Welcome to a Thursday in the middle of October. Or I should say, welcome to the latest edition of True Romance. Today is all about pushing back on the notion that romance has been defeated and it no longer exists.
For those buying in on that, and I’m sure for some it’s the case, I present to you several examples that, despite a possible downward trend overall, there are those making it work. If nothing else, there’s hope.
We have a full slate from the smooth athlete to influencer DM that landed to couple that pole dance together and even a couple of actors who covered their workplace in romance. Light a candle, relax and let’s get into it.
THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE. DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!
Long before the lucky pregame butt squeezes or the messages written on the back of Haley Cavinder’s pants or even taking the heat for Jake Ferguson’s bad game, there was the classic shooter taking his shot.
The Dallas Cowboys tight end slid into the former college athlete and influencer’s DMs with a line that ended up working and anyone can use.
Haley said on an episode of People’s WAG World, “He just DMed me and asked how my golf game was.”
And there’s this idea floating out there that you can’t meet people. Firing off a wild DM usually doesn’t work. A “How’s your golf game” is smooth. The two hit it off, and now they’re married, with a story to tell their grandkids one day.
Grandpa was in the NFL and grandma used to dance on TikTok. They met after he sent her a message on social media. A love story as old as time.
“I don’t like to get high or too low when it comes to that stuff. I wasn’t looking for anything, and I don’t know if Ferg was at that time either,” she continued.
“But then we spent 10 days together straight, and he’s just a good, down-to-earth human being.”
If you’re having trouble finding someone, maybe you’re just looking in the wrong places and sending DMs that aren’t landing. There is hope. Fire off one about golf to a TikToker and see what ends up playing out.
Before we move on, let’s find out the results of the poll from last week. The “Do you go through with the wedding if your husband-to-be calls you your sister’s name at the altar?” one.
In a stunner, given that the woman who this happened to did go through with the wedding, an overwhelming 72.5% said no, you leave that jerk at the altar. An unforgiving bunch of hopeless romantics, I suppose.
Go follow True Romance on Twitter and Facebook and keep sending your emails here: sean.joseph@outkick.com (anonymously if you prefer).
I bet, had that couple been pole dancing together, the husband-to-be wouldn’t have said the name of the bride’s sister at the altar. Because if you didn’t already know, couples who pole dance together are weirdos.
Let me finish. Weirdos who “strengthen their bonds and keep the spark alive.” Take it from Los Angeles newlyweds Misha and Sam who, if they need pole dancing or anything as newlyweds to keep the spark alive, might be doomed.
But that will be something they’ll never be confronted with as long as they keep hopping on the pole together. And that’s what we’re here to focus on. The positive aspects of what these two are doing.
Their first dance featured “saucy flips and splits on the polished pole,” according to the NY Post. It turns out hitting the pole can be done in front of others. That’s an interesting twist to this that I didn’t see coming.
I was thinking this was more of an in the privacy of your own home activity. But why not something for everyone? Who needs movie nights or long walks when you have this and all of its options?
“There’s a lot of stigma around pole dancing, some people might think, ‘Oh, that’s just for strippers,’” Misha told The Post.
“Yes, it has sensual roots. But there’s so much athleticism that go into it. It’s a lot harder than it looks. We love it.”
Sam, who is the one who suggested they get into pole dancing, said, “A lot of people think pole is just for women. It’s strange for them to see a guy do it, especially with his [female] partner. I just don’t feed into the negativity.”
He added, “There are times I have to hold all of Misha’s weight while we’re doing a move, or she may have to position herself in a certain way to accommodate me. It’s like a metaphor for marriage.”
There really is something out there for everyone. If you’re willing to take a chance, you could be one of those who finds the person you want to pole dance with for the rest of your life. That’s a lovely thought, isn’t it?
If you think about it, pole dancing together really is just a metaphor for marriage.
SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY OUTKICK NEWSLETTER
Follow True Romance on Twitter and Facebook.
As much as I’d like to believe that couples pole dancing will work for people, and I’m sure it will for some, I can tell you a relationship built on having sex all over the set you’re working on does work.
At least it has for Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys. They’ve been together since late 2013 after starting their relationship while working on the series “The Americans”.
We now know that when they weren’t filming they were busy on set having sex in their disguises. Why do we know that? Well, because it’s 2026 and everyone tells everybody else everything.
Which reminds me, I’ll have to tell the story sometime of a graveyard at night and the back of a Nissan Pathfinder. Anyway, back to Keri and Matthew making a mess of their workplace.
“We were falling in love and staying up all night and having sex all the time and just wearing disguises, like, I’m f—ing [in] crazy wigs and wearing pearls,” Russell said during a podcast appearance, reports Entertainment Weekly.
“When have you ever worn pearls and [been] f—ing in trailers and f—ing everywhere. I mean, it was insanity. It was so fun and sneaky, and sexy, and so good.”
If that doesn’t say true romance, I don’t know what does. Congratulations to the happy couple for both their extracurricular activity on the set and for extending hope for others. Well done.
We’ve done a ton of these, and I don’t know that we’ve come across a more important question. She puts on her sexy underwear and he does what?
If you were expecting a lot of effort here, you’re going to be disappointed by the folks weighing in on Reddit, although something tells me that won’t be a first.
Sure, there are those who put in some work, but go ahead and set your expectations appropriately. Not that slipping on special underwear is a heavy lift.
Some guys do that too. A blown out waistband could ruin the mood. On the other hand, a lovely Borat-style mankini could get the evening going.
– MP from Staunton, Virginia writes:
Sean, this week’s True Romance column about the guy who boldly announced his love for his best friend’s girlfriend reminded me of a classic song by Ral Donner (that was originally recorded by Elvis). It’s called The Girl of My Best Friend. Unlike the guy in the column, the guy in the song had the good sense to keep his feelings to himself and just pine away for her. Hope this song is named Song of the Week. All the best.
————-
We did it. We successfully made it through another week of romance. Let’s do it again next Thursday before I log off for an entire week.
Keep the song recommendations and anything else you want to share coming my way. If you were on the receiving end of a smooth DM, I want to know about it.
As always, you can reach me, anonymously if you prefer, at sean.joseph@outkick.com. Go follow along on Twitter and Facebook.