. Pick a neurotic if you want to highlight your own sanity and blame your kid's weirdness on your hired significant other. If you need a dinner party companion to take the pressure off you, look for a rental friend with a likable, outgoing personality who is at ease with others.
Step 2

Clarify the terms of your rent-a-friend contract before you make the deal.

Drill down the terms of the rental period and lay out expectations for the rental friend. Knowing what you want in your rent-a-friend is crucial to selecting a rental, but making sure your rent-a-friend is clear on your needs is as important.

Make sure you clearly explain the role your "friend" will fulfill. Provide them with details regarding the function they will attend, in addition to whom they should expect to encounter during the event. Writing out these expectations for yourself will help you explain it clearly to your "friend."
Step 3

Supply specifics about yourself to ensure the rental friend knows you well enough to fool those around you. Think of what happens when a ruse isn't thought through. Jennifer Aniston's comedic antics in "Picture Perfect" illustrate this point.

Aniston's character, "Kate," is desperate to fill a social void and get ahead professionally. Struggling to establish a stable personal life (after being passed up for a promotion for lacking one), Kate invents a fiancé. Kate's plan goes bust because her rented fiancé isn't given enough information to corroborate her version of their relationship.

Hiring a stand-in so haphazardly always ends in disaster - not the Hollywood romantic-comedy ending where it all works out despite the lack of forethought.
Step 4

Draw out your rent-a-friend's character and make sure you know enough about your friend to make the ruse pass for reality. Go over the basics of your relationship. Come to an agreement on key issues: how long you've known each other (or worked together), where or how you met, where your "friend" lives and why they are at that particular event with you.

Also confirm more personal details like eating habits (meat eater? lactose intolerant? fear of crustaceans?), fan status (hate the Yankees? find college football a bore?), likes and dislikes, hobbies, you get it. It's a given that you'll both know personal information like marital status, number of kids and favorite shampoo. The more you agree on, the less likely you'll end up with embarrassing inconsistencies that could blow your cover.
Step 5

Speak up about possible hot-button issues or hot-headed people your rent-a-friend may encounter during your brief and highly orchestrated friendship. This will help your companion to avoid interference when necessary and better mediate the situation.

The two middle school kids that hire Owen Wilson to protect them from bullies in the 2008 film "Drillbit Taylor," are conscious of their need for an advocate to intervene on their behalf. They specify the terms of their contract with "Drillbit," the role he will fill, the cover he will use and the amount he will receive for his services. They also help him dress for the part.
Step 6

Work out an exit strategy for your

Prepare an exit strategy or arrange for an ongoing relationship with your friend for hire. It is easy if you explain that your "friend" is visiting for a few days. If you are looking to convey a closer or an ongoing relationship it is helpful to disclose early on that your friend travels a lot for business - whether the person is filling the role of boss or parent - this is a reasonable explanation for the person's inability to attend future events or accept invitations.
Step 7

Outside Japan, explore temp and acting agencies when looking for a person to fill a social role. Submit the requirements of your position and the rate of compensation to the agency. You may stipulate that you must interview or audition all candidates before placement. However, if agencies hesitate to deal with you on an individual basis, you may place the same requirements to newspaper classifieds or online job boards like Craigslist. The downturn in the economy creates a surplus of qualified people in need of work, many of whom are happy to help alleviate personal and professional problems and provide a rent-a-friend service.