Alex Carson
Hello everyone and welcome back to another video. We are taking you back in time… 54 years to be exact. “The Newlywed Game” was an iconic TV game show that tested newly married couples with a series of trivia questions. The show explored how well the new spouses knew each other. We uncover 8 amazing facts about the game show. This is Facts Verse Presents: 8 Amazing Facts You Never Knew About The Newlywed Game. Don’t forget to like this video and subscribe to our channel for more. Click that little notification bell icon to make sure you never miss it when we upload a new video.
The Newlywed Game was an all-time classic, fan-favorite game show, beginning in the ‘60s. First airing on July 11th, 1966, the show was an instant success. Couples on the show were notorious for getting into small arguments over incorrect answers. Many know of the show due to the popular catchphrase “making whoopee.” Let’s get into the 8 amazing facts you never knew.
NUMBER ONE: Black and White
The Newlywed Game was one of the last shows on air to use black and white. By the end of the show’s first season, it had converted to color. In fact, it was the last television series to make the switch on ABC.
NUMBER TWO: Words to The Song
The Newlywed Game can be identified by its theme song. Interestingly enough, very few viewers knew the song had lyrics. The tune was catchy, however, the lyrics were unknown. The song was entitled “Summertime Guy.” The singer was Eddie Rambeau. The best part? Chuck Barris, the creator of The Newlywed Game, wrote the lyrics. The lyrics describe a lover who shows their affection in the summertime only, hence the title “Summertime Guy.”
NUMBER THREE: Young Bob
Almost everyone recognizes the game show’s host, Bob Eubanks. However, Eubanks was only 28 years old when the series kicked off. Producers believed this would give the show a youthful essence. In fact, Eubanks was the youngest television game show host.
NUMBER FOUR: Dolly Parton’s Manager
Even though Bob Eubanks was young when he began hosting the game show, he was already an accomplished businessman. He helped to manage many artists such as Elton John, The Supremes, and Barry Manilow. In addition to these A-listers, he also managed country sensation, Dolly Parton. However, it doesn’t stop there. Eubanks also managed Marty Robbins and Barbara Mandrell.
NUMBER FIVE: The Beatles
As we mentioned, Eubanks was involved in the music industry. His work extended beyond artist management, as he produced concerts and live events. In fact, Eubanks helped to fund The Beatles well-known Hollywood Bowl performance during 1964. Eubanks even helped to fund two of The Rolling Stones North American tours. It seems as though Eubanks had almost every connection in the entertainment industry during the ‘60s.
In fact, Eubanks was a DJ for KRLA. KRLA was a prominent rock/pop radio station based out of Los Angeles. During that time, KRLA operated a variety of Cinnamon Cinder night clubs. Eubanks was promoting The Beatles tour during this time. The Beatles’ performance fee was $25,000 for the night. During the time, Eubanks and business partner Mickey Brown owned a home, for the sake of investment. Eubanks decided to fund their performance. After some convincing, his partner Mickey Brown was on board with The Beatles idea. However, the pair was in need of $25,000. They decided to borrow against their investment home. He said he “couldn’t have the Hollywood Bowl without The Beatles and vice versa.” The Beatles were determined to play there due to the venue’s prestigious status.
Furthermore, the fan-frenzy or “Beatlemania” occurred at the Bowl, similar to other tour stop locations. In Fact, Eubanks was told selling out the venue in one day would be impossible, but tickets sold out in 3.5 hours.
NUMBER SIX: Password
Due to The Newlywed Game’s instant TV success, other shows were canceled in order to make room for the new entertainment. The ratings for a popular show called “Password” dropped dramatically. This led executives to cancel Password, even after their 6-year run. The show was subsequently canceled in the spring of 1967.
NUMBER SEVEN: Board Game
Due to its success and popularity on television, The Newlywed Game was made into a board game! The questions were racy, some of which wouldn’t fly today. The Newlywed Game created a brand for itself, leading to the creation of the board game. Nowadays, the board game sells on resell websites such as eBay and through private sellers. The board game operates like how the real game worked. One set of couples are asked questions about their spouse. Their spouse gets asked the same. The answers are compared and for each correct answer, the couple earns a point.
However, board games were not the only merchandise licensed from The Newlywed Game brand. In fact, a cookbook entitled “The Newlywed Game Cook Book” was released in 1971. It was marketed as a “beginners cookbook.” The cookbook showed Bob Eugene’s face on the cover. In 2004, a video slot machine game was released of The Newlywed Game. The slot machine featured an animation of Jim Lange as the host instead of Eugene.
In addition, the show’s music and original soundtrack was released as a CD and LP. In fact, the songs made their way onto “Classic TV Game Show Themes.”
