# The Newlywed Game **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 20, 2000, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newlywed-game/37677 "2000-10-20T17:37:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newlywed-game/37677/1 "2000-10-20T17:37:14Z")
I once read that often, one of the four couples was not a “couple,” but “a couple of actors.” The reason–Barris meant for his programs to be entertainment, and you couldn’t always rely on the “real” couples to be funny enough. That way, in case things didn’t pan out properly, there would still be some fun. That is, the actors could make up their own outrageous responses, thus providing comedy for all. It seems plausible, especially since actors routinely showed up on The Dating Game (I saw Pee Wee Herman once–in character), but is it true. I’ve never seen it actually documented. Anyone else??? ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newlywed-game/37677/2 "2000-10-20T18:16:01Z")
Yes, it was the acting couple that said the imfamous “That’d be up the butt, Bob.” comment. :D:D ---
**Author:** ![Voorvie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/22d042/32.png) [@Voorvie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voorvie)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newlywed-game/37677/3 "2000-10-20T20:32:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AWB \* > \*\*Yes, it was the acting couple that said the imfamous “That’d be up the butt, Bob.” comment. :D:D \*\* I swear I saw Wink Martindale on a TV special being interviewed by Maury Povich and they specifically talked about that episode. Wink said that the greatest lines came from sweet, innocent, naive women who didn’t quit understand the questions. This particular woman, a blonde from somewhere in the mid-west, didn’t understand the questions “where’s the strangest place you’ve had whoopee?” and that was her answer and the whole place just was rolling on the floor. I’m sure there were other couples who were actors (I also remember seeing Burt Reynolds on The Dating Game) but I don’t think that particular couple was the set up. I could be wrong…wouldn’t be the first time! ---
**Author:** ![jessicala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb9ed0/32.png) [@jessicala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jessicala)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newlywed-game/37677/4 "2000-10-20T21:08:41Z")
All hail Snopes … apparently there is some truth behind the story. (The Up the Butt part, not the part about the actors.) [http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/newlywed.htm](http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/newlywed.htm) ---
**Author:** ![k\_oldack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@k\_oldack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k_oldack)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newlywed-game/37677/5 "2011-06-07T02:04:33Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > I once read that often, one of the four couples was not a “couple,” but “a couple of actors.” The reason–Barris meant for his programs to be entertainment, and you couldn’t always rely on the “real” couples to be funny enough. That way, in case things didn’t pan out properly, there would still be some fun. That is, the actors could make up their own outrageous responses, thus providing comedy for all. > > It seems plausible, especially since actors routinely showed up on The Dating Game (I saw Pee Wee Herman once–in character), but is it true. I’ve never seen it actually documented. > > Anyone else??? I indeed saw that episode… it was the funniest think I had ever seen (up to that time)… he was not very well known yet. That happened several years later. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newlywed-game/37677/6 "2011-06-07T02:31:38Z")
I’m not sure if everyone is reading the OP or not. If you can offer info about “actors” being part of the “guests” on “The Newlywed Game,”, then do so—(Preferably with cites). But, if all you have is comments about the “in the Butt” show, then keep it to yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newlywed-game/37677/7 "2011-06-07T03:47:41Z")
And risk fraud? ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newlywed-game/37677/8 "2011-06-07T11:15:45Z")
Did they allow zombies on the Newlywed Game? (“Newlywed” is now on my list of “words that never look like they are spelled correctly.”) ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newlywed-game/37677/9 "2011-06-07T16:32:48Z")
I can answer this zombie question by digging up some of my own long long ago. I spent a couple of years working as a contestant coordinator for the Newlywed Game and the Dating Game. The contestants were real people. I don’t recall there ever being any celebrity episodes on the Newlywed Game like those on the Dating Game. Since the shows were produced in Hollywood there were certainly some aspiring actors on both shows but there were not “stealth” actors paid to pretend to be regular schmoes. Everybody who came in to audition for the shows was asked to give the names and phone numbers of friends they thought might want to be on. We called those people. The form had room for 10 names and most people filled them up, so, each week we interviewed around 500 people who, in turn gave us the names of 5000 more people to call to get 500 to come in next week. “Hi, Soanso? This is Turble. I’m with the Dating Game on ABC. You’ve been recommended to us as a possible contestant. How would you like to come in for an interview and see if we can get you on the show?” ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newlywed-game/37677/10 "2011-06-07T16:35:45Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > (“Newlywed” is now on my list of “words that never look like they are spelled correctly.”) Or “words that look like Welsh loan-words”. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newlywed-game/37677/11 "2011-06-08T01:17:48Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Did they allow zombies on the Newlywed Game? > [@Turble](#): > > I can answer this zombie question by digging up some of my own long long ago. I spent a couple of years working as a contestant coordinator for the Newlywed Game and the Dating Game. > > The contestants were real people. \ Are you saying Zombies aren’t real people? -D/a ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newlywed-game/37677/12 "2011-06-08T01:27:35Z")
Moving to Cafe Society. Please note that the OP was made over 10 years ago. Colibri General Questions Moderato ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2011, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newlywed-game/37677/13 "2011-06-13T03:42:37Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > I can answer this zombie question . . ." And thank you for that. It took a resurrection for anyone to actually read the question. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newlywed-game/37677/14 "2011-06-13T04:06:19Z")
And it seems that, after ten years, someone finally answered it. Thanks, Turble!