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In the wake of “Jon and Kate Plus 8”-gate, many folks have been wondering if members of the opposite sex can really be friends without it leading to, well, sex.

In case you don’t know the story, “Octodad” Jon Gosselin of the TLC show has been seen with a certain blonde acquaintance on many outings. And he says she’s just a friend.

Now, whether or not you believe his alibi, according to “Oprah & Friends” XM Radio host Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, Jon dug the hole himself. And if Oprah (or her friend) says it, it’s gotta be true.

Boteach says there are certain ground rules that should not be breached. The five commandments of not having sex with your friend are as follows: No late-night dinners and alcohol with meals; no long drives or flights together; avoid putting yourself in tempting situations; don’t share secrets you wouldn’t share with your spouse; and you can’t be friends with an ex-lover.

Boteach does have a point. If you’re married, sharing quality time, meals and secrets with a nonspouse can be detrimental and can raise certain suspicions that can deteriorate trust.

But what about we unmarried masses?

I happen to have a lot of male friends. Some are exes; some are friends by default (meaning, they’ve been involuntarily relegated to the friend zone). Some are actually true-blue, love-ya-like-a-sister platonic friends (yes, they exist). All serve a purpose in my life and make it more fulfilling.

Surprisingly, though, I haven’t had that interfere much with my dating life. All of my male friends are very respectful of any relationship (or fling) that I’m in, and I’m honest on what those relationships are. My rule is, if I can’t talk about a guy I’m dating with a male friend, if it feels weird or he gets irritated, he’s not trying to be my friend.

And while I understand why a guy would feel a little insecure, in the end, I’ve known my guy buddies for years. The ones who are still around have proven that they can be a friend, even if we have a past.

Bros before Joes, right?