Robin Thede Reveals She Turned Down Five Marriage Proposals, Including a Drunken Tabletop Pitch

Key facts

• Robin Thede has been proposed to five times by five different men.
• She said no to every proposal.
• One suitor proposed with a ring but wanted to live in separate houses because he couldn't be around her for more than three days.
• Another proposal came from a drunk man on their third date in Palm Springs who stood on a table.
• A Venice gondola proposal was interrupted by a text revealing the man had sent an explicit photo to another woman.
• Thede declined a proposal that was planned to happen during a taping of her BET show 'The Rundown with Robin Thede'.
• Keke Palmer has never been engaged and joked that men want her to fix their lives.
• Both comedians agreed that men fall in love with them quickly.

A Comedian's Candid Confessions

Robin Thede, the creator and star of 'A Black Lady Sketch Show,' has never been shy about her standards. On the latest episode of Keke Palmer's podcast 'Baby, this is Keke Palmer,' Thede revealed that she has been proposed to five times by five different men and turned down every single one. The conversation, which had Palmer's production team in stitches, offered a rare glimpse into the romantic life of a woman who values her peace above all else. Thede set the tone early, invoking a famous Whoopi Goldberg quote: 'I don't want nobody in my house.' Palmer immediately agreed, joking that she feels the same way about anti-social living arrangements. Thede's stories, she said, were ones she had never told before — piping hot tea, as she put it.

Five Proposals, Five Rejections

The first proposal came from a man who had a ring and declared Thede the love of his life. But there was a catch: he wanted them to live in separate houses because he could not be around her for more than three days at a time. 'So that was a no,' Thede said. The second proposal happened on a third date in Palm Springs. The suitor, drunk, stood up on a table and asked her to marry him — without a ring. The next day, when Thede asked if he remembered, he insisted he was serious. She replied, 'No. You have an alcohol problem.'

A Gondola Moment Ruined by a Text

The third proposal took place in Venice, Italy, during a gondola ride. As Thede recalled, the man turned to her and said, 'I think we should spend the rest of our lives together.' She hugged him and kissed his neck, but before she could say yes, his phone beeped. He opened a text, and over his shoulder, Thede saw that the last thing he had sent was a picture of his penis to another woman. The romantic moment evaporated instantly. The fourth proposal was nearly staged during a taping of her BET show 'The Rundown with Robin Thede.' Thede was alerted to the plan and declined before it could happen. The fifth and final proposal came from a man who offered a ring with a 'we might as well do it' attitude — hardly the stuff of fairy tales.

The Fixer Mentality and Lessons Learned

Throughout the conversation, Thede displayed a clarity about her own standards. She explained that for a long time, she had a fixer mentality, feeling that everybody needed her. Now, she recognizes how much she used to carry and is no longer willing to take on that burden. Palmer, who has never been engaged, shared her own dating challenges. 'They just want me to fix their life, like my name is Iyanla,' she joked. Thede asked if the men know they are doing that, and Palmer replied, 'I think they want to be me.' Both women agreed that men fall in love with them fast, but that does not make the relationships any easier.

A Shared Understanding of Love and Independence

Thede and Palmer's conversation underscored a common theme: the difficulty of finding a partner who can handle a successful, independent woman. Thede's five rejections were not about fear of commitment but about recognizing when a proposal came with unacceptable conditions or red flags. Palmer's admission that she has never been proposed to surprised Thede, who asked, 'Nobody's ever asked you?' Palmer's response — that men want to be her rather than love her — highlighted a dynamic both women know well. For now, both are content to hold out for relationships that respect their boundaries and their peace.

The bottom line

• Robin Thede has rejected five marriage proposals, each for distinct reasons including incompatible living arrangements, alcoholism, infidelity, and lack of sincerity.
• Thede's standard, inspired by Whoopi Goldberg, is that she does not want anyone in her house — a metaphor for maintaining her independence.
• Keke Palmer has never been engaged and feels that men often want her to fix their lives rather than build a partnership.
• Both comedians agree that men fall in love with them quickly, but that does not guarantee a healthy relationship.
• Thede's past 'fixer mentality' has given way to a clearer understanding of what she will and will not accept.