That’s true whenever the behavior is truly boorish, but compliments are nice, and some females consider compliments, “sexual harassment”!
There was a thread recently about a Southern "conservative" talk show host really down on Cain for saying to a receptionist serving tea, "Darlin', will you doctor my tea for me?" The comments here seemed to center on whether "doctor my tea" was a double-entendre (which would be a new one on me!), but I remember when the feminists took a major nutty over casual endearments like "darlin'," "honey," "sweetie" as degrading, demeaning and insulting.
I have a feeling these are more common in the South, but they're certainly not rare in the North!