This. Read the profile, find something they mention you don't know about, ask about it, make a joke. You can even use the same shitty joke over and over--all

This. Read the profile, find something they mention you don't know about, ask about it, make a joke. You can even use the same shitty joke over and over--all told, shouldn't take more than a few minutes. It's like starting up a conversation at a bar or wherever with a stranger: listen for a second, ask nicely about whatever they're talking about or bring up a random thing, and go from there. Practice on people in elevators if you need to overcome your anxiety. :)