Yes, I was on Love Connection.\u00a0\u00a0 I am so not going to explain it to those who never saw the show…just suffice it to say it was the 90’s version of The Dating Game.\u00a0 And no I cannot explain that to you, either, you cubs!<\/p>\n
I can’t remember how I heard about auditioning for the show but I do remember the audition.\u00a0 I went down to some office in Hollywood, or around there and filled out a huge questionnaire.\u00a0 Then I got a call to come in for an appointment.\u00a0 I went…same building I think…and sat in a room of about 40 other people.\u00a0 All the chairs went in a big circle around the room facing each other.\u00a0 They interviewed us, as a group, for about an hour.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I don’t remember what the questions were but I do remember participating!\u00a0 Then they said they would call your name, verify your information and contact you.\u00a0\u00a0 They asked us to stay seated until our names were called.\u00a0\u00a0 About twenty people got their names called and\u00a0filed out of the room.\u00a0 Then person 21…she kept asking more and more information to verify until person 20 was out the door and she announced to the room that we had “made the cut”.\u00a0\u00a0 SNEAKY!\u00a0\u00a0 But who cared, I made it!<\/p>\n
It was at that point we filmed our little interviews and waited to be either matched up or told to come in and pick one of three to go on a date.\u00a0\u00a0 SEVEN MONTHS later I get a call from Love Connection.\u00a0 Do I still want to go on a date?\u00a0 YEAH!\u00a0 Was I single?\u00a0 yeah.\u00a0\u00a0 So they gave my number to the guy, he called and we set a date.<\/p>\n
Turns out…I was the audience pick.\u00a0 Okay fine, I’ll explain it.\u00a0 A guy or girl was shown 3 pix…they picked one…went on a date…came on the show…the audience was shown the 3 girls…the audience made a pick…then we heard about the date.\u00a0 At least that’s how I think the order went.\u00a0 Hell, people it was a long time ago!<\/p>\n
So when he had a chance to go out again with his 1st pick or the audience’s pick, he chose me.\u00a0 I know…you’re saying duh!\u00a0 But I looked so much different then than now.\u00a0 Picture me with straight, very light brown with blonde streaked hair, a heavy tan and contact lenses.\u00a0 Impossible, I\u00a0KNOW!<\/p>\n
Anyway…so he calls and we talk and he’s nice and we set a date at some seafood restaurant on the ocean in Malibu.\u00a0 Hell, the show gave him $70.00 to blow.\u00a0\u00a0 Come on now, this was the 80’s…that was much more money then!<\/p>\n
He picks me up we have a nice dinner and he takes me home.\u00a0 Where I invite him in to “talk”.\u00a0\u00a0 Yes, TALK!\u00a0\u00a0 Sheesh…I’m a slut but this is national television, we’re talking here.\u00a0\u00a0 Okay…well I admit that wouldn’t have stopped me if there had been chemistry but….<\/p>\n
He was alright to look at, had a nice physique because he was ALL about working out, but he was short.\u00a0 He claimed to be 5’9″ but hell, I’m 5’1″ and when I stood next to him I could almost look him straight in the eye!\u00a0 So really…he couldn’t have been more than 5’6″ or 7″.\u00a0 And it was an issue.\u00a0\u00a0 I may have kissed him…because if a man can hit me with chemistry in his kiss, well a lot can be forgiven!\u00a0 But I don’t remember…and THAT says it all right there.<\/p>\n
Anyway…THE DAY after the date, Love Connection calls to quiz me on how it went.\u00a0 Well…I’m a talker so I dish it all out…how the date went, where, etc. and finally explaining he was really too short.\u00a0 And they take it all down…even to the point of reading it back to me!\u00a0 Then we schedule the “day of the shoot”<\/p>\n
Criminy now I’m nervous.\u00a0 Lord what do I wear!\u00a0 Well, my best color is Fuschia but the only thing I own in that color is a high collar sweater…but I wear it anyway.\u00a0 So I may look like I’m sweating bullets<\/span>\u00a0 a little warm on the camera.\u00a0\u00a0 And I figure they’re going to do my hair and makeup so I don’t do much to it.\u00a0 And neither do they, really.\u00a0 They did my makeup because I needed more…but really didn’t touch my hair much…so it did not look its best.\u00a0 Sigh…national television…whimper.<\/p>\n And they coach you.\u00a0\u00a0 It looks so spontaneous when you’re watching but everything was almost scripted.\u00a0 It really has jaded me for reality t.v. shows.\u00a0 Just how much is actually unscripted?\u00a0\u00a0 It was…Chuck will say this….then your date will say this….then Chuck will say this…then you will say this… etc.<\/p>\n My sister came as moral support and sat in the audience. \u00a0I’m backstage alternating between excitement, curiosity and nervousness.\u00a0 Then they bring me to a chair that has a television screen in front of it and just to the left.\u00a0 THAT’s how they get that “looking down from above” look that the dates always had!\u00a0 On the show…1 date would be on stage with Chuck and the other would be backstage, brought on by camera to a little screen in the top left corner and “look down” at Chuck and the date.<\/p>\n The camera was about 4 yards from my chair and slightly to the right and I naturally looked at the television in front of me because we are all compulsory that way.\u00a0 And they are playing the live filming with Chuck and my date.\u00a0 So I’m watching along, thoroughly amused and then Chuck says, “Well, we have Heather backstage…so let’s hear her version.”<\/p>\n And if he said anything else I did not hear it.\u00a0\u00a0 Suddenly there is my face filling the screen.\u00a0 I’m sure I smiled and said, “Hi.” but the running dialogue in my head went something like this.<\/p>\n Oh. My. God.\u00a0 Look at your hair…don’t smile so much…shit that’s worse…my God where are your eyes…open your eyes…(I watch my eyes go wide on the television) no no no no, bad idea, bad idea…shit, shit, shit…what?\u00a0\u00a0 How long have they been talking to me!\u00a0\u00a0 What was I supposed to say!\u00a0\u00a0 Shit, shit, Arrghh!<\/p>\n All that actually didn’t last as long as it seemed to me and I don’t think anyone could really tell I was that freaked out.\u00a0 But the conversation quickly went to ‘why’ the date didn’t work and Chuck called me out on the ‘short’ issue.\u00a0 My line?<\/p>\n “See Chuck,\u00a0 when I stand next to him I can look him straight in the eye.\u00a0 I’m only 5’1″ and the last time I looked a guy straight in the eye I was twelve!”<\/p>\n Well, the audience laughed but some of them boo’d me.\u00a0 Didn’t that just feel great!\u00a0 THANKFULLY they only did 1 date per half show…so the actual talking on camera was only about 10 minutes top and my part barely 5.\u00a0\u00a0 Whew, I couldn’t get out of there fast enough!<\/p>\n And that was my stint on television.\u00a0 It was a fascinating experience.\u00a0 Makes a great story!\u00a0 And no one has the evidence that I know of!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Yes, I was on Love Connection.\u00a0\u00a0 I am so not going to explain it to those who never saw the show…just suffice it to say it was the 90’s version of The Dating Game.\u00a0 And no I cannot explain that … Continue reading