The Love Experts

Believe it or not, I actually remember watching this game show when it aired in syndication during 1978. The first time I saw it was when I was home sick from school. I remember Jack Clark from other game shows but don't remember him being the host of this show. When I saw it, Bill Cullen was the host. I'm trying to remember the premise of the game which I believe consisted of 4 celebrities trying to guess the outcome of a contestant's dating experience and then imparting their advice on what to do in the future. I only remember 3 of the celebrities who appeared on the show: Charles Nelson Reilly, that big buck-toothed lady Rhonda Bates who had the loud southern voice and none other than David Letterman. That's right. In his early years in Hollywood, Letterman appeared on a lot of game shows like the Hollywood Squares, The Gong Show, Liar's Club and this one. He was hilarious on one particular show where he told some guy he was a hopeless cause. That's the only reason why I remember this short-lived show. I wonder if anyone else has any recollections of The Love Experts. If so, I hope you add a post. Thanks.

I was a contestant on this show and got to meet Jamie Lee Curtis, Geoff Edward's, Peter Lawford, and Elaine...(last name escapes me) and moderator Bill Cullen. I was up second after a woman whose love problem was that her fiance's grandmother despised her and would criticize her openly at family get togethers, and another contestant who's girlfriend could not make love to him without a motor running...he was going broke as he'd already burned out a blender and a vacuum cleaner ..he was hilarious and should have won. I ended up winning a trip for 2 to Vegas, after sharing my college story of regularly walking a slightly older woman and fellow student to her car after my my evening college class and her escalating attempts to spice things up with each trip. While the panel suggested I not give in to her if there was no interest, they did award me an all expense paid 1 week trip for 2 to Vegas!

Appearing on this game show was a weird experience. You had to come on the show with a romantic problem. The premise was that the panelists would offer advice. Of course being comedians, the advice was more humorous than useful. At the end of the show the panelists voted on who had the best problem. We all wanted to win so that we'd get the big prize, but winning was a bit surreal. I felt like I must be the most pathetic person in Los Angeles to be selected as the winner. Does anyone really want to have the biggest or best problem? The couch that I won was very nice and Nipsy Russell said I reminded him of Kim Novak. You don't hear that everyday. Thank God this was never purchased by The Game Show Network. I don't think I'd want anyone I know to see it.