A commercial for something called the Talk to Me^TM pin was broadcast on local TV during last night’s NCAA coverage. It’s a product aimed at folks who’ve hit rock bottom at romance.

Maybe I’m late to this party, but I’d never seen this ad before. I’d never seen an ad this amazing before, either. Apparently, you buy the Talk to Me^TM pin, put it on a lapel or over your heart, and folks flock to you as if shot by Cupid or paid by Spitzer.

Of course I went right to their website, as the company’s spokesmodel, former WTTG anchorman and current WTOP newsreader, Nathan Roberts, directed me to.

I don’t get out much. But is there really a “secret society of 100 million hip, in the know (single, divorced, widowed) eligibles” out there wearing the Talk to Me^TM pin?

Color me Skeptical^TM.

And if there’s not this secret society of 100 million pin pricks out there, Nathan Roberts, how will I ever be able to trust you again? Will I forever be looking at my watch when you say “Traffic & Weather on the 8s!” to make sure the big hand isn’t on the 7 or, heaven help us, the 9?

But, I gotta say, Nate, just reading about your product has really made it very likely that next time I see somebody wearing a Talk-to-Me^TM pin, I’ll approach them.

Not looking for romance—-I just wanna find out if they really spent $59.95 on this thing.