NUMBER EIGHT: Inspiring The Catchphrase
The famous catchphrase “making whoopee” was used to mean making love. During the time of the show’s airing, network censors would not allow the word “sex” to be used. Whoopee is a “G-rated” version of the word. However, very few people know that phrase was based on Eddie Cantor’s song “Makin’ Whoopee” during the 1920s.
Now that you know these 8 amazing facts behind one of the most popular game shows of all time, let’s break down exactly how the game worked. For starters, 4 newlywed couples were selected to participate. The couples had to be married for at least 2 years in order to qualify. The game featured 2 rounds. One of the partners was kept away from their spouse, while their spouse was asked basic questions about their interests, likes, dislikes, hobbies, and personality.
Focusing On Intimacy
Typically, a majority of the questions were focused on intimacy. When one spouse was finished, the other was asked the same questions in private. The first set of spouses’ answers were written on a large card. The cards were placed in front of the couple. Each time a couple matched answers, they earned points. However, if the couple did not match their answers, they did not receive any points. In many cases, couples would bicker or argue over the incorrect answer(s).
While the show has received a bad wrap for prompting divorce and relationship issues, that is not the case. Many of the marriages survived and were unaffected by the show. In fact, several countries have versions of The Newlywed Game, including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, Poland, Italy, Australia, Indonesia, and Tunisia
Interestingly enough, the show is still running in France. The first episode aired in 1995. The show has had 5 different hosts over the years including Patrice Laffont, Georges Beller, Bruno Guillon, Jean Luc Reichmann, and Tex. In fact, Tunisia’s ‘Newlywed Game’ edition did not start until 2012, decades after the show aired in the United States. This proves how strong the show’s popularity and everlasting legacy is. Depending on the location and country air, the name changes/ varies. This is due to language differences and local dialects.
Most Awkward And Inappropriate Moments
We have also uncovered the most awkward and inappropriate moments of the show. We will also take a look at the controversy surrounding the show. Some of the questions had contestants at a loss for words. For example, one of the questions asked by host Bob Eubanks was “What’s the strangest place you’ve ever made whoopee?” A contestant responded with “That’d be the butt.” However, this situation was denied by Bob Eubanks. He claimed he would offer $10,000 to anyone who could prove it.
To the surprise of many, proof resurfaced that Eubanks did indeed say this. During a resurfaced 1977 episode, the dialogue between Eubanks and a couple was revealed. Eubanks asked the contestants the strangest location they had been intimate. Not only did the resurfaced clip cause an uproar; it also received its highest view count in 2002. In fact, NBC aired it under the category of “Most Outrageous Gameshow Moments.” When asked about this incident, Eubanks claimed in his book he did not remember the situation correctly.
Taking Over The Show
When new hosts took over the show, the format changed slightly. For example, in 1996, Gary Kroeger took over. This began a new format for the game show. In the 1st round, instead of writing answers down, spouses were shown a video of their spouse’s statements, with the ending hidden. For example, the videotape would describe the entire statement, while withholding the answer. The spouse had to guess what the answer was. Then, the tape would be played in its entirety, revealing the answer. Some of the most common questions include “What was your high school name, your younger brother’s name, your favorite TV show, etc..” The wife would buzz in, and vouch her husband either did/ did not know the answer. The husband (sitting behind his wife) would answer the question(s) to the best of his ability.
Multiple-Choice Questions
In the 2nd round, multiple-choice questions were asked to one spouse, while the other had to guess from the list provided. In the 3rd round, a spouse had to guess awkward facts about the other. And 4th round, couples were asked about their spouse’s favorite things out of two. When all 4 rounds were complete, the couple with the highest score would win the grand prize (a second honeymoon). However, when Eubanks returned to the show, they abandoned this new format.
Revamp In 2009
During the show’s revamp in 2009, 43 years after the first episode aired, same-sex couples were featured on the show. This was a progressive stance taken by the network, which had boosted their ratings from viewers. In fact, a famous same-sex couple appeared on the show. In 2009, George Takei from Star Trek and his spouse Brad Altman appeared together. The couple was featured for the show’s “Celebrity Edition.” They ended up winning and donating the $10,000 to charity.
Thank you guys for tuning into this video. We hope you learned more about the longstanding, iconic and beloved television gameshow series, The Newlywed Game. With countless couples over the years, this show has been a staple in pop culture history. Reruns of the show are still being aired today. Don’t forget to give this video a ‘thumbs up’ if you enjoyed and subscribe to our channel. Let us know down in the comment box below which episode you remember and what you think of the show’s controversy. Thanks again and we’ll see you in the next one!
