A silly, little TV commercial caught my ear yesterday.

I’d seen it before but the true madness behind the ridiculousness escaped me until the, oh, fourth time around.

Setting the scene: A woman is at a cafe. She’s apparently eligible because a guy across the room catches her eye. She decides: He could be my soul-mate. But first he has to say hello.

First, the ridiculous.

Is it for a dating site? Nope. Is it for a restaurant chain? Uh-uh. Is it for Las Vegas? No again.

Time’s up. It’s for a teeth-whitener. Sheesh. Next campaign: You, there, without the artificially whitened teeth, step into the corner of the room and turn toward the wall. You are shunned for the rest of the evening.

Absurd.

Now, the madness.

Do single people these days really walk into a room and wonder if an unknown Joe or Jane is their soul-mate? Talk about pressure.

Picture this:

A trip to the meat market to buy some steak. Deodorant, check. Mouthwash, check. Good-smelling splash, check. Teeth dazzling, check.

Hey, she’s got broccoli on her grille, but she’s got a great personality …