Third time, no charm?

Reader question:

Please explain this quote: “Third time, no charm. They beat us again. Got to admit they’re the better team.”

My comments:

We can infer that, having lost two times to the opposing team, the speaker thought his team should have Lady Luck on their side.

But, alas, it was not to be. The speaker’s team lost one more time. Altogether, they were beaten by the same opponent three straight times. So, it was perhaps time to admit that the opponents were a superior team. No sour grapes or anything, just congratulate the other team for their achievement.

Anyways, that’s what we can infer – from “third time, no charm”.

“Third time, no charm”, you see, is a variation from the saying “third time is a charm”, charm being magic, something that possesses magical powers.

In other words, “third time lucky”, which is a similar and, in fact, more popular expression.

Why is that? Why is the third time lucky?

This is according to folklore or superstition. There’s no scientific proof that if you fail at something on the first two attempts, you’ll likely succeed on the third attempt.

In fact, scientifically speaking, if you fail at something the first two times, you’re perhaps more likely to fail on the third try. Why? Because perhaps you’re not good at it, as your first two failures prove the point.

However, we also believe that one gets better at something if they keep doing it. You know, if we learn from our mistakes, refine our technique, we’ll improve and, eventually, succeed.

Hence the age-old motivational motto, third time lucky and third time’s a charm.

Unscientific maybe but popular. Sufficient number of people must have succeeded on the third attempt at something after failing the first two times for this saying to sustain life and, quite frankly, popularity.

Here are just a few recent media examples of “third time is a charm” – in various forms:

1. After getting divorced from Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt is once again thinking of getting hitched to his current girlfriend, Ines de Ramon. Before Ines and after his separations, Pitt was romantically involved with other women as well. But as reports suggested, he is very much serious about the entrepreneur and wants to spend his life with her. They are now figuring out how to take the next steps in their relationship.

For the unversed, Pitt and Ramon’s dating rumors started to churn out back in 2023. Soon enough, it was confirmed that they were dating in real life, and now, after being together for a couple of years, they are planning to get married. On the other hand, the Bullet Train actor is a father of six children, whom he shares with his previous wife, Angelina Jolie.

A close source to Brad Pitt recently opened up about the actor’s romantic life in conversation with RadarOnline.com and revealed that the actor and Ines de Ramon enjoy each other’s company so much that they could plan their wedding anytime soon. The insider said, “Brad is finally feeling free of his past and the seemingly endless divorce from Angelina. He wants Ines to know he’ll always be there for her, no matter how far he travels for work.”

The person further continued, “Brad knows how tough his divorce has been for Ines to deal with and appreciates that she continued to stand by his side, no matter how bitter the battle became or how long it dragged on.” This report surfaced just a few days after there were speculations about their breakup. As per the source, the actor is trying to see where his life with Ines de Ramon goes, and based on the rumor mills, the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actor has proposed marriage to her before heading to his next project.

The source stated, “He loves being with someone who’s outside the industry and doesn’t feel the need to compete with him. I’m sure that’s a big relief for him.” If what the insider has to say is to be believed, then Ines has said yes to Pitt’s proposal and that their union is expected to happen this summer. The wedding list will include a few of the actor’s close friends from the industry and family. However, the confirmation about their engagement is yet to come.

For those who don’t know, Ines de Ramon was previously married to actor Paul Wesley, who is popularly known for his performance in Vampire Diaries. They got separated within three years of their marriage.

However, as Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon gear up for their union, does this mean he will have his third time’s charm in marriage? What do you think?

- Brad Pitt Reportedly Ready To Marry Ines de Ramon—Will This Be His Third Time’s Charm, KoiMoi.com, April 24, 2025.

2. DEAR ABBY: I reconnected with my high school first love. Unfortunately, both of us were married. His wife didn’t win her battle with cancer and passed away. I eventually got a divorce. All through this time, we were intimate, spending as much time together as we could. (We live in different cities.)

It has been eight months since we reconnected, and I’m ready for a relationship. I know he’s nowhere near healed or close to ready to be in another relationship. This is the third time in our lives we have been brought together and couldn’t “be” together. I don’t know whether to let go or to wait. Please help. -- ONE WHO GOT AWAY

DEAR ONE WHO GOT AWAY: Perhaps the third time will be the charm because you are now both single. While you may have to wait for this man to finish grieving for the wife to whom he was unfaithful, it may be time for an honest conversation about your feelings for him and whether he’s on the same page. It is important you both figure out whether this is the real thing or just another attempt to resurrect a teenage romance.

- Dear Abby: Third time’s a charm for star-crossed lovers, or will death and divorce get in the way? Syracuse.com, August 28, 2025.

3. In the latest episode of Saturday Night Live, they poked fun at the recent allegations regarding Donald Trump’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

During the cold open, Saturday Night Live parodied a White House press conference, which began with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, played by Ashley Padilla, telling a group of reporters, “I’m so excited to be here and answer your friendly questions.”

She continued, “As you all know, there was no news this week. Nothing happening with the president. No weird information was revealed. No one had any accusations that rhymed with edophile.”

After a barrage of questions from a series of reporters followed all related to the allegations surrounding Epstein, which Leavitt continued to bat away, it was then time for James Austin Johnson to deliver his Trump impression.

In response to a question from one reporter, played by Kenan Thompson, Trump said, “I am hiding almost nothing, just enough to make it extremely suspicious. But let me ask you a question. If there was something incriminating about me in the files, then why would I cover them up?”

Upon having the flaw in his argument pointed out, Trump said, “Let me go again, okay, if I was innocent, wouldn’t I just release all the files?”

Again, after being told about the lack of logic in his last comments, Trump shared, “Third time’s a charm. Jeffrey Epstein, I barely knew the guy, as evidenced by the thousands of pictures of us together, dancing and grinding our teeth at various parties, always leering at something just off camera. Probably a book we’re excited to read.”

Trump then referenced recent comments by Megyn Kelly, who said Epstein was “not a paedophile” and just preferred the “barely legal type”, which he said was a “terrific point” and a “terrific thing to just say out of nowhere”.

He also said of his previous claims that he kicked Epstein out of Mar-a-Lago despite the convicted paedophile saying in emails that he was never a member, “It’s kind of hard to square that circle until you realise that Trump exists across many timeline.”

Trump added, “It’s the ‘Trump multiverse theory.’ We just happen to be living in the worst one.”

Trump then shared his plans to release the Epstein files with low-res screenshots in a gold frame set to go on sale “for the low, low price of $800”.

The latest episode of Saturday Night Live was hosted by The Running Man star Glen Powell, with British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean serving as the musical guest.

- ‘Saturday Night Live’ mocks Donald Trump over Jeffrey Epstein links during cold open, FarOutMagazine.co.uk, November 16, 2025.

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About the author:

Zhang Xin is Trainer at chinadaily.com.cn. He has been with China Daily since 1988, when he graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Write him at: zhangxin@chinadaily.com.cn, or raise a question for potential use in a future column.

（作者：张欣）