Nov 12, 2019
Dennis welcomes A. Ashley Hoff to his condo to talk about his new, 499-page book Match Game 101, a textbook-sized tome all about the classic TV game show and the delightful celebrities who appeared on it. Ashley talks about how he first got the idea to do a Match Game book, interviewing stars like Marcia Wallace, Brett Somers and Charles Nelson Reilly, why the show means so much to him snd who Earl was when host Gene Reyburn would say "Slide it, Earl!" during the super-match round. He also gives us the inside scoop on the question writers, the moments that got bleeped, whether Richard Dawson was a dick or not, how boozy everyone was, hanging out in Charles Nelson Reilly's dressing room and that day when John Travolta tried out to be a Match Game celebrity and didn't make the grade. Other topics include: Ashley's go-to karaoke song, why he dedicated the book to Jacqueline Susann, James Dean's game show connection and why Ashley often asks himself "What would Joyce Boulifant do?"