Herb Alpert, who composed the instrumental themes "Spanish Flea" and "Whipped Cream" on The Dating Game co-founded A&M Records in 1962 with his partner Jerry Moss. In 2000, A&M evolved into Interscope Records, which, in turn, is part of Universal Music Group.
On a 1967 episode of the sitcom That Girl, which is the Season 1 finale called "The Mating Game". While working on a story about a dating game show, Donald Hollinger (Ted Bessell) tasks Ann Marie (Marlo Thomas) with going undercover as a bachelorette.
A January 17, 1969 episode of the sitcom Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C called "Win-A-Date" parodies this show where Sergeant/Sgt. Carter (Frank Sutton) goes on a dating game and Pyle (Jim Nabors) ends up pulled into the show as bachelor #3.
The formerly popular self-titled sketch comedy series The Carol Burnett Show has spoofed the show twice.
The Rat Race[]
Originally airing December 15, 1969; the similar gameplay was in effect but also the couple could go to Tahiti. Burnett played a nervous nerdy girl named Annie having a terrible experience with dating. After looking at the bachelors, she choose #3.
The Dater's Game[]
Originally airing on January 27, 1973; (the late) Lyle Waggoner was the host and (the late) Tim Conway was the newly-hired but very clumsy stage manager. Carol Burnett, Vicki Lawrence and (the late) Kaye Ballard were the bachelorettes. Mere moments before the show goes on the air, Conway accidentally causes a wardrobe malfunction on Lawrence's dress, causing her to run off stage screaming. Just as the opening theme plays, Conway seeing no other alternative, covers himself with Lawrence's dress and sits in the bachelorette #3 chair. The swinging bachelor (played by the late Harvey Korman) unwittingly selects bachelorette #3 as his date much to the disgust of Burnett and Ballard.
The long-running children's television series Sesame Street had two parodies that were based on The Dating Game.
Pick Your Pet[]
Originally airing on February 10, 1970; only the contestant would have to choose a pet animal. The contestant wears a blindfold while questioning three different animals; from among them, she will chose her pet. The animal choices here were a bird (Little Bird), a dog (Baskerville) and a monster (Beautiful Day Monster), the last of which she considers hideous and doesn't think the contestant would want. The contestant ask the animal a series of questions that indicate she hopes she'll be able to choose a cat. Her time runs out before she can ask Beautiful Day Monster any questions. She had to choose, so she picks Beautiful Day Monster. The Monster acts like a cat, so she is happy with her pet.
NOTES: This was the first game show skit on Sesame Street.
At the time, the host was named Sonny Friendly before he became Guy Smiley later on.
The contestant here was named Lucy Jones before she became Betty Lou later on.
The Eating Game[]
Originally airing on April 9, 1987; this is where the contestant would have to pick the right food for him/her. A plate (named Fran Brill) is the contestant on the show. Instead of picking one food, she chose them all (i.e. a Fish, a Corn on the Cob & a Glass of Milk) since they all look so delicious.
The 1970 crime drama film (originally May 20, 1970) The Landlord a clip of the show can be seen on television in black & white.
In 1973, before he took over hosting duties from the would-be 2016 former Presidential candidate Donald J. Trump Sr. on The New Celebrity Apprentice, Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared as a bachelor on The Dating Game.
The 1973 Pornographic film called The Filthiest Show in Town where a game show on trial parodies the show as The Maiden Game (or Maiden Game)
WARNING: U.S. Game Shows Wiki discretion is advised.
The 1977 Fantasy/Pornographic film (originally February 2, 1977) Chatterbox! parodied the show as The Mating Game. The film features former host of The $1.98 Beauty Show Rip Taylor as Mr. Jo.
WARNING: U.S. Game Shows Wiki discretion is advised.
After appearing on The Dating Game in 1972, Ron Howard made his mark in the director's chair with 1977's (originally June 16, 1977) film Grand Theft Auto (not to be confused with the popular video game franchise of the same name).
The 1978 made-for-TV film (originally February 17, 1978) Three on a Date has a very brief reference of the set of The New Dating Game hosted by the late Geoff Edwards instead of the equally late Jim Lange.
