Jana Hocking can’t get on exclusive dating app Raya but isn’t missing out on much

Jana Hocking is perfect dating app material yet this popular one known for “thirsty” behaviour has rejected her three times.

You know the saying, we always want what we can’t have. Well, it seems that relates to dating apps as well!

Yes, sadly I have fallen into the trap of feeling like an outsider because that blasted dating app, Raya, refuses to accept my membership!

If you haven’t heard of it, first of all, where the heck have you been?! Let me give you a quick rundown. This cheeky little app was launched in 2015, and marketed itself as an “online membership-based community for dating, networking and making new friends”. What it failed to add, was it was exclusively for influencers, artists and A, B and C-list celebrities looking to find love, a fling or at least some flirty banter.

You can apply online to join the app, but the inside word is that you really won’t make the cut unless you have someone who is already on the app vouch for you. Well … ummm … excuse me Raya … knock knock!

I’ve had three friends vouch for me. An actor, a radio presenter, and a model. They seem to all match the criteria *sigh* and yet here I am left out in the cold!

RELATED: Trick for women to get what they want

What’s a girl gotta do to get on Raya?

To be fair, I haven’t heard many great reports about the app, in fact the most common complaint has been that there are hardly any Aussies on it, and if you do obtain an illustrious spot, you wind up chatting to people based mostly in America and the UK, who you can’t even jump on a plane to meet!

OK sure, I might sound a little bitter, but that kinda sounds like a whole lot of flirting and absolutely no chance of action, well at least not until they figure this whole international plague thing that’s going on.

But just like that bloke your friends and family tell you to avoid, if I can’t have it, well, I damn well do everything I can to get it. Whhhhy, Jana, why are you like this?!

In the past week we’ve seen two high profile celebrities look like glorious horny fools on the app, yep if you haven’t seen 48-year-old Ben Affleck’s thirsty video that he sent to a 28 year old Sports Illustrated model, Nivine Jay, on the app, then please do yourself a favour and watch the video.

Ben found Nivine on Instagram after she unmatched him and slid into her DMs with a video saying, “Nivine, why did you unmatch me? It’s me,” to prove his identity.

He has that wonderful old man habit of holding the phone super close to his face in an unflattering angle and looking at the camera like someone who has never used technology before. Bless.

Ben Affleck and everyone’s dad trying to video call.

I shouldn’t get a kick out of it, honestly, but it’s just so cringe it selfishly makes me feel so much better about any desperado move I’ve ever made.

Then there was Matthew Perry – yes, hilarious, loveable Chandler Bing! – he thought he would try his luck with a 19-year-old influencer who secretly recorded her online date with him and oh so shamelessly shared on her TikTok.

Props to Matthew who at least set up a better angle for his video call, looking relaxed laying on his bed, with his head propped up by his hand. But double cringe, at one stage he reportedly asked her ‘Am I as old as your Dad’. Well Bing, with a 31-year age gap, that could be very darn likely! You tiger!

Both girls who outed their dates have now been kicked off the app, because the first rule of Raya is: you don’t talk about Raya!

Yep the app even has technology that can tell if you’ve screenshot anything, and if you do it’s a big ol’ see ya later! You are booted straight off the app never to be invited back.

Raya means no kissing and telling, says Jana.

Wanting a sneaky peak look on the out-of-bounds app, I harassed a dear friend until they finally passed their phone over and said ‘fine, go for it!’ Like a cheeky kid let loose in a lolly shop, I swiped away with glee.

It turns out there’s a few PR chics, plenty of hottie influencers with lusciously big lips (that seems to be the most common body part requirement) and quite a few models.

Sadly I swiped my little heart away and didn’t find any ‘real’ celebs but having asked a few more friends who are on the app who they have seen I can tell you they mentioned the following names: basically ALL the TOWIE cast, Cara Delevingne, Ruby Rose, Diplo, Sharon Stone, Joe Jonas (in his single days), Cody Simpson (also during his single days) and even Fred Durst!

Well, dear Raya, I may not be allowed on your fancy pants dating app, but you know what, Bumble ain’t that bad. **swipe, swipe, sob.

Jana Hocking is a podcaster and collector of kind-of-boyfriends | @jana_hocking | Jana (with a J)