Philip Toledano’s upcoming book PhoneSex reveals some of the people behind those 1-900 calls (via Mother Jones):

From a few mumbled words, a phone sex operator must weave a bespoke and finely detailed fantasy encounter. It requires a vivid imagination, acting ability, and above all, a deep understanding of the human appetite. What do we crave? What words have the maximum yield? What tone will most effectively reach into a man’s trousers? When to be gentle, and when to demand fealty.

Phone-sex is theater. An artificial passion-play in real-time, directed by a skilled verbal fantasist, with only one possible conclusion.