On a recent episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," a 17-year-old had to face an extreme challenge: Using a rotary phone.
Host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres opened the segment with a witty monologue about things the Internet has made obsolete, like encyclopedias, maps and phone books.
"I was curious how many young people could function without (the Internet)," she explained. That thought led her to set up a challenge for an audience member named Marley Flandro.
Flandro, a senior at San Clemente High School, said that she owned and operated her own business making zipper pouches — but she still looked intimidated when Ellen revealed the challenge table.
"Do you know what this is?" DeGeneres asked, unfolding a road map. When Flandro said that she'd seen her father use one on off-roading trips, DeGeneres confirmed whether she'd used it herself.
"I mean, he's used it," Flandro said. "...Probably when I was younger."
Up next was a phone book, which Flandro said that she'd seen before, but the real shock came from a rotary phone.
Once all three items were revealed, DeGeneres explained that Flandro would have a few minutes to fold up the giant map, look up a phone number for a store called Golden Muffler, and dial the number on the rotary phone.
Flandro leapt into the challenge, excitedly folding the map, but DeGeneres wasn't as optimistic, standing over the teen's shoulder and repeating "No" over and over as she made mistakes folding up the pages. Finally, the host gave up, pulling the map off the table and sending Flandro on to the next step of the challenge.
"No," she said, to audience laughter. "Never mind."
Flandro picked up the phone book next, trying to find the Golden Muffler number, first looking under the term "car service" much to DeGeneres' amusement.
"I guess I don't know the alphabet, either," Flandro joked, laughing as she flipped through the pages. "...Golden Muffler, is that a car part?"
"Look under muffler," DeGeneres advised, grinning as the teen continued to turn the pages. Finally, the host caved and passed Flandro a card with the phone number written on it.
Things only got worse when the rotary phone got involved. Flandro struggled to change the dial, and the audience laughed along as she attempted to dial with the receiver down the entire time. After finally inputting all the numbers, she picked up the phone — only to get a dial tone.
"My parents are probably so disappointed," she said, laughing.
"That was better than I could have ever hoped for," DeGeneres admitted, before adding, "Well, because you're a millennial, win or lose, you're going to get a prize."
In true Ellen fashion, she awarded Flandro with a 65-inch Roku TV.