Wednesday, July 14, 2004

Wanna Come Into the Dating Game

Wanna Come In (MTV)

As I said before, being a student of the dating game I can really appreciate and learn from dating reality shows. MTV has a new show called Wanna Come In that sets up hot girls with bumbling losers. The losers have the assistance of resident playboys who give them tips via wireless earpieces. With that setup alone I thought the show could be pretty cool; watching how guys who look geeky can still get the girl-- proving that attraction is more based on the things we say and do, and not just on our looks. And on that level the show delivers.

The playboys tell the guys to do things that they would have never done left to their own game, or lack thereof. But there's a twist (as there always is), there is a game-show factor involved to which money can be won. Two losers are teamed with two playboys; one playboy for each loser. Each playboy wants his loser to get invited inside the home of the hottie at the end of the date (hence the name 'Wanna come in'). If the playboy can successfully get his loser invited into the hotties crib he and his loser will win $1000. Now the fun begins.

And thats not all folks. Throughout the date the baby Hefs can raise the prize money by getting the losers to complete various missions. Some missions are simply getting personal information from the hotties like weight, and bra cup-size ouch. And some involve doing ridiculous antics like having the hottie switch seats with loser and then switching back within a minute.

Thats where the magic of reality happens. Even though the show has its obligatory staging and coaching from the producers, like most reality shows, there is always some true reality that squeezes out. And on this show it comes out during the antics. When the guys do all the weird stuff, the girls react, and that's all the guys need to win the hotties over. Let me explain.

These losers naturally have no chance with these girls. And you gradually learn why hot girls don't go for losers. Yea I hear you, 'we all know why they don't'. But do you really know specifically why. This show teaches you, if you pay attention, at least one reason why. Because losers can't get reactions from hotties. Most guys, through their nervousness and intimidation, can't show much personality to regular girls, much less hotties.

Case in point, the losers started their dates rather plainly. They expressed how nervous they were and acted like fans. The hotties weren't impressed, as they never are, with the drueling admiration. They want someone that they can see as an equal or above them. So the guys failed on the first impressions.

When they got to dinner the missions began and changed the dynamic. The first mission was to get the girls to switch seats and then get them to switch back within a minute. Loser A got his girl to get up and then said he wasn't comfortable and got her to switch back. Mission accomplished. Loser B just switched once and failed. Loser A came off as odd but secure. Loser B remained at odd.

For the angle of this post, Loser B will no longer be discussed. He basically failed at the missions and didn't get invited in to his date's house. Loser A exemplifies what I am trying to explain. Basically what he did was throw her for a loop. At the beginning of the date she felt in control. But when he made odd requests and asked personal questions the leverage moved to his side. By the middle of the date she didn't control him anymore, they were shootin eye-to-eye.

And it seemed to give him more confidence. Eventually his sense of humor came out and she was won over. As long as he didn't do or say anything really creepy she went along with him. Later on he got to her house and she invited him in. And as I look back at the game tape I realize more and more why he succeeded-- his actions created mystery, and mystery breeds a challenge. And as we all know guys, every girl wants a challenge.

So how can average joe benefit from this observation. Next time you are out with a girl don't be afraid to change it up. Throw her off her game a little. Hold her hand for like fifteen seconds and look into her eyes. Don't rock her entire universe by joking to her that you're really a space alien from the planet Zordon looking for a human bride to breed a colony of offspring with. Just nudge her off of her high horse and maybe then she'll be the one trying to do the impressing.

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