Sheryl and Kid in 2003. Image thanks to BauerGriffinOnline.

I have a good dating rule of thumb – it’s a truism I’d like to pass along to all of you. Here goes: “Never date anyone who has touched Pamela Anderson.” Sometimes the best rules are the simplest. You’d think that would be common sense, really, but smart women have dated men that have touched Pamela all over the place, so some of these women need better girlfriends to tell them the facts of life.

Does Sheryl Crow need new girlfriends? I suspect she might, because the National Enquirer is reporting that after years of hot-and-heavy flirtations, Sheryl and Kid Rock are entering into the first blush of a relationship. This is the same Kid Rock who married Pamela Anderson at like 10 different ceremonies all over the world, then dumped Pamela a couple of months later, allegedly because he was pissed at her “cameo” in Borat. What the f-ck?

Sheryl and Kid Rock have known each other for the better part of a decade. To Kid’s credit, he seems to always treat Sheryl with respect and he does seem to admire and like her quite a bit. Even though I think his taste in women tends to be more “Pamela Anderson” than “Sheryl Crow”, I could kind of see why he would want to date Sheryl. She seems like a cool chick with her act together. So why in the world would she want to get with him?

Kid Rock is rockin’ Sheryl Crow’s world again!

The pair turned up the heat – publicly cuddling at the June 16 CMT Music Awards in Nashville.

“They were certainly raising eyebrows,” declared an eyewitness.

Crow, 47, met country rap-rockin’ Kid Rock, 38, in 2001 when they teamed up as partners for “Picture” which became a top 10 hit. During that time the two had a brief fling, claims a friend of Rock – but they kept it secret.

Then in a 2004 interview, Crow denied ever dating the rapper, but added: “I really love him – he’s a good boy.”

The two went on to other projects, but the embers never quite cooled, revealed Rock’s pal, who says the two occasionally enjoy hush-hush get-togethers in Nashville.

[A Crow pal] says she “just lights up whenever she sees Kid, even though he’s not Sheryl’s type. The guy drinks a case of beer a day, smokes a dozen cigars and gets into brawls in bars and diners.”

“Sheryl says that Kid’s one of the most animated, funny men she’s ever met. But when you ask her about any possibility for the two of them as a couple, she turns red and says, ‘I don’t know if I could survive that!’”

But judging by their closeness at the CMT Awards, Kid and Sheryl may finally try to become a full-fledged couple rather than just flirty pals, says Sheryl’s friend.

“It’s really Sheryl’s move – but she’s got to decide if she wants to go public and admit she has feelings fro Kid.”

Adds Rock’s pal: “They’ve been coy about their relationship for years, and Kid says it’s time to make it official – that’s something he wants, very, very badly.”

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, July 6 2009]

When I read the line “The guy drinks a case of beer a day, smokes a dozen cigars and gets into brawls in bars and diners” I cracked up. Here in the South, that kind of behavior is called “the weekend”. And people who participate in that kind of behavior are called “Dad” or “my buddy Bubba” or “Yes, sir, boss.” Perhaps that’s why Sheryl likes Kid? Because he seems really normal? Still, I’d like to sit Sheryl down and have a talk about my dating rules.

Here’s Sheryl and Kid performing “Picture” when he was still with Pam.