The late Phil Hartman following his appearance on The Dating Game, designed an album cover for the 1978 (originally November 1978) LP Poco - Legend.
In 1979, a pre America's Funniest Home Videos host Bob Saget appeared on The Dating Game for the 1st time.
The 1979 film The Onion Field (which is Ted Danson's film debut) has a brief clip of The Dating Game being played on TV in prison.
Saturday Night Live (SNL) parodied the show in 1980 (originally May 10, 1980) as The Dating Zone, which is a mashup of The Dating Game, and Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone; hosted by Jim Lange (played by Bill Murray) with Don Johnson (played by Bob Newhart) as a clueless, unwilling contestant that was pulled off the streets an was forced to chose from three perverse women.
Another sketch also from 1992 (Originally February 15, 1992) as a Sprockets skit was called Love Werks hosted by Dieter (Nike Myers).
Another sketch from 1993 (originally February 20, 1993) entitled The Bensonhurst Dating Game where a guy named Andy Perotta (Played by Joe Pesci) was the host of that evening's episode.
A December 30, 1980 episode of the sitcom Laverne & Shirley where its appropriately titled "The Dating Game" sees Lenny & Squiggy both appearing as contestants on the show (featuring a very accurate re-creation of the 60s-era set and the late Jim Lange portraying himself as the host). Unwilling to act like model contestants, Squiggy reveals Laverne and Shirley's names and phone numbers on the air, much to the girls' shock. After the bachelorette sees her choice of date, namely Squiggy, she refuses to go out with him at which point Squiggy asks Lange to let Lenny be his date.
NOTE: On December 4, 2020; David L. Lander passed away due to having a decades long battle with multiple sclerosis (MS) at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center at the age of 73.
In 1983, a made-for-TV movie on Showtime called The Paragon of Comedy starring John Paragon (Jambi the Genie from Pee-Wee's Playhouse) featured a skit that parodies The Dating Game as The Mating Game. This features the mistress of the dark Elvira (played by Cassandra Peterson) as a bachelorette.
NOTE: On April 3, 2021; John Paragon passed away in Palm Springs due to unknown causes at the age of 66.
The 1983 country/novelty song by Ray Stevens called "Game Show Love" references the title and person with the lyrics:
- "In "The Dating Game", I was "bachelor number one"/I thought your love was real."
In 1983, the show was parodied by Steve Jobs during a Microsoft[1]pre-launch event. The three "contestant" were Mitch Kapor of Lotus Software, Fred Gibbons of Software Publishing Corporation and Bill Gates representing of course Microsoft.
The show was also parodied on the hit NBC sitcom Punky Brewster in the 1987 episode called "The Matchmaker". Here it was called Dream Date. This was where Betty Johnson appeared as a contestant trying to win the date with one Chuck McKinley (Johnny Brown from Good Times). The actor who played the host was future Supermarket Sweep host David Ruprecht
In the April 12, 1988 episode of The Wonder Years (1988 version) called "The Phone Call" Kevin Arnold (played by Fred Savage) watches an episode of The Dating Game on TV while in bed.
In the 1988 video game (originally released on October 27, 1988) Leisure Suit Larry Goes Looking for Love (In Several Wrong Places), the main character goes on a TV dating game show called The Dating Connection as of which the title itself is a mashup of The Dating Game and Love Connection.
Short Ribbs, an all-dwarf, ill-fated local sketch comedy show airing on KDOC-TV from 1989, had its own spoof of The Dating Game, with Patty Maloney as the bachelorette, and Billy Barty as one of the three bachelors. None of Patty's questions elicits a straight answer from any of the bachelors. At the end, Maloney chooses the host for her date, but he refuses.
On May 19, 1990; a TV musical called Mother Goose: Rock 'n' Rhyme (or Shelley Duvall's Mother Goose: Rock 'n' Rhyme/Rhymeland) both Mary (Cyndi Lauper) and Lou the Lamb (Woody Harrelson) watch a show called The Dating Goose.
On the October 13, 1990 episode of Saved by the Bell called "Blind Dates" has a dream sequence where Zack Morris hosts a take on The Dating Game called The Blind Date Game and the bachelors are Teddy Kruger, Mason Voorhies, and Donald Chump (the three bachelor's names in general are spoofs of Freddy Kruger, Jason Voorhies and Donald Trump).
