BOOBS!

I can't believe I've had a blog for a month and haven't posted about Match Game. It's no secret that this is my favorite game show. I am obsessed with it. Thank the LAWD for Tivo because I record up to two episodes a day and then watch them all in a row because I don't really have a social life. Sike/maybe not. The thing that is super tight about this show is that the best episodes are from 1976-1978 when the television censors were intense and you couldn't really say any dirty words/name actual body parts. However, you were allowed to say "boobs" and let's just say the contestants and celebrities found any way to do this. If you aren't familiar with the premise of Match Game, shame on you. No, no, I'll explain. Basically you have a panel of six "hot" celebrities, aka some people I've never heard of or who are long since dead. Two contestants try to match the celebrity answers to a fill-in-the-blank statement or question such as "Dumb Dora was so dumb she thought the lampshade was for your ______." See how this can get dirty fast? It's amazing to watch some of the bumbling idiot contestants. There were three regular panelists and a few semi-regulars who I adore, too. But the host and the three regs are my focus today.

Gene Rayburn. The host and STAR. He is probably one of the best game show hosts ever. He spoke like a shit ton of languages and was super duper smart. He was witty and quick on his feet, and would probably know how to party in Vegas. He had a bit of a crazy skeleton face, but he makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside like a sweet pappy. I love him.

Brett Somers. Total badass diva. She was the queen of this show, in my humble opinion. Nothing can compare to the awesomeness that is her pair of glasses. They enlarged her eyes 1,000%. Also, she wore a retainer for most of the episodes filmed during my favorite run of the show. A retainer! In the 70s! WTF is this show? Bret had a super raspy voice that sounded like she smoked thirty packs a day, and she was BFFs with Charles Nelson Reilly, which is pretty much my dream come true.

Richard Dawson. He later became the host of Family Feud, but for a while he got to be the gross perv of this show. He tried to kiss everyone and probably got pretty handsy backstage. I still eat it up though. He always had on the most badass dinner jacket and some kind of amazing gold ring. Usually on the pinkie. Usually stealing my heart. I have a feeling he also had an ego the size of Alaska, but he usually matched the contestants and so he was loved for that.

Charles Nelson Reilly. I have a special thing for CNR. He was so openly flamboyant in a time when acting that way was pretty taboo. Especially for a television star. He usually had on some sort of amazing ascot and some kind of tight toupee. No joke. He also had amazing glasses. He was mean to Brett all the time, in a loving way. I also like how he would draw on his answer card. He also did this awesome routine where he would come off his post and grab Gene Rayburn and say, "It's time for your bath now." I hope someone is laughing with me at this point.

One of the semi-regulars I really enjoy is Fannie Flagg. She was a fiesty red-head who was smart and sassy. One time, the statement to match was something like "That's the strangest place to film a pornographic movie. They are filming it in a _________." Well, the first answer that pops to my mind is church. However, Fannie Flagg said Tupperware Convention. See what I mean? Tight. She went on to be a really nifty Southern author. Fried Green Tomatoes, anyone?

Bottom line: This is a really good show that I make people watch. Sometimes people request it at my house and my heart soars with delight. I wish it would come back on the air, but with all the original 1970s clothing and double entendres. I love this show.