Fake Dating, Suede Disasters, and the Patrick Dempsey Glow-Up: Can’t Buy Me Love (1987)

Any takeaways from this episode?

In this episode of RomCom Rescue, we rewind to the 1987 teen rom-com classic Can’t Buy Me Love, starring a baby-faced Patrick Dempsey and the effortlessly iconic Amanda Peterson. It’s got it all—$1,000 suede outfits, fake dating contracts, high school cliques, and the infamous African Anteater Ritual dance.

Kira and Dr. Izzy dive into:

• Why Ronald might actually be the real villain 
• Whether Cindy’s kindness makes up for Ronald’s total lack of a redemption arc
• The very real 80s trope of choosing fake dating over… talking to your mom
• Female friendships in the 80s vs. now 
• The moment Patrick Dempsey went from geek to Grey’s Anatomy god

Real-life lessons we unpack:

• Be who you are, not who you think others want
• Your “type” might just be your trauma with better hair
• And yes: if someone steals your poem to hook up with someone else…they’re not your person

Plus:
👀 Behind-the-scenes trivia (Gerardo? Paula Abdul? Tucson extras??)
🧠 Pop psychology meets teen rom-com tropes
🎤 Kira’s soda jerk origin story & Izzy’s illegal cocktail making at 16

If you ever idealized a crush from afar, regretted your high school fashion choices, or just love a good Patrick Dempsey glow-up—this one’s for you.

🎧 Stream now on all major podcast platforms.
🎬 Watch Can’t Buy Me Love (1987) on Tubi for free or YouTube.

🗳️ Vote on our Instagram polls: Was Ronald redeemable? Did Cindy forgive too fast?
📩 DM us your hot takes on instagram: @romcomrescue

Next week: We break down Dirty Dancing and ask the age-old question—does a boombox cure emotional avoidance?

👉 Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, and leave a review if you’re loving this nostalgic, neurodiverse, and sometimes messy journey through romcom love lessons. Because at the end of the day...

We believe you create your own happily ever afters.
And maybe don’t wear white suede to a high school party. Just saying.

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok, & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com