# Richard Dawson - sexual harrasment? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 14, 2005, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313 "2005-04-14T17:16:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/21 "2005-04-15T09:18:36Z")
I don’t think it was just Dawson, though. I watched a lot of _The Price is Right_ during the 70’s and I remember Bob Barker hugging and kissing just about every woman (again, equal-opportunity) who came up on stage. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/22 "2005-04-15T13:06:07Z")
That’s true, and in Dawson’s favor he never made women dig around in his pocket for money the way Barker did. (if the contestant bids exactly the right price to get out of Contestant’s Row they win $100; Barker used to keep the money in his jacket pocket for the women to go after, although he always just handed it to the men) ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/23 "2005-04-15T13:38:31Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > That’s true, and in Dawson’s favor he never made women dig around in his pocket for money the way Barker did. > > (if the contestant bids exactly the right price to get out of Contestant’s Row they win $100; Barker used to keep the money in his jacket pocket for the women to go after, although he always just handed it to the men) Please, for everybody’s sake: remember to spay or neuter your game show host. ---
**Author:** ![dasgupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@dasgupta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasgupta)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/24 "2005-04-15T14:10:22Z")
I just wanted to add that the parody of RD in **National Lampoon’s European Vacation** is priceless. John Astin (of **The Addams Family** , etc) is the slimy host of a game show _Pig in the Poke_, which humiliatingly has the contestant families dressed in pig suits. Astin walks down the line, saying hi to Clark, kissing Ellen, nodding to Rusty, then really planting one on Audrey (the young daughter) whilst groping her ass. The look Clark gives is great. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/25 "2005-04-15T19:29:28Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Please, for everybody’s sake: remember to spay or neuter your game show host. [Brian the Dog] Just DIE already! [/Brian the Dog] ---
**Author:** ![5que](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/3bc359/32.png) [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/26 "2005-04-15T20:20:25Z")
I believe the pinky ring gave legal justification for all the spit swappin’. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2005, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/27 "2005-04-16T00:30:06Z")
Was there ever a woman who tried NOT to kiss Dawson? I always found him repulsive, even as a child of five. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2005, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/28 "2005-04-16T01:41:56Z")
Well those hotties in bikini’s in the GSN commercial seem to like him. Of course, they may just be paid to say that. Nah, hotties in bikinis always tell the truth. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2005, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/29 "2005-04-16T01:50:40Z")
All I know is if he went for me I think I’d jump back and scream. Ewwwww. All oily and overtanned (at least during all I’ve seen of his Match Game tenure). Yuck. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2005, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/30 "2005-04-16T02:12:01Z")
> [@Mauvaise](#): > > I don’t know … I’ve smelled some pretty unpleasant bodies. I can only think that a generous splash or 249 of booze would have helped. 😉 and :eek: An alky’s BO is **BAD** , trust me. ☹ It’s what I imagine a zombie must smell like. Dickie D seemed to have good days and bad days. On a good day, he was awesome. On the bad ones, it was downright sickening to watch him. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2005, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/31 "2005-04-16T02:14:38Z")
Did he ever do Family Feud drunk? ---
**Author:** ![ricksummon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ricksummon/32/3333_2.png) [@ricksummon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricksummon)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2005, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/32 "2005-04-16T02:19:18Z")
What, all this and no one has mentioned his tenure as host of **The Running Man**? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2005, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/33 "2005-04-16T02:20:39Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Did he ever do Family Feud drunk? Did he ever do Family Feud _sober_? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2005, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/34 "2005-04-16T14:08:21Z")
> [@ricksummon](#): > > What, all this and no one has mentioned his tenure as host of **The Running Man**? 😃 Now, see, I **loved** that. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2005, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/35 "2005-04-16T14:31:16Z")
