Tom Leykis: Man of Romance

Tom Leykis: Man of Romance

Photo Credit: Courtesy of B|W|R Public Relations

Charlie Amter

Tom Leykis doesn’t mind if you hate him, as long as you listen. And plenty do. The controversial syndicated radio personality’s “The Tom Leykis Show” (97.1 Free-FM) commands a nationwide audience (around 20 major markets) and is the top-rated afternoon talk radio show in his adopted hometown, L.A. If you’ve managed to escape it, let us bring you up to speed: He is no fan of romance or Valentine's Day. Here are some thoughts on the annual holiday from the man known as "The Professor" to his legions of young male fans hungry for information on how to become a "player" like Leykis.

Is there anything good about Valentine's Day at all, in your opinion?

It's the best day of the year to meet single women. As I tell guys, the easiest way to get lucky is to capitalize on a woman’s low self-esteem. And any single woman you meet in a bar on Valentine’s Day is feeling lower than ever.

Are there particularly fertile spots in L.A. you can recommend?

The last two years I’ve gone to Lola’s [on Fairfax]. I've told my listeners I was going, so they can see me operate. I picked up one girl two years ago, and last year I had two women flanking me on both sides.

What's the biggest mistake guys make on Valentine's Day?

Raising expectations. A guy should spend as little as he can get away with. Every time you spend a lot of money, you set the bar higher. Drop $1000 and there's no coming back [the next year] with just a single rose. Keep expectations low and expenses and preparations to a minimum. Romance has been perverted to the point where it really has to do with how much money you are spending. Very few people today believe a single flower picked by the side of the road is romantic. They build the day up too much in their minds to the point where they have performance anxiety.

Men should keep the preparations to a minimum; and the expenses to a minimum. Women expert us to perform on that day; you've got to keep things as simple as you can. The biggest mistake is when you rent a limo or bring home an expensive bottle of champagne. It gives away all of your power. I think that you are just wasting money and raising everybody's expectations, which I think is the wrong thing to do.

What is the best way to avoid Valentine's Day?

The best way to avoid Valentine's Day is to avoid being in a committed relationship. If you are locked in a relationship, women expect something to be done for Valentine's Day.

Is romance an invented concept? Or natural?

I happen to believe that romance is a concept that's been developing over the past few hundred years myself. I certainly don't believe in the days of the caveman, but I do think that romance has been perverted to the point where it really has to do with how much money you are spending.