My mom. What a trip.
She didn't like watching Johnny Carson or Dean Martin because of the suggestive jokes that they told. Yet, she never missed an episode of The Newlywed Game!
The Newlywed Game, whose questions relied heavily on the word "whoopee," was one of my mom's favorite shows. Go figure.
It was one of mine, too. I had a pretty good idea of what "whoopee" was at the age of eight or so, when mom began watching it on a regular basis.
The Newlywed Game debuted in 1966, and ran on ABC until 1974. It was syndicated off and on from 1977 to 2000. Bob Eubanks hosted the show every year except 1984, when Dating Game host Jim Lange took over for a season.
The show got off to a good start, according to its Wikipedia entry:
When the show (created by Nick Nicholson and Roger Muir) premiered, it was scheduled against CBS' Password. On the day of its first episode, CBS pre-empted Password for coverage of Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara's press conference on the Vietnam War. Many viewers expecting to see Password instead changed the channel to ABC, which had decided go ahead with the premiere of The Newlywed Game instead of the press conference; many of those viewers kept watching Newlywed instead of Password, and as a result, Password was canceled a year later.
One can't picture the show without also picturing yard after yard of polyester in the form of leisure suits and great big ties. Numerous avocado green and harvest gold appliances were also given to couples. In fact, they were chosen exclusively for the winners!
Eubanks clearly enjoyed his job. I remember one night when he asked the couples what was the most recent Jewish food they had eaten. A black gentleman replied "Motzah balls" and Eubanks collapsed from camera vision in a fit of laughter. I laughed hard too. It was the man's delivery that did it.
The Newlywed Game was the first game show to be bleeped, for good reason. Some of these couples just gave out too much information!
I recall an epiode when the ladies were asked what was the strangest article of clothing that their husbands had ever asked them to wear. One woman's response was bleeped, followed by the audience roaring for at least a minute. The answer card read "a very unusual article of clothing." I STILL wonder what it was.
Then, there was the infamous "in the butt" comment. Eubanks denied for years that a woman made that comment as a reply to the question "Where is the wierdest place you have ever gotten the urge to make whoopee?" But a rebroadcast recording proves that it did really happen at least once, in 1977. Eubanks himself presented that clip on an anniversary special of the show.
The Newlywed Game isn't around any more, but I have lots of great memories of my mother guffawing out loud at comments that Johnny Carson or Dean Martin would never make.
For some classic Newlywed Game answers, check out this site.
Comments (2)
That "weirdest place" clip has been shown on those "outrageous game show moments" clip shows over the last few years. There have been suggestive type answers on other game shows, such as Match Game and Hollywood Squares.
Speaking of Password, TV Guide has announced that a new version will be coming soon, hosted by Regis Philbin.
Posted by David S Paleg | January 19, 2008 5:12 AM
Posted on January 19, 2008 05:12
Oh yes, being a product of the 60's and 70's I have fond memories of The Newlywed Game with Bob Eubanks. Television was so clean that this was the 'dirtiest' show we kids could see. The term 'whoopee' was often spoken in hushed conversations with my neighborhood friends! Ha! It was the closest to sexual education that one could get at that time. I loved the show because of the naive answers from the brides and grooms. Bob Eubanks was the perfect host for this show. He could drag the most ridiculous answers out of the contestants. I remember it with great fondness. Oh, to be a kid again in that time!!!
Posted by Jeff | February 15, 2008 8:19 PM
Posted on February 15, 2008 20:19