Tattletales

I wasn't old enough to appreciate the show during its original run, but I'm surely enjoying the re-runs on BUZZR in 2023. To the reviewer who wrote the guests were barely "C" list celebs. NOT TRUE! Ann-Margret, Buddy Ebsen, Lynn Anderson, William Shatner, Patty Duke, Redd Foxx, Dionne Warwick, Milton Berle, etc. Would have hardly be considered "C" list celebs in the '70s. I'm thankful BUZZR is re-running these gems, as well as Match Game.

Each week, there's usually a BIG name celeb guest/their spouse, and the other two celeb guests may be "B'' list celebs ... but still fun to watch. I'm actually surprised some of the racy answers were allowed to air back then. This was an era when people (even celebs) had some decorum and, unlike today, you actually knew the celebs - be they "A" or "B" list.

Funny, I had forgotten about this little gem from my early adult years when it appeared again recently on one of the oldies TV cable channels which have sprouted up. Hosted by Bert Convy, the perfect man for this job, the show featured three celebrity couples competing on behalf of their slice of the studio audience. There were two types of questions used, in retrospect the ones that worked best were asked to each couple. The guys might answer while the wives off stage were turned off, then the wives came in on little TVs below their husbands and answered - if they matched they won money for their audience. It plays better than it sounds, I mean, where else can you find out whether Abe Vigoda thinks that the attractiveness of your partner adds to your romantic pleasure? (So bizarre and traumatic a TV moment that I recall it vividly some 40 years later) The review here that talks about washed up stars is off, at the time these were generally legit celebrities, including Stiller & Meara, always great. It probably won't work for someone under 40 but I have enjoyed tuning in.

The late Burt Convy hosted this pitiful 'game show' where no actual 'every day contestants' are featured. Three panelists comprised of 'has-been' celebrities would sit behind a podium with a television set built into it that would screen their spouse's face from a room off to the side of the set. Their spouse would wear a set of headphones as Burt Convy would ask the panelists ridiculous questions regarding their personal lives, such as their likes, dislikes and of course their sex life.

The object of the game was to have the panelist match their spouse's response to the question, much like the format in "THE NEWLYWED GAME". While that show pitted everyday strangers against one another in the hope of making a 'love connection', "TATTLETALES" relies on its washed-up celebrities to make the most of their time on the show to make fools out of themselves by asking them ludicrous questions followed by some sort of claptrap response. Regular panelists would include Zsa Zsa Gabor, Joan Collins and Phyllis Diller - ALL of whom would go on to divorce their 'spouses' featured on the show.

The audience members were split into three separate colors - red, yellow and blue. Whichever panelist and spouse answered the most correct questions would ultimately win a small amount of money which would be distributed among members of the audience, depending on what color they happened to be wearing.

Overall, of the rare times I did happen to catch this show, the panelists always appeared to look quite bored or angry at themselves for agreeing to participate in the antics of this muddled game show (think of Richard Dawson on "MATCH GAME PM"). I was quite surprised that "TATTLETALES" lasted four seasons... but then again, it WAS the 70's.

It might be a little corny now, but I love the old celebs, the clothes from back in the day, the old products on the ads, etc. Thanks, Buzzr, as it's like watching TV as a kid again.

This was an extremely funny game show and my favorite at the time. The guest panelists included Bob Newhart, Don Rickles, and Dick Martin of Rowan & Martin among many others. The answers to questions asked by host Burt Convy were often hilarious! A totally enjoyable half hour!