Reese Witherspoon Links Rom-Com Decline to Modern Dating Challenges

Reese Witherspoon has expressed a theory that the decline in romantic comedies and related television shows over the past 10 to 15 years has negatively impacted modern dating culture, particularly by reducing young people's opportunities to learn dating skills and social dynamics. She highlighted that rom-coms and sitcoms served as informal guides for understanding relationships during formative years, giving examples like Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan films, as well as TV shows such as The Goldbergs, Everybody Hates Chris, and Young Sheldon, which portray teenage characters navigating romance. Witherspoon and podcast host Dax Shepard noted that the absence of these portrayals has led to men being less likely to approach women, contributing to a "broken" dating system characterized by increased pickiness and unrealistic expectations. They emphasized that romantic comedies normalized vulnerability and taught social cues, helping people understand the mutual fear and nervousness involved in dating. Witherspoon also mentioned how social media contributed to the perception of rom-coms as "cringey," despite their valuable role in teaching social interaction. These insights come amid Witherspoon's ongoing acting career, including her role in The Morning Show season 4.