There's good dates, mediocre dates and bad dates.
Then there's scary dates.
In a video that has gone viral on Tiktok and elsewhere, a woman filmed a date she was on that quickly turned scary as the guy swiftly moved to control every aspect of the date, right down to what she ate and drank.
Reposted over on Twitter, some think it's staged, but nevertheless it's a pitch-perfect example of that sort of interaction, that's for sure.
@talisa0913 Dating in 2023 be like… #thegoodguy #epicfail #dating #talisa0913 #gentlemen ##cityboys##QuakerPregrain
People immediately pointed out all the red flags.
There were a lot of them.
\u201c@Imposter_Edits \ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\ud83d\udea9\n\nAnd oh \ud83d\udea9\u201d— \ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f (@\ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f) 1675181695
First, the fact he started by ordering for her, on a first date.
\u201c@Imposter_Edits The very moment he said \u201clet me order for you\u201d after she just stated what she wanted is an instant deal breaker. Guy does that to me, date is over right then and there. If he can\u2019t even allow her to choose her own food you know that dude is gonna be a predator\u201d— \ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f (@\ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f) 1675181695
Then people pointed out 1) his focus on caloric intake and 2) insistence on ribeye were at odds with each other, but also it's all pickup artist vibes.
\u201c@Imposter_Edits Talking about calories but he orders her the rib eye and mashed potatoes instead of letting her get leaner scallops? \ud83e\udd26\u200d\u2640\ufe0f I could never go along w this guy and he was constant red flag after red flag\ud83d\ude2c\u201d— \ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f (@\ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f) 1675181695
\u201c@Imposter_Edits Do not allow a man this sort of control over you. \n\nAlso, scallops have way less calories than a ribeye steak. \n\nThis is all pickup artist b.s.\u201d— \ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f (@\ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f) 1675181695
The steak was a big red flag.
\u201c@Imposter_Edits The way he said ribeye was a red flag. \n\nI can't explain it. But that's when I knew what was gonna happen.\u201d— \ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f (@\ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f) 1675181695
Someone said what we were all thinking.
\u201c@Imposter_Edits Did she go on a date with Patrick Bateman\u201d— \ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f (@\ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f) 1675181695
As for whether or not it was staged, many people said it doesn't ultimately matter.
Also, it's really hard to tell.
\u201c@LeafLee6 @Imposter_Edits It's almost too unreal to not be staged, right? But I've watched society devolve considerably, so I can believe there are guys out there like this.\u201d— \ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f (@\ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f) 1675181695
Also interesting that some people think this behavior is fake in the first place.
\u201c@Imposter_Edits Interesting how many people think this is fake when there are sadly WAY too many dudes exactly like this out there\u201d— \ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f (@\ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f) 1675181695
\u201c@Imposter_Edits The mere fact that people think this is fake tells me there is a huge disconnect with the reality of what the dating market looks like. There are men who actually behave like this, I\u2019ve unfortunately encountered them before.\u201d— \ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f (@\ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f) 1675181695
Maybe it was real, and she started videoing after the first few red flags came up.
\u201c@Imposter_Edits Yeah...I wouldn't bet on that being a fake date. Feels more like a decision to video after noting the first couple red flags. Way too similar to other "nice guy" dates that cause anxiety.\u201d— \ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f (@\ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f) 1675181695
Others contributed stories of what they or others have done in similar circumstances.
\u201c@Imposter_Edits My mom always told me the story of how she got up in the middle of a date to use the bathroom then snuck out the back of the restaurant and took a bus home. She told me I should never be afraid to do the same.\u201d— \ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f (@\ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f) 1675181695
\u201c@Imposter_Edits I would have made a trip to the ladies room, called an Uber and left him sitting there.\u201d— \ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f (@\ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f) 1675181695
Someone came up with a new word for this type of behavior.
\u201c@Imposter_Edits New Term: Toxic Chivalry\u201d— \ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f (@\ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f) 1675181695
Unfortunately, this video showed a behavior so common it's hard to tell if it's staged, but hopefully this one was just a skit.
Meidas Touch/Facebook
Meidas Touch/Facebook
Meidas Touch/Facebook
Meidas Touch/Facebook
@grok/X
