“When it comes to weight, does your husband consider himself Slim-Jim, Hulk Hogan or Chunky Boy?”

This is just one of the questions married couples faced Wednesday night when the classic TV game show “The Newlywed Game” came to BYU.

Thirty-nine years since the show first aired, all of the awkward questions were still there, the relationship-jeopardizing responses and the outraged spouses; the only things missing were afros and bell-bottoms.

“It was fun,” said Cara and John Higley, a contestant couple. “We really liked the questions.”

In a 1970’s flashback, recently married BYU couples competed to find out how well they really know their spouse.

Instead of the familiar Newlywed Game host Bob Eubanks, BYU had senior Joel Frost. Frost came ready to mimic Bob’s instigative wit and humor, 1970’s sport jacket and all.

Before asking a question to the wives, Frost sent the husbands out of the lounge. Once the husbands had left, he asked the wives to write their responses on a sheet of paper, which was then concealed. This process was repeated for both spouses.

After the spouse returned, they were asked how they thought their spouse had responded. A correct match earned the couple five points, but the real amusement came when the couple’s responses did not match. It was during these times the arguments and outbursts had the audience doubled-over in laughter.

“I can’t believe you don’t know me,” complained one wife after her husband missed what she apparently thought to be an easy question that he should have known.

“She dresses like a harlot,” said one disappointed husband.

In the Newlywed Game’s long held tradition, there was no love lost between some of the couples as husbands glared and wives punched upon incorrect or worse, revealing, responses to the host’s questions.

The Student Activities Board, a newly formed activity committee that plans and carries out activities on-campus, sponsored the event. SAB members Ken Shin and Jordan Faux said they were excited for Wednesday’s game, which they said they thought would draw quite a crowd.

Whoever wanted to play was able to play. Members of the SAB said they wanted as many participants as possible.

“It’s not like first come, first serve,” Shin said. “Everybody’s welcome, everybody gets a fair shot at it. The last four [couples] standing get to stay in and answer questions.”

For anyone who has seen the original game show, they know the questions can be a bit racy; however Shin and Faux said they were trying to stay away from those types of questions.

“We’re trying to stay away from the potty humor, this is BYU,” Faux said. “It’s like a BYU edited version of it; it’s definitely PG or G-rated. Probably G-rated – definitely G-rated.”

Fifteen to 20 couples began the competition, but after two elimination rounds, only four couples emerged as the final contestants.

In the first elimination round, contestants were asked simple questions such as: “What is your spouse’s favorite color?” and, “What is your spouse’s favorite ice cream flavor?” The second elimination round consisted of a “physical challenge”. Contestants had to flick marshmallows off spoons into paper bags held by their spouses. The first four couples to catch three marshmallows qualified to become the final four contestant couples.

“It’s harder than it seems,” Faux said. “It’s marshmallow mayhem”

While the show was in syndication, winning contestants walked away with kitchen appliances, furniture, home theatre equipment and the occasional trip. Wednesday’s winners received a small date package and flowers.

The game took place in the WSC Traditions Lounge, located on the first floor of the Wilkinson Student Center between the post office and the games center. Faux said the Traditions Lounge is a formerly seldom used area of the Wilkinson Student Center that the SAB was created to utilize.

“It’s been sitting there for a few years and this is the first year they’ve started to use it,” Faux said. “So, we’ve been doing activities down there last semester and this semester we’re continuing. We’re down there [the Traditions Lounge] basically every Wednesday night doing something fun.”



Copyright Brigham Young University 28 Jan 2005