Sex and Relationships | See all 35 items

Please don't offend your imaginary house guest

By AJ Willingham
updated 5:04 PM EST, Tue January 10, 2012
NEED TO KNOW
  • When your marriage gets rough, think of Rupert
  • You know, Rupert -- the British man lurking in the other room

The next time you and your spouse are in a fight, Oprah asks you to please, please think of the imaginary British house guest!

In an article on Oprah.com titled “10 Unexpected Ways to Save Your Marriage,” writer Harriet Lerner, PhD, takes “unexpected” for a ride and suggests you treat your domestic arguments as such:

“… if you had a very proper, prestigious British guest at your home, sleeping in the bedroom adjacent to yours, you'd act differently during arguments. You'd behave more kindly and politely to your spouse ... if only because you didn't want to feel deeply ashamed. So the next time you consider screaming, imagine poor Rupert lying in the guest room, overhearing your every word.”

It’s interesting advice. However, she offers no explanation as to why the house guest must be British (because they’re more proper?) or why he has to have such an incredibly British name like Rupert.

Oprah's team of experts follows this pearl of wisdom by saying you should “ignore the experts” and, while you're at it, cut the word “foreplay” from your vocabulary.

Well that, at least, makes sense: After all, we wouldn’t want to offend Rupert. 

Join the conversation...

HLNtv.com welcomes a lively and courteous discussion as long as you follow the Rules of Conduct set forth in our Terms of Service. Comments are not pre-screened before they post. You agree that anything you post may be used, along with your name and profile picture, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and the license you have granted pursuant to our Terms of Service.

Advertisement