The Scoop on Dating Naked’s Martha Robinson
Have you been keeping up with VH1’s Dating Naked? You should be! Be sure to check out this exclusive Q&A with contestant, Martha Robinson! She is a 24 year old biologist from Hindsville, Arkansas. She loves spending her free time at the gym, club or out by the beach. Martha also has her own YouTube channel where she shares her experiences with her viewers!
Where are you from?
Arkansas! Mostly. I was born in St. Augustine, Florida, but moved when I was 3 and grew up on a dilapidated farm in the country. I’ve also lived in Maine, South Carolina, North Carolina, and have recently made my way back to Florida for a job in sea turtle conservation!
Tell us about your family.
They are the best people I know. I have an older brother, a younger sister, and two AMAZINGLY loving parents. All of us are athletes: my mom was a swimmer and cheer-leader, dad was recruited to be trained as an Olympic high-jumper, Evan played football and basketball, Rose played volleyball and basketball, I was a high school tri-athlete in track, volleyball, and basketball, eventually earning scholarships to Furman University for 2 out of 3 of those. Both Rose and Evan played in college as well! We are all giants (my brother is 6’8” and somehow, at 6’1”, I’m the runt in the family). My whole family is a bunch of goofs- incredibly caring and smart people, but goofs none-the-less. We grew up in the midst of pun wars, dancing on sudsy rags to mop the floor, attempting to grow gardens that mostly turned into weeds, and routine family viewings of “Dumb and Dumber”- my all time favorite movie (partially because of them, partially because I adore Jim Carrey…) I really can’t express how much I love all of them, and how lucky I am to have such wonderful parents. I only hope that one day all of my shenanigans will lead me to the success I imagine for myself so that I can give each one of them everything they deserve!
What hobbies did you have growing up?
Aside from sports, most of my hobbies included the outdoors. I was constantly hiking the woods next to our house, catching frogs and salamanders in the streams, and even bringing home snakes I had caught by hand just so I could scare my mom with them. I would collect feathers with my dad, and swim in the creeks every chance I could. I learned how to draw at a young age, and would often attempt a sketch of any wildlife I caught. Science and art were always my favorite subjects, and at age 11, I declared I would be a marine biologist. When I was 16, I decided I wanted to be on Animal Planet.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I’m not sure if it’s one of my favorites because of how much fun I had, or because looking back now I realize how well my parents tricked us into cleaning the house. My mom had just bought a new CD by The Police, and we broke it in by placing one wet rag under each foot on the sudsy floor, and dancing around until the end of all the songs. All three of us kids went crazy, cruising over the wood floor my dad built, singing Roxanne, and completely clueless to the fact that we were doing house work.
What kind of music do you listen to?
This past year I have mostly listened to R&B and rap. G-Eazy’s “When It’s Dark Out” has been on repeat since it came out, and I’m wearing the hell out of my Ro James station on Pandora. I also listen to country and regular pop music- those are the best songs to parody!
What are your favorite shows/movies?
Movies: Dumb and Dumber, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, The Grinch, Bruce Almighty (literally anything with Jim Carrey), Grease, Avatar, The Rundown. Cartoons and comedies.
Shows: anything on Discovery or Animal Planet (Planet Earth is the kitty’s titties), The Office, Brooklyn 9-9, New Girl,
and DATING NAKED OF COURSE
Favorite food?
It is disturbing how little I discriminate against food. However, my dad’s pizza, my mom’s enchiladas, and carrot cake are definitely things I will never say no to.
What did you do after high school?
I moved from Arkansas to South Carolina a month after graduating. My first year of college I played basketball, so we had to attend summer school for training and class. I switched sports my sophomore year and became part of Furman’s volleyball team, earning a scholarship the year after I walked on. At Furman I studied biology; my first internship was at the Greenville Zoo, where I worked both as a zookeeper and teacher for kids who attended summer zoo camp. This was the summer I made my first YouTube video, “A Day in the Life of a Zookeeper- FU Style”. The next summer, I interned at Mote Marine Lab in sea turtle conservation, where I wrote my first parody. And I have been writing and producing YouTube videos since!
Tell us about the jobs you’ve had growing up and what you do now.
