Is it okay to get so comfortable in your relationship that you stop putting forth an effort to maintain your physical appearance? On this episode of the 'The Ring,' Rebecca Brody and Mason Jamal lace up and square off over how much importance should be placed on preserving the sexy for your significant other. Watch -- and then weigh in!

The theory of supply and demand is arguably the most fundamental tenet of the free market. Understand how it works and you understand three-quarters of America's woes, like the proliferation of reality television, the unnecessary gluttonous absurdity of Taco Bell and KFC one-stops, and the exponential growth of ringtone purchases by grown-ass adults who should know better.

It even plays out in the marketplace of ideas and opinion. This is where women, in particular, get tripped up on the supply and demand of relationship advice. When men loudly inquire "what the hell are you listening to her for," it's not just a crude knee-jerk response. It comes from our innate understanding that women, although inadvertently in most cases, tend to give each other bad advice. We know this. Yet women demand it from their girlfriends, who are all too happy to supply it. It's an irrepressible instinct that women share. For reasons that are more perplexing than Beyonce's overproduced choreography, women seem to think their girlfriends are uniquely qualified to provide sound advice on affairs of the heart. They're not.

Let me offer a few reasons to why you might want to check in with a sensible male friend that you trust or a professional instead.

By now, most of us have heard portions of the Melle Mel Gibson mix tape. It's straight lunacy. But you have to admit his freestyle skills are a gift. Hopefully, Mel sent Satan a thank you card. After all, in order to separate yourself from the person you love in such a scornful way, one must first separate himself from his soul. It's a prerequisite to going ape sh*t.

Cleveland sports fans are pissed. So are black women. This is a familiar emotion for both groups. But oddly enough, this time around it's for similar reasons. Both feel that they've been abandoned by black men behaving badly – more specifically – superstar athletes who chose to exercise their options. One of the men in question was born and raised in Ohio, but now plays in Miami. We'll call him Lebron. The other was born and raised in Miami but plays in Ohio. We'll call him LeChad. The symmetry is uncanny. That noted, I don't believe the angry mobs in Cleveland or black hair salons across the country take much solace in the similarity of their situations.

But at least Jesse Jackson, in full firebrand form, came to the defense of Lebron and unleashed himself on Captain Dumbass, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert. LeChad, on the other hand, has yet to have a 1980's icon come to his defense after drawing the ire of black women for not casting more of them on his new VH-1 elimination dating show, 'Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch.' The comical irony is if LeChad was a white man, Whoopi Goldberg would have come to his rescue by now – example one and two. Then again, if Chad was white, I guess black women wouldn't be pissed. To the contrary, the editors at Essence would present him as eye candy for their bi-monthly story affirming black women and their decisions to date white men. But LeChad is a black man. And I think I may have said it before – black women are pissed. Well, at least some black women are (see: Wendy Williams). Others have gotten over the syndrome of reacting to this notion that black men everywhere are brushing them aside like mangy mutts. It's simply not the case.

You knew all along this person wasn't the one, but it happened anyway. Four months in and you find yourself in a full throttle relationship. This wasn't the plan. You weren't looking for anything serious, at least not with the person. It's a familiar story.

Here's the thing: Casual dating is tricky. Not everyone wants the same thing at the same time. For example, you may hear the pitter-patter of his or her heart as they lay next to you. They, on the other hand, hear the pitter-patter of your feet scurrying across the hardwood floor as you make your customary 3 a.m. exit. Still, they refuse to give up on you. It's a classic game of cat and mouse.

And if it weren't difficult enough already, there are other forces at play – friends, family, co-workers, the creepy eHarmony dude. Everyone wants you to find someone special and they're often too eager to help. This is why avoiding unwanted relationships is to stay one step ahead of everyone conspiring against you. But don't fret. Being outnumbered doesn't mean you have to be out-maneuvered.

What's key is being able to recognize the behavior that suggests your casual relationship is in jeopardy of becoming something more serious? Here are a few signs to look for.

