As Seen on PBS’ “This Emotional Life” — Our Cheeky Take on Misread Signals & Kind Daters
Years ago, we had the cheeky honour of being featured in the PBS documentary This Emotional Life — a thoughtful, star-studded dive into human connection featuring everyone from Larry David to Katie Couric… and yes, even us.
Our moment appeared in the episode “The Science of Sex,” a clever look at how men and women perceive romantic interest… or completely miss it.
🎭 The Fine Art of Peacocking
One of the most fascinating takeaways?
A delightful phenomenon lovingly called “female peacocking.”
In short: many women — especially in social settings like speed dating — naturally project warmth, charm, and playful engagement as a way to see what they can draw out in return.
It’s not always about romantic interest.
Sometimes it’s curiosity.
Sometimes it’s observation.
Sometimes it’s simply kindness.
But here’s the kicker:
Men often interpret this warmth as flirtation.
It’s giving: George Costanza thinking the waitress is in love with him because she smiled.
(She’s working for tips, George.)
🤝 A Smile Isn’t Always a Signal
In our segment, we talked about how important it is to embrace kindness without expectation.
Sometimes a smile is just a smile.
A laugh is just a laugh.
A great five-minute chat doesn’t always mean there’s a spark waiting to ignite.
That’s not a bad thing — it’s simply the social dance of being human.
💛 Kindness Is Still the Best Move
At MyCheekyDate, we believe kindness isn’t just attractive —
it’s foundational.
We screen for it.
We reward it.
We cherish it.
But we also gently encourage our lovely daters to keep their feet on the ground while their heart does the fluttering.
Because while chemistry can be instant, so can miscommunication.
And sometimes the most respectful move is to appreciate the moment, read the room, and enjoy the conversation for exactly what it is.
Whether it leads to romance —
or simply a good story —
you win either way.