> [@Ferret Herder](#): > > Now, see, I **loved** that. Yeah, **because** he’s smarmy, sleezy, oversexed, oily and overtanned. ---
**Author:** ![gdread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac8455/32.png) [@gdread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gdread)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/36 "2016-10-23T08:50:07Z")
> [@TV\_time](#): > > That being said, I want you to notice he was an equal opportunity kisser. He was kissing black, Hispanic and Asian women (and girls) on air when no other show would even think about it. No, though he wanted everyone to think he was the great equalizer. In fact, Dawson kissed white women on the mouth, but only kissed nonwhite women on the cheek. (It can be argued that the melanin-cursed women got the better deal.) When people criticized his kissing minority women at all – you know, the pre-Trump deplorables – he fought back, saying how he was nondiscriminatory and that all women deserved to be kissed. But no, he discriminated in his own piggish way. Dawson was a bigot, an ass, and a creep. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/37 "2016-10-23T10:12:17Z")
> [@Electronic\_Chaos](#): > > I’ve been watching alot of Family Feud on GSN lately, and couldn’t help but notice the affection Richard Dawson gives to almost every female contestant. Another person with \*\*way \*\*too much free time on their hands… :smack: ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/38 "2016-10-23T12:43:33Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Another person with \*\*way \*\*too much free time on their hands… :smack: Add in the ten years+ since the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/39 "2016-10-23T16:04:20Z")
> [@gdread](#): > > No, though he wanted everyone to think he was the great equalizer. In fact, Dawson kissed white women on the mouth, but only kissed nonwhite women on the cheek. (It can be argued that the melanin-cursed women got the better deal.) When people criticized his kissing minority women at all – you know, the pre-Trump deplorables – he fought back, saying how he was nondiscriminatory and that all women deserved to be kissed. But no, he discriminated in his own piggish way. > > Dawson was a bigot, an ass, and a creep. Here’s a wild thought. Try it on for size. Dawson decides to carry on the tradition started by Bob Barker, of kissing the contestants. Early producers of the Family Feud say, “Sure, g’head, try it.” He does, and impressionable ladies, many of whom not so jaded, are thrilled to be on TV, kissing a movie star, and the shtick sticks. Corporate gets involved, they love this angle, but don’t love getting sued. So they put it in every contract and release contestant signed. Years pass, the cliche gets old, and then they ask each contestant how this bit works for them. The answers run the gamut: “He’s so sexy, screw the prize money, I just wanna kiss Dawson” “Sure, sounds like fun” “Meh, its how it goes here, right?” “Urm, my evangelical church group will slut shame me for years for doing this, in front of my husband, on nationwide TV, but, OK. Ask him to keep it dry.” “Look, I’m a flaming butch lesbian, and if he tries that, I’m gonna puke on him.” And the producers go, “Really lady, its that bad an effect on you? You heard of _Queer Eye for the Straight Guy_, right? Some people do play along, even if if its outside their comfort zone.” “Ugh, fine, tell him to keep it dry, and I’ll keep the puke down” “So, Mrs Levore, are you cool with the kiss?” “Listen sonny, in my day, if they caught interracial kissing, they’d lynched me. Its not happening. Not then, not now, not never.” So they go back to Dawson’s dressing room. He’s in the makeup chair, in a robe, he’s got cucumber slices on his eyes, a trusted lackey is massaging his shoulders, and … “Hey R-D, 10 min to camera time. So its kiss-kiss-handshake-kiss-handshake for the Jones family. The Levore family is a cheek-shake-shake-soft kiss-and handshake for the 13 year old girl at the end. Got it” “Can do. Thanks, Lloyd” I’m suggesting noting that goes on for this long is ever left to chance. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313/40 "2016-10-23T16:25:16Z")
> [@CapnPitt](#): > > Slight hijack here, but the man had charisma. And perhaps more importantly I’d say he was the best damn Match Game player ever. My old roommate and I used to flip on GSN to watch match game after work every day and our rule was it didn’t matter who got more matches, you just had to match Dickie D. Best thing ever was in the SuperMatch when he’d show the contestant crossed fingers and say “I’m rootin’ for you darlin’”. > > Coolest. Guy. Ever. > > sorry for the hijack. Dawson was the reason they introduced the wheel contestants spun to pick their Supermatch celebrity. Before that, EVERYONE picked Dawson and none of the other celebrities ever had a chance to play Supermatch. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-dawson-sexual-harrasment/299313.md?page=3)