Phone Number Featured in Chart-Topping Netflix Movie Leads to NSFW Hotline

It happened again. Just a few months after Netflix had to edit Squid Game because it included a genuine phone number, viewers have discovered that a phone number in Leonardo DiCaprio’s new movie Don’t Look Up is real. Unlike the Squid Game number though, the Don’t Look Up number allegedly belongs to a place you shouldn’t call during work hours.

Don’t Look Up is a star-studded satire featuring DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as two astronomers who have to convince the world to prepare for an incoming comet that could destroy the earth. In one scene, DiCaprio’s Dr. Mindy is featured in a government PSA asking people to call a number to get “peace of mind” during the crisis. That number is 1-800-532-4500.

This is a phone number given during the movie Don’t Look Up.

I just called it. It’s a phone sex line.

Do you…think they checked this number before putting it in the movie? Is it a product placement for phone sex?

The mind boggles. pic.twitter.com/LpaitgqA27

— Now Playing Podcast (@NowPlayingPod) January 2, 2022

Multiple Twitter users have claimed they called the number and got a phone sex hotline. “Kudos to you Don’t Look Up to having the BASH hotline for their asteroid stress prevention hotline being linked to a Hot Singles in Your Area phone number,” one person tweeted. “Why did Don’t Look Up put a phone number on their movie only for it to be a sex line?????” another asked. “This is a phone number given during the movie Don’t Look Up. I just called it. It’s a phone sex line,” another Twitter user wondered. “Do you…think they checked this number before putting it in the movie? Is it a product placement for phone sex? The mind boggles.”

If you call the number, a woman’s voice answers. “Welcome to America’s hottest hotline. Guys, hot ladies are waiting to talk to you. Press 1 now. Ladies, to talk to interesting and exciting guys free, press 2 to connect free now,” the message says, reports PEOPLE. Netflix and director Adam McKay have not commented on the issue, so it is not clear if this was intentional or not.

The Squid Game incident was confirmed to be a mistake, though. The number belonged to a man in his 40s who told South Korean media outlets that he received about 4,000 calls a day after the series was released. Netflix and the show’s production company reportedly spoke with the man about resolving the issue. A few days after reports about the man’s number went viral, Netflix agreed to change the phone number.

Hollywood usually uses “555” phone numbers to avoid these issues. One of the most famous cases came in 2003 when Jim Carrey’s Bruce Almighty provided “776-2323” as God’s phone number. Universal later went back to change the number to a 555 number for home video releases and TV airings, notes the Chicago Tribune. Some service providers also stopped giving out “867-5309” so new customers wouldn’t have to deal with callers asking for “Jenny.”