I Admit, I Fall For Cheesy Pickup Lines

In the dating world, there’s a thin line between confident and creepy, and pickup lines tow it dangerously. Still, I have to admit that I don’t actually hate it when a guy hits on me in a less than suave way. In fact, I find it endearing when guys use cheesy pickup lines and I can’t help but fall for them.

1. I’m a hopeless romantic. For better or worse, I’m incessantly optimistic about romance in the 21^st century and hopeless romantics are inherently cheesy by nature. I have to believe that chivalry isn’t dead and if a guy isn’t going to hold doors open for me, the very least he can do is follow that flirtatious gaze with a corny phrase.
2. I’m not above flattery. Hey, I’m only human and there’s nothing wrong with wanting to be told I look pretty, is there? It doesn’t take much to get my attention—especially if a guy does so by stroking my ego with a well-placed compliment at the bar. Even if his compliments are generic, I have to give a guy credit for directing them my way.
3. I’m a sucker for witty banter. However cheesy they may be, pickup lines can be damn clever and I admire a guy who can hold his own when it comes to flirtatious repartee. I fall quickly for guys who are stellar conversationalists and who can discuss just about anything with passion and intelligence. No matter how shallow the subject matter, cheesy pickup lines inspire witty banter and with any luck, a deeper conversation.
4. Cheesy pickup lines break the ice. Let’s be real: meeting a romantic interest for the first time can be awkward as hell. Cheesy pickup lines are a great way to break the ice, ease the tension, and give a couple something to talk or laugh about. After all, there’s only so much you can say in response to, “Come here often?” I’ve been known to respond to a guy’s cheesy pickup line with one of my own and voila! There’s your witty banter, folks.
5. They give girls the upper hand. Whether a guy intends to be cheesy or not, using clichés to pick up girls immediately gives us women the upper hand. I’m usually pretty nervous when I speak to a good-looking guy but am rarely intimidated by a guy who approaches me with overused and under-appreciated pickup lines—especially if he gives me a reason to critique his delivery of the punchline. These lines also give me full license to say something embarrassing at some point during the conversation and not obsess about it later that night.
6. They reveal a guy’s sense of humor. The best relationships start with a laugh and what better way to incite giggling—sympathetic or otherwise—than by asking, “Are you a campfire? Because you’re hot and I want s’more.” Yes, it’s nauseatingly cheesy, but if he either finds his own line amusing or laughs at my inevitably clever comeback, I’ll know he’s got a good sense of humor.
7. I’d take cheesy over sleazy any day. I’ll always prefer a silly pickup line to a sleazy comment about my butt or cleavage. The former is flirting; the latter is just creepy. That’s not to say any guy who tries to pick me up with “Did it hurt when you fell from the sky?” (“Because with a face like that you must be an angel.”) is “The One,” but I have a hard time believing someone who thinks he’s hot stuff would resort to such a humbling means of inciting conversation.
8. Irony is sexy. Again, the delivery is key. If a guy pulls a “Are you from Nashville?” (“Because you’re the only ten I see.”) while slinking forward and touching my bare shoulder, I may head running for the hills. But if he says it with a wink and self-conscious grin, I’ll probably return the smile. Cheesy pickup lines are fun and odds are if a guy uses one, he is too.
9. They prove a guy doesn’t take himself too seriously. Ideally, the guy will be painfully aware of just how cheesy he’s being and acknowledge it. I can’t help but be attracted to someone who’s willing to poke a little fun at themselves for a few laughs from the girl on the dance floor. Bonus points if he weaves in an equally cheesy pun.
10. They show confidence. Confidence—albeit in moderation—is extremely attractive and there’s nothing more confident than approaching a stranger by saying, “You owe me a drink. Because when I saw you, I dropped mine.” A guy who’s brave enough to try a cheesy pickup line is probably comfortable enough with himself to know just what he wants and go after it. In any case, he’s got great taste in women, hasn’t he?