My first “real job” was working as a server at Tilted Kilt. I’ve been a waitress, a janitor, a tutor, a caller for donations at my university, worked random gigs at sporting events- basically anything to get my hands on a little cash to get myself through college without asking my parents for money. Since graduating college in December 2014, I’ve served, bartended, gone door to door raising money for PBS, and now I’ve found myself back in Florida working my first career job. I am a seasonal technician in a sea turtle conservation program, where I patrol the beach collecting data during nesting and hatching season, and input this data into a system for universities and other scientific bodies to use for research. I also work at a club and am collaborating with my club’s manager and my gym trainer to create a series of future YouTube videos. Anything to get me to Animal Planet! 16 year old Martha is still alive and kickin’.
Describe your perfect date.
My perfect date is all about the person it’s with. You can be in the most beautiful place doing the most extravagant things, or in a complete dump doing nothing exciting, but at the end of the day it’s who you are with that will make it or break it. If I’m laughing and the vibes are flowing- that is perfect to me.
Do you have a “type” and if so, what is it?
Funny, athletic, intelligent. I need someone that can keep up with me!
Describe the biggest turn-ons in a significant other.
If he is witty and can outsmart me, I’ll hate it… but secretly love it. I love when a man challenges me to do better and be better. When he is knowledgeable about many things, but doesn’t show it off, when he commands a room without asking for attention, when he not only puts up with my shenanigans but encourages and becomes part of them.. that is the type of man I fall in love with.
Describe the biggest turn-offs in a significant other.
When a man is constantly trying to one up me, or others. When he is loud in asserting his dominance. If he can’t listen, and only asks questions just so that he can answer them, I’m not going to stick around. I also really hate long nails on a guy so that’s a deal- breaker. And littering.
What made you want to go onto Dating Naked?
My decision to apply for the show was completely whimsical. I was binge watching re- runs with my sister, and thought, “hey, that could be fun..” I filled out my first application immediately and got a call back a couple months later.
What was the funniest moment you experienced while filming Dating Naked?
It was all funny! These people are hilarious!
What struggles did you face on Dating Naked?
I had just gotten a Brazilian before coming on the show- it looked GREAT but there were a few red bumps. I couldn’t decide whether or not putting make-up down there was acceptable.
How do you think Dating Naked has changed your view on relationships?
Honestly, it’s taught me worth in being more conservative with a potential partner. Taking things slowly with people is important- not everyone deserves to know everything you have right off the bat, mentally or physically. You are a prize and worth earning.
What do you want people to learn from watching Dating Naked?
Every person I have asked did this show for the experience. We are all incredibly talented people, have huge goals for our futures, and were looking for something more. Part of achieving everything we want takes a certain amount of fearlessness what better way to exercise that skill than to be completely naked in front of the world while pursuing the human race’s most sought after emotion? I hope our audience learns they can achieve anything they want, they can live any way they want, and they can have life time experiences that will fulfill them, but they have to RISK and be BRAVE enough to grasp for life. I also hope they learn it’s ok to be a little crazy 😉
What kind of reactions did you get from people when telling them about being on Dating Naked?
People thought I was crazy, some in a good way, some in a bad! Haha. A lot of my friends and folks from home responded positively and are excited to see me on TV. It was the people I cherish the most, my family, that were most resistant. They were/are concerned that I am putting myself out there in an unfavorable way, and don’t want anyone to take advantage of me. I don’t blame them. Their worry almost caused me to turn away from the show. But after much thought, I realized that I have to follow my gut. My gut was saying YES, GO! Luckily, my family is so wonderful that they accepted my decision in spite of their own feelings, and they continue to love and support me and my wild antics. (I told you, how lucky am I?!)
Have people treated you differently since the end of the show?
Not that I have noticed, I have always been a goof ball- a trait that has grown exponentially in the last two years. I’ve shown this side excessively on my YouTube channel; most people weren’t too surprised that I was on Dating Naked!
What is some advice you’d give to people about dating?
Dating in the real world is literally the pits. I’ve tried Tinder, I’ve tried POF, I’ve tried meeting someone on a tropical island in nothing but my birthday suit for crying out loud! Which was way more fun than the first two.. but in general I’m not a fan of a set up or trying to find someone online. Dating apps take the art out of finding love and put it on an assembly line instead, rotating people around your view as you decide yes or no in an instant, making everyone a little less than human. Instead of putting yourself in an app, put yourself into the WORLD! Invite opportunities via simply LIVING! The people that are meant for you will be found wherever your heart lies.
What is the best advice you’ve received about dating?
Trust your gut. Your instinct won’t lie to you.
Do you have any last words about dating/relationships?
Be you, do you, and one of these days, who you have become will be so irresistible that your soul-mate won’t be able to help but to find you.
