Whoopee! Wild 'Newlywed Game' Answers, An Urban Legend (That Wasn't)
By | July 8, 2020
Bob Eubanks on 'The Newlywed Game,' April 23, 1970. (Photo by Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photo Archives/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images)
The Newlywed Game, which debuted in 1966, hosted by Bob Eubanks, quizzed newly betrothed couples and yielded outrageous answers every night. The concept was to see which couple knew each other best -- the winners would be able to predict their newly-minted spouse's answers. And host Eubanks became famous for his wit, bemusement at the contestants, and overuse of the euphemism "make whoopee."
Naturally, marriage was and remains hard. The show expertly created questions that inspired inappropriate or hilariously wrong answers to exceedingly revealing questions. The Newlywed Game gave a glimpse into the uproarious dysfunction all couples live with daily. There was also plenty of entertainment to revel in over the various arguments, heated or jovial, that the newlyweds inevitably fell into over incorrect answers. One particularly priceless answer created an urban legend that lived on for years.
A Hit From The Start
A precocious Eubanks guided the show for almost 10 years. (herald-review)
From the get go, The Newlywed Game attracted audiences in droves. Its popularity spelled doom for another show, Password, which employed a slightly similar setup by pitting couples against one another. The Newlywed Game gained steam despite -- or perhaps because of -- its being hosted by a relative youngster. Bob Eubanks was only 28 when he took over emcee duties, making him the youngest host ever at the time. Amazingly, Eubanks also made time to manage Dolly Parton and help The Beatles play the Hollywood Bowl.
Wait, What Did She Say?
The infamous answer came from Olga Perez, the woman on the far left. (youtube)
Undoubtedly, the most infamous story out of The Newlywed Game came in response to the spicy question, “Where, specifically, is the weirdest place that you personally, girls, have ever gotten the urge to make whoopie?” One woman’s response was so explosively funny and memorable that it became a legend.
For whatever reason, for years and years, producers, pundits, even Bob Eubanks all swore that it never happened. “It never happened. No matter where I go, it’s mentioned three or four times a day. Everybody swears they saw it. I’m going to write a book and call it That Would Be in the Book, Bob.”
An Urban Legend Uncovered
"Whoopie" made The Newlywed Game so famous it became a saucy board game. (etsy)
The story goes that Eubanks even offered a $10,000 reward to anyone who could prove the funniest answer in game show history did, in fact, happen. Well, many years later someone was able to unearth the video. The woman, Olga Perez, who was clearly giddy about being on television, responded to the age-old question of “Where, specifically, is the weirdest place that you personally, girls, have ever gotten the urge to make whoopie?”
And the answer she gave did indeed indicate a region of her body and not a venue. We'll leave it at that.
As the audience erupted, Eubanks tried to reel it back in. “No, no, no... No... What I'm talking about is the weirdest location, the weirdest place...” Just as funny was Olga’s inability to come up with another answer after her history-making response.
"The weirdest location," she fumbled. "I don't know."
Video Proof Of 'The Answer Surfaced
“That would be in the butt, Bob,†lives on to this day. (youtube)
The video showing Olga giving her historic answer amazingly didn’t come to light until 2002 when Eubanks revealed it on a countdown show. As it turns out, making dozens and dozens of television episodes can make you rather forgetful, as Eubanks explained in his book:
“One particular episode on the show that was alleged to have occurred -- or did occur -- has spawned nothing short of an urban legend. It even inspired the title of this book. I am, of course, referring to the famous (or infamous) ... incident. Did it happen? And if so, exactly what happened? I sincerely told people for many years that it never happened. Then someone showed me a clip and proved me wrong. It did happen, but not precisely the way mythology and collective memory have it happening.”
Eubanks Remembers Wilder
How well do you know your spouse? (imdb)
So what did Eubanks answer for years when he got the same “show’s most outrageous moment” question over and over? “I asked this young lady what was the one thing that her husband told her not to talk about,” recalled Eubanks. “She said that her brother and cousin planned to kill her uncle for his insurance money.” The best part? “Her husband came out and matched the answer,” “They got their 10 points and went on with the game.” No word on whether Eubanks ever paid out that $10,000.