I'm a married man, five years removed from the single life. I'm...wait...line please! Ah yes, I'm happy. Life is different and mostly for the better. The time I used to spend chasing women, I now spend chasing my goals. Every now and then, however, I wonder what my life would be like if I were single. I've concluded that I'd probably still be a serial pseudo-monogamist during the winter and a full blown seasonal single during the warmer months. I know the drill. I was good at it. But along the way, throughout my 20's and early 30's, there were a few girlfriends that I made an earnest attempt to do right by. A few of them I even considered marrying, but there was always something standing in the way of long term bliss.

If you'll indulge me, I thought I might pull back the curtain on a few of those relationships. Names have been changed; the facts (according to me) haven't.

Rebecca Brody, the Luv Coach, and Mason Jamal go at it over the issue of Chris Brown being denied access to the UK for his tour dates. Listen and leave your comments.

The 1993 "don't ask, don't tell" law, preventing gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military, is on its way to being repealed. It's a sign that things are changing. But as certain as 'American Idol' is nothing more than prime-time karaoke hopped up on anabolic steroids, there will continue to be self-appointed morality police waxing theological against everyone who supports gay and lesbian inclusion.

Fortunately, as the tide shifts, their numbers are dwindling. They've been wading in the waters of intolerance too long; their cause is suffering from a severe case of shrinkage. The country is moving on with or without them.

That's the political, but what about the personal? Should we lift the Don't Ask, Don't Tell unspoken protocol in our private lives as well? For practical purposes, I suggest we split the difference. Speaking for men, I'm not sure when it's the right time, if ever, to ask a friend, "So no pun intended -- but be straight with me -- are you on some Village People sh*t? I mean, I'm just saying."

Unlike women, literally or figuratively, men don't go into each others closets. Now, if the friend initiates the discussion, that's a different story altogether.

With that in mind, it led me to consider an unexpected conversation in which a hypothetical close male friend of mine – let's say of 20 years or more – comes out of the closet. I'm certain there are readers who have experienced this. But I haven't, so hear me out as I explore this theoretical what-if.

My 24-year-old cousin declares that she'll never date a guy with children. Her reasons are her own. It doesn't matter if I disagree or not. She has her standards and criteria. She's principled. I like that about her. Still, I'm humored by her naiveté when it comes to her use of the word "never." In general, it's such an overstated response to a reality that, once fully unveiled, tends to make us eat our words. I mean, we're all guilty of using the word a little too loosely. For example, I "never" thought that Michael Jordan would sport that part-ridiculous, part-sociopathic, Hitler-esque mustache that he's wearing these days in underwear commercials. Sadly, I was wrong. You never know how age will change a person. And that's the point.

The trepidation is understandable though for women who don't have children of their own. They have reluctance, if not a full-on insurgent-style resistance, to involving themselves with men who have ushered children into the world. I can't lie; there are valid issues to consider. At the same time, it shouldn't be a flat-out deal breaker.

Mason, since you present yourself to know so much about men and their behavior, please explain to me why my husband of the last ten years has changed so drastically. When we first started dating, even through our first three or four years of marriage, he was his own man. He was loyal but he had an independent spirit. He was a nice but he knew when and how to be naughty. That's what I liked about him. I hate to admit it but what attracted me to him in the first place was his "bad boy" demeanor that I thought he had. Now, he seems like a complete pushover. Until recently, I was happy with that. I got my way. Things were good. In the last couple of years however I've grown more and more disinterested in the marriage. I'm bored. Is it me?

- Stephanie (Bay Area)

This isn't uncommon. But since I'm not dialed into the full details of your situation, allow me to make a few assumptions in my response. So it appears what we have here is a man who has lost his way. Your henpecked husband has been 'wifestyled'. This is some serious wackness that occurs when a man shreds every morsel of his pre-marital lifestyle (and self-respect in the process), so that he can lose himself in his wife's utopian view of a perfect marriage, effectively reducing what was once great chemistry to a bad experiment. And therein lies the problem, Stephanie.