On October 19, 1990, the animated series Tiny Toon Adventures also spoofed the show in the episode "Dream Date Game" in the episode called "Dating, Acme Acres Style". Here it was also called Dream Date but with a longer title The Dream Date Game. It was the third & final short from a show devoted to dating. Buster Bunny was the host of the show and the three bachelors were Hamton J. Pig, Plucky Duck, and Montana Max (Monty for short) much to his chagrin. The picking bachelorette was Elmyra Duff even though she wanted to date Buster. But in the end, Elmyra chose Monty who by that point was dressed as a rabbit against his will.
A 1991 episode of the teen sitcom Parker Lewis Can't Lose ironically enough called "Parker Lewis Can't Win", Lewis (Corin Nemec) inadvertently broadcasts a videotape of Ms. (Grace) Musso (Melanie Chartoff) appearing on The Dating Game to the school. Featuring an appearance by the late Jim Lange.
A 1992 episode of the sketch comedy series In Living Color parodied the show where it featured recurring character Wanda Wayne (played by Jamie Foxx) and the host (played by Jim Carey).
A 1993 episode of Married...with Children (as of which in turn is also the name of the spoof) does a take on this show as You Can't Miss! for the less experienced, but not quite with expected results. Bud Bundy (played by David Faustino) appears on the show as he tries to win a date with a hot blonde chick named Candy Lapinsky (played by former Price model Chantel Dubay) and was hosted by Adam (played by future Politically Incorrect host Bill Maher).
In 1995 (originally October 7, 1995), an episode of the sitcom California Dreams called "The Dateless Game" did a take on The Dating Game for charity as St. Margaret's Charity Dating Game where Sly, Mark, and "Seashell" are the "Eager Guys" representing the "Bachelors" on the show, with Terri hosting. Terri predicts that the "Dream Man" is Eager Guy #3, "Seashell".
A 1995 (originally October 20, 1995) buddy comedy film called Mallrats featured their own parody of the show called Truth or Date hosted by the late Art James.
NOTE: At the time, the film was a follow up to the 1994 film Clerks.
The title is a spoof of the game Truth or Dare.
A March 8, 1996 episode of the short-lived sketch comedy series called Muppets Tonight has a parody of the show called Muppet Match-Up hosted by Kermit the Frog in 1975, featuring the guest host for the episode, Michelle Pfeiffer as Michelle Pfeiffer Manowitz choosing between three bachelors (Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker and Animal). In true Dating Game-style, Pfeiffer says that she loves a man with a good sense of humor and proceeds to ask each bachelor in turn for their idea of a fun date. Honeydew suggest a scientific date at his lab, Beaker meeps something unintelligible in which Michelle think is sick and not funny. However, when Animal is asked for his idea of a fun date, he gets to his feet as he runs towards Pfeiffer yelling "MICHELLE!, MICHELLE!!" causing her to flee screaming. After showing the clip, Pfeiffer explains to Clifford that she ended up dating Animal, but hasn't seen him in years and wonders if he's changed. But of course he hasn't where at that moment, Animal appears on stage and chases Pfeiffer off while screaming her name.
In October 1996, the formerly popular satire magazine MAD which parodies Singled Out as Single Louts briefly mentions The Dating Game in the first panel.
A February 14, 1997 episode of the sitcom Sabrina the Teenage Witch called "First Kiss", one of Sabrina Spellman's (played by Melissa Joan Hart) test of true love is a spoof of this show as The True Love Game Show and the host for it was Peter Marshall.
An April 13, 1997 episode of The E! True Hollywood Story about Karen Carpenter as she makes an appearance on the show was briefly featured in the documentary.
A 1997 hardcore rap song by the Insane Clown Posse from the album "The Great Milenko" called The Neden Game is a reference to the show as two of the members from the group named Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope (a.k.a. the "Bachelors") respectively try to win a date with a woman named Sharon.
A 1998 pornographic film called The Mating Game or The Mating Game with Jonathan Morgan parodies the show where bachelors try to win dates with porn actresses. hosted by Chuck Druelery (Morgan) parody of Chuck Woolery.
