Bob Eubanks
Bob Eubanks | |
|---|---|
| File:Bobeubankscs.jpg Bob Eubanks on an episode of Card Sharks in 1989. | |
| Born | Robert Leland Eubanks |
| Website | http://www.bobeubanks.com |
Robert Leland "Bob" Eubanks (born January 8, 1938, Flint, Michigan, raised in California) is a well-known American radio, game show host and television personality best known for hosting the game show The Newlywed Game on and off from 1966 to 2000, where he was known for using the catch-phrase, "Makin' Whoopee".
