Battle of the Spouses, 70s Style!

Princeton Renaissance organizers brought the seventies back in a live recreation of ‘The
Newlywed Game’ show. The event took place at The Turnaround Concert and Gathering Hall on
Mercer Street in Princeton on Friday, February 13, and acted as a fundraiser for the restoration of
The Renaissance Theatre.
Four newlywed couples took the stage to answer intimate questions about their spouses.
Bob Eubanks, the host of ‘The Newlywed Game’ show, was portrayed by Executive Director of
Community Connections Greg Puckett. The show’s judge was played by Sam Franz, also known
as Sam the Man from the Kicks County radio station in Bluefield, West Virginia.
Puckett was particularly excited when the idea of doing a TV game show came up. “I
grew up as a seventies kid, so game shows were the big thing.” However he did show some
reluctance when a bright green leisure suit arrived in the mail from eBay. That did not stop him
from making the most out of it. Puckett says, “You know, it makes it that much more fun, come
out, dress it up, and have some fun. That’s what it’s all about.”
‘The Newlywed Game’ places couples in competition with each other to see how well
they know their spouses. In the game, wives were asked questions about their husbands and the
husbands were then brought back in to see if their answers would match, and vice versa. There
were five point questions, ten point questions, and a thirty-five point bonus question at the end.
Lori McKinney, the event’s organizer and Director of The Riff Raff Arts Collective, said
that the Restoration Committee worked hard to maintain an authenticity to the original 1970s
show. The Restoration Committee is a group of people in connection with the Princeton
Renaissance Project that is responsible for fundraising for The Renaissance Theatre on Mercer
Street in Princeton.
In order to get their version of ‘The Newlywed Game’ show as close to the original as
possible, McKinney says the Restoration Committee watched an ample amount of the original
newlywed game on YouTube.
Every question asked during the recent newlywed game came from the original show.
Puckett sported a bright green leisure suit to emulate Bob Eubanks’ questionable clothing
choices, which he suggests are “the weirdest, [most awful] clothes ever.” Sam the Man took the
audience back in time by reading announcements in the style of seventies commercial jingles.
The winners of the game show were given a blender and a one hundred dollar gift
certificate to Allen’s Furniture. Contestants who did not emerge victorious still scored a
Princeton Renaissance Project t-shirt and umbrella. Audience members were gifted a Princeton
Renaissance pin as well. Roses were available to purchase during the event, and light
refreshments were served. McKinney expressed how different each of the couples were, and how each newlywed
brought something different to the table. Each couple has a connection to the Princeton
Renaissance, or are actively involved in the project.
Olivia and Samuel Matherly married on June 23, 2014. Both are students at Concord
University, and they are connected to the Renaissance through their parent’s involvement. The
Matherlys’ left as the winners of ‘The Newlywed Game’ show.
Stefani and Ben Burchfield have been married for almost two years. Ben is an engineer
for Norfolk Southern Corporation, and Stefani is an artist in the Riff Raff Gallery Co-op. Her
specialty is watercolors. Her involvement with the Princeton Renaissance began with the
development of Artist Alley. Since then, her connection to Princeton has continued to grow.
Wendy and Ramond Frost married May 19, 2012, and both are professors at the New
River Community College in Princeton. Out of all the couples that participated in ‘The
Newlywed Game,’ the Frosts have been together the longest.
The last couple, Charlotte Hamilton and Laurence Bane, have been married for eight
months. Hamilton is a student at Concord University and Bane is a student at Bluefield State
College. The couple was introduced to the Princeton Renaissance Project through attending the
Renaissance Rap Sessions. Since then Hamilton has taken a particular interest in the Community
Garden, and is also planning to develop automated hydroponic systems that would allow people
to grow food indoors.
The questions asked during ‘The Newlywed Game’ show were just as dynamic as the
couples. “Geographically speaking, what would you say was the most unusual location that the
two of you have ever made whoopee” was one of the more lively questions in which one of the
contestants answered, “In the car, in the best man’s driveway.”
Another question was, “What item of clothing would your wife like to eliminate from her
wardrobe?” Most of the answers were fairly innocent, such as a hair clip and a pair of shorts. Ben
Burchfield wanted his wife to get rid of her favorite shoes that he calls her “grandles” (grandma
sandals). Perhaps the most surprising answer given, however, was when one husband expressed
his desire for his wife to get rid of her “period panties.”
Overall, The Princeton Renaissance’s recreation of ‘The Newlywed Game’ was well
received by the audience. Organizers of the event said that it will become an annual tradition,
and that they are considering doing other classic games shows such as ‘Card Sharks.’
For more information about The Princeton Renaissance, upcoming events, and how to get
involved visit their website www.princetonrenaissanceproject.org, or call Greg Puckett at (304)
913-4956 or Lori McKinney at (304) 425-6425.