A February 3, 1998 episode of Moesha called "The Short Story" did a brief spoof of this show in the intro of this episode as The Mating Game hosted by the late Jim Lange (as Jim Lang) and the title character (played by Brandy Norwood) all dressed in her 1970s-style attire as a bachelorette.
A February 28, 1998 episode of Student Bodies called "Mags' Secret Admirer" in a short cartoon sequence, Mags become a contestant in the parody.
In the 1998 drama film (originally September 11, 1998) Digging to China when Gwen Frankovitz (played by Mary Stuart Masterson) changes the channel, a brief clip of The Dating Game can be seen on TV.
ADDITIONAL NOTE: a clip of its brother show The Newlywed Game can also be seen on TV.
On an October 29, 1998 episode of the short-lived syndicated daytime talk show appropriately titled The Roseanne Show hosted by comedienne and actress Roseanne Barr. Feminist, Journalist and Social Political Activist Gloria Steinem appears in a Dating Game-like segment appropriately called Are You Good Enough for Gloria? the three bachelors who appeared in the segment were Dr. Mark Wittman (doctor who specializes in romance), Chris Isaak (singer who knows how to treat a lady) and Mr. Blackwell (Bachelor who can dress you up and take you out).
The sketch comedy series MADtv has spoofed The Dating Game three times.
Miss Swan[]
This originally aired on December 5, 1998. Also features an appearance by Rick (played by future voice actor Phil LaMarr).
Bunifa Latifah Halifah Jackson[]
This originally aired on February 13, 1999.
Kim Jong II[]
This originally aired on February 1, 2003.
A February 14, 1999 episode of the Comedy Central series Pulp Comics which features comedienne/actress and former host of the weight loss reality competition show The Biggest Loser, Caroline Rhea in a spoof of this show as Dating Reality.
An April 17, 1999 episode of Histeria! called "Music", a spoof of The Dating Game starring Miss Information (voiced by Laraine Newman) along with numerous famous music composers as one of her potential dates under the name of Duets (not to be confused with the short-lived 2012 ABC reality singing competition of the same name).
A 2000 episode of Family Guy called "There's Something About Paulie" Peter Griffin calls a cutaway gag to a past appearance he made as bachelor #3. However, his answer to the bachelorette's question was significantly underwhelming compared to the other bachelors. A 2017 episode was also titled as "The Dating Game" although it has nothing to do with spoofing the show at all.
ADDITIONAL NOTE: In the episode "There's Something About Paulie" former "Feud" host (the late) Louie Anderson makes a brief cameo appearance as if Peter was mistaking him for Big Fat Paulie. He was voiced by Robert Costanzo (credited as Robert Costanza on the show)
The title itself is a spoof of the classic 1998 romantic comedy film There's Something About Mary.
In 2001, a Diet Dr. Pepper soft drink commercial called The Mating Game was a parody of the show. The commercial starts with a Jim Lange-type host asking the generic male contestant "So are you ready to meet your date?" as the male contestant says "Sure, he looks like a real stud to me!" it followed a camera shot showing a half-smiling farmer along with his black cow as it then shows a shot of the set along with the logo while the announcer says that "not everything can be a good as the original, but Diet Dr. Pepper is. It taste more like regular Dr. Pepper!" while the husband on the left side of the bed says that "I'm so happy for them!" as his wife on the right side of the bed looks disgusted by her husband's remark, drinks a Diet Dr. Pepper.
An April 20, 2001 episode of The Fairly Oddparents called "Apartnership!" a spoof of this show is called appropriately enough The Fairy Dating Game hosted by Cupid where whomever Cosmo chooses gets hit with Cupid's magic arrow that eternally will make someone fall in love.
The 2001 (originally April 22, 2001) Dreamworks movie, Shrek also spoofed the show. When the Magic Mirror told Lord Farquaad that he has to marry a princess to be a king, he shows the lord three bachelorettes (i.e. Cinderella, Snow White, and Princess Fiona). Farquaad didn't ask them questions. The Mirror just gives him some facts about the princesses. Farquaad chose Princess Fiona. The movie also used the "Whipped Cream" theme for this scene.
NOTE: The yellow dress of Cinderella resembles to that of Belle from the classic Disney version of Beauty and the Beast circa the original 1991 animated film and not the 2017 live-action reboot.
From 2002 until 2003, Old Navy made a series of spoofs based on this show as The Denim Game where they showed off their clothes that were for purchase. One of the commercials featured Justin Guarini playing a bachelor, while the other featured Morgan Fairchild (who has also appeared in the 2002 Feud spoof Family Fleece) as a bachelorette.
In the first episode from July 20, 2002 of the short-lived syndicated MGM female-led, Charlie's Angels-like action show She Spies. In the fantasy scene, the She Spies Cassie McBain, Deedra "D.D." Cummings and Shane Phillips (played by Natasha Henstridge, Kristen Miller & Natashia Williams respectively) were introduced in a Dating Game-like manner. The host who introduces them was Jack Wilde (played by Carlos Jacott).
In the 2002 (originally September 3, 2002) animated Disney film called Mickey's House of Villains in one of the segments called "How to Haunt a House", Ghost Goofy must choose between Mickey Mouse, Clarabelle Cow or Donald Duck of whom to haunt in a Dating Game-like setup.
In the 2002 romantic drama film Moonlight Mile (originally September 24, 2002) a clip of The Dating Game can be seen on TV at a bar.
ADDITIONAL NOTE: Their was also a brief clip of Let's Make a Deal that was seen on TV at the bar as well.
Various references of The Dating Game can be seen in the 2002 autobiographical film (originally December 31, 2002) Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.
ADDITIONAL NOTE: This film also features references of its sister show The Newlywed Game and The Gong Show as well.
In 2003, The Dating Game was briefly mentioned on an episode of the VH1 series I Love the 70s "1973 episode".
In the 2003 music video for "Cool to Be a Fool" by Joe Nichols. The show was parodied as The Date Show, where Bob Eubanks makes a cameo.
NOTE: Eubanks once sub-hosted an episode of The Dating Game in 1978.
Their is also a spoof of the hit reality dating show Blind Date as Hot Date.
In a 2004 episode of the short-lived adult animated series called VH1 ILL-ustrated (also known as Camp Chaos Presents VH1 ILL-ustrated), the show was parodied here as The Nemesis Game featuring Spider-Man getting to know about the three potential villains.
In a 2005 Made for TV movie called See Arnold Run, Schwarzengger (Roland Kickinger) appears as a contestant on The New Dating Game.
In 2006, GSN ranked The Dating Game #10 as one of The 50 Greatest Game Shows of All Time the special was hosted by Bil Dwyer.
A 2007 episode of the sketch comedy series The Whitest Kids U Know did a dirtier parody of the show hosted by Trevor which derails into a commentary of offensiveness.
A recurring parody of The Dating Game on Let's Make a Deal (Brady) called The Dealing Game features Wayne Brady and Jonathan Mangum (both as a different character in each appearance) but rather than a date, each of them represents a curtain as both of them try to get the costumed contestant to pick their curtain while Model Tiffany Coyne plays the role as "Hostess".
Robot Chicken spoofed The Dating Game twice. In the 2011 episode called "Major League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" (as of which the title in itself was a spoof of the 1999 comic book series along with the 2003 film called The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen of the same name), The Dating Game was briefly spoofed in a segment in which Lorraine Baines from Back to the Future says that she's "Becoming a Nun".
In the 2018 episode called "Factory Where Nuts are Handled", another spoof of the show featuring Mickey Mouse was also seen.
A 2012 episode of the popular YouTube Internet series called The Annoying Orange (originally February 10, 2012) which was appropriately titled "The Dating Game" was spoofed. It was for "Valentine's Day". The gameplay was similar as well as the name but the host was named Art Sweetheart who was a lollipop. Passion Fruit was the contestant and had to decide between one of the three bachelors which were a nerdy Apple, a French Onion and Orange. In the end, Fruit eventually chooses Orange as her date.
A 2012 episode of Ugly Americans (original April 25, 2012) called "Fools for Love" where a homicidal maniac forces both Mark and Callie (voiced by Matt Oberg and Natasha Leggero respectively) to play a deadly version of The Dating Game.
A 2012 episode of the Adult Swim sketch comedy show Loiter Squad (originally June 3, 2012) spoofed the show as The Mating Game where a white girl named Tammy interviews three eligible black bachelors named Jefferson, Darnell and Murphy.
A 2012 commercial for the spaghetti sauce Prego[1]sees a blonde-haired woman taking a blind taste test at a grocery store. In the end, she chooses Prego sauce over Ragu that she's been buying for years as this causes her to wonder what other questionable choices that she has made over the years, she briefly thinks back to the time that she was on an 80s-like Dating Game show episode where she chose date (or in the case, bachelor) #2 (a.k.a. an overweight fat guy) a man who is less refined than choices date/bachelor #1 and date/bachelor #3.
A 2013 commercial for Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats cereal called "Come Date Me" featured a Dating Game-like set.
A 2013 episode of Tosh.0 called "Hey Baby Girl" was spoofed as The Dating Game.0 with Daniel Tosh as the host of the said spoof.
A 2013 episode of The Goldbergs called "Why're You Hitting Yourself?" clips from the MacGregor era of The All-New Dating Game can be briefly seen in the intro. Prior to this, the show was briefly mentioned in the 2018 episode "Flashy Little Flashdancer".
In 2014 (originally April 22, 2014), Vivid Entertainment (the same company that made The Newlywed Game XXX: A Porn Parody in 2013) has also made a porn parody spoof film of the show called The Dating Game XXX: A Porn Parody. Its tagline (for which you can see both posters at the bottom of this description) says, "The Matchmaking Gameshow Throwback Is Back, Baby!"[2]
WARNING: U.S. Game Shows Wiki discretion is strongly advised.
From 2014 until 2015 (originally May 5, 2014 and ended on February 12, 2015), the short-lived talk show revival of The Queen Latifah Show does her own version of The Celebrity Dating Game (hosted by Latifah of course) where like the 2021 ABC version hosted by Deschanel & Bolton, it features various D-list celebrities that are looking for true love featuring: (the late) Florence Henderson, Sheryl Underwood, Lamorne Morris & Toni Braxton as the bachelorettes/bachelor. Even her staff members from the show are the bachelor/bachelorettes for the segment.
A 2014 (originally, October 21, 2014) episode of the short-lived, single camera NBC sitcom About a Boy called "About a House for Sale", Will Freeman (played by David Walton) does his very own version of The Dating Game.
A 2015 animated film called Minions sees the characters Bob, Kevin & Stuart watching an episode of the show in bed on tv.
NOTE: The film is a spinoff of Despicable Me.
A 2016 comedy film called Everybody Wants Some!! featuring Jake, Beverly and the theatre students play an Alice in Wonderland-themed version of the show.
A recreation of Rodney Alcala (played by Guillermo Diaz) appearance on the show can be seen in the Investigation Discovery movie The Dating Game Killer in 2017.
In 2019 (originally 14 February 2019 or February 14, 2019) a married photography couple/models named Denelle and Tom Ellis (or Denelle + Tom Ellis) did a photoshoot that was centered around The Dating Game[3][4](more specifically The Dating Game 2.0) for the British magazine Hunger. Though their characters of the host, bachelorette nor the bachelors in their tacky clothes and style of makeup had never spoken.
NOTE: The classic theme song was used in the video.
In 2019 (originally February 18, 2019), a "Valentine's Special"[5]episode of the BYUtv sketch comedy show Studio C has parody this show.
A 2019 supernatural horror film (originally June 26, 2019) called Annabelle Comes Home sees Judy Warren (played by McKenna Grace) watching an episode of this show on television.
On a 2021 episode of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune one of the triple toss-up puzzle (each worth $5,000) is "The Dating Game" under the category of "TV Title".
References[]
- ↑ Prego TV commercial, 'Questionable Choices'
- ↑ The Dating Game XXX, new from the makers of The Newlywed Game XXX (WARNING U.S. GAME SHOWS WIKI DESCRETION IS ADVISED)
- ↑ The Dating Game 2.0: Denelle & Tom Ellis Recreate the Iconic 60s TV Show
- ↑ The Dating Game for HungerTV
- ↑ Love at First Bite - Youtube