Was Brett Somers a boozehound or was that an act?
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Match Game
!!!deleted!!! (49761343) — 9 years ago(July 05, 2016 08:15 PM)
I think Brett Somers was hilarious, but everything about her on the MG screamed "boozehound." I really hope it was just an act, because I'd really hate to think she was battling alcoholism in real life.
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horizonbeach — 9 years ago(July 06, 2016 03:15 AM)
I don't know, but she was pretty sharp and on her game most of the time and was there for the taping of every show, so it seems that if she was a big drinker she had it pretty well under control.
I watched a documentary about "Match Game" on Youtube where someone who was affiliated with the show said that the show was taped on weekends, several episodes back to back on both Saturday and Sunday, and that during breaks in taping the stars would have cocktails and sometimes get a little tipsy. Sometimes you can definitely tell that a show was taped later in the day after a few drinks, just based on the behavior of the stars, but I never thought that Brett acted any more out of control than anyone else.
I have actually come to appreciate Brett Somers while watching these episodes all these years later. She was kind and compassionate to the contestants and even though she talked a lot sometimes, I can't imagine the show without her comments and banter with Charles Nelson Reilly. I also saw a few really early episodes of "Match Game" a few weeks ago where Brett's then husband, Jack Klugman, was one of the stars, and it seemed that every time he got a chance to speak on camera he used it as an opportunity to put her down somehow. It made me feel sad for her. She was loud and brash and sometimes borderline obnoxious, but I get the feeling, watching all these years later, that she had a tender side too and was easily hurt.
There was an episode on this past weekend where the question was something like, "That makeup artist has a REALLY hard job! He has to do _________'s makeup!" It was the contestant's first question on the show, and she grinned and said, "Brett Somers!" I was stunned to think that a contestant would come on the show and immediately insult one of the contestants that way, but then the other stars almost all said the same thing. Maybe for them it was tongue in cheek and she knew that they all really loved her, but for a contestant to say thatwow. And Brett was kind of quiet through that question and answer session and it made me feel bad for her, that everyone was presumably taking pot shots at her looks right there in front of her and on national TV, even if those who knew her were doing it tongue in cheek. I think she was tender hearted underneath her brash exterior. -
!!!deleted!!! (49761343) — 9 years ago(July 06, 2016 07:40 AM)
Thanks for the info. It was very interesting and entertaining.
Sometimes you can definitely tell that a show was taped later in the day after a few drinks, just based on the behavior of the stars, but I never thought that Brett acted any more out of control than anyone else.
I didn't think she was acting out of control. It was her mannerisms that had me thinking that she might have been a heavy drinker. With some people, even when they're not drunk, you get a feeling they're probably heavy drinkers and I got that vibe from her, which is why I asked.
In any event, maybe that's what I was seeing from her on Match Gamethe tipsiness you mentionedand not anything else more serious.
I also saw a few really early episodes of "Match Game" a few weeks ago where Brett's then husband, Jack Klugman, was one of the stars, and it seemed that every time he got a chance to speak on camera he used it as an opportunity to put her down somehow.
Wow, that's sad and disappointing to hear, as I loved Jack Klugman. Hopefully, that was just for show and not how he treated her IRL. Although, given their divorce, maybe he did.
There was an episode on this past weekend where the question was something like, "That makeup artist has a REALLY hard job! He has to do _________'s makeup!" It was the contestant's first question on the show, and she grinned and said, "Brett Somers!"
Ouch. Really??? How obnoxious!
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seldon913 — 9 years ago(July 06, 2016 09:27 AM)
There was an episode on this past weekend where the question was something like, "That makeup artist has a REALLY hard job! He has to do _________'s makeup!" It was the contestant's first question on the show, and she grinned and said, "Brett Somers!"
I'm not sure if it's the one I saw or just similar, but three matched and Brett had Betty White on her card. I'm wondering if the contestant noticed a couple of them looking at Brett before writing and picked up on it. CNR giving Brett as an answer was a given and Betty White didn't surprise me at all, but I wasn't expecting the third one (don't remember the celeb). -
horizonbeach — 9 years ago(July 06, 2016 03:48 PM)
I think the other celebrity who answered with Brett's name was either Barbara Rhoades or Richard Dawson.
The documentary that I watched on Youtube mentioned that there was no love lost between Brett and Richard, or really any of the other contestants and Richard, because he acted like an arrogant jerk a lot of the time, especially after he started starring on "Family Feud" and didn't even want to do "Match Game" anymore. I can see that this could very well have been the case, as there are some later episodes where he wore dark glasses and barely said two words throughout the entire show. You just got the feeling like he would rather be anywhere but there, and I don't think it was an accident that he gave off that vibe. Apparently, bringing in the big wheel so that the contestant had to spin and get a random celebrity to try to match for the big money was the last straw for him (since before that they almost all chose him every time), and he left shortly thereafter.
If it works, here is the link to the behind the scenes documentary that I found on Youtube. It's kind of long but interesting if you're a big "Match Game" fan.