Actress of a Certain Age: My Twenty-Year Trail to Overnight Success

by Jeff Hiller

(1) Get to the in-person date sooner rather than later. People you turn out to have zero chemistry with can give great email. (2) You can be picky. If someone mentions something in their profile that makes you think they might be in a cult, just swipe left. Don’t try to make someone fit just so you aren’t alone. (3) With that said, err on the side of being picky about a potential partner’s character, not about their looks. A good personality can make an average-looking person very hot, and a hot person who has really bad breath will never be a match. (4) Choose a public place for your first meeting. Some people say it should be coffee, but I think a bar is fine too. Sometimes a cocktail takes away some of the scariness, but don’t get drunk. You look messy and it can be dangerous. (5) Tell them you have something to do after. I always told people I had an improv show later. I often did have one, but even if I didn’t, I told them I did. This gives you an excuse to leave if the date is a fizzle, and if you want to stay longer, you can say, “I’m having such a great time, I’m gonna skip my improv show!” which makes you seem charming.