Are You a Friend of Delaney Rowe’s? You Have an Opportunity To Be a Hero

Two months after People confirmed B.J. Novak (45) was dating actor and TikTok star Delaney Rowe (29), the latter just got chatty about the inner-workings of their relationship on a podcast. And folks, there’s some cause for concern.

During a recent appearance on Liz Plank‘s Boy Problems podcast, Rowe didn’t name names but spoke extensively on what’s happening in her love life.

“I’m not like, you know, the cuffs aren’t on, like I’m not like fully boo-ed up, but like, I am dating and it’s going OK,” Rowe said. Of the guy she’s currently dating, she pathologized herself as “the problem” when it came to committing.

“I was the problem,” Rowe told Plank. “And I had to sort of reconcile with that recently. I was not sure and so I was sort of noncommittal for a long period of time when he was like very sure. And so now I am sure and he’s like, ‘I don’t really trust your intentions at this point.'”

As someone of the mind that women are never the problem—least of all when there’s a significant power and age imbalance at play—I find this admission appalling. Withholding commitment from a man you’ve just begun seeing (one who maintains a “complicated” relationship with his ex and possible the mother of his children) is hardly worth a lashing (self-imposed or otherwise). Plus, a man challenging a woman on her “intentions” in these circumstances is just plain icky.

“And so now, I’ve sort of had to, you know, rap for my motherfucking life on this one and prove that I’m like…” Rowe trailed off. “Trustworthy?” Plank offered. (Rowe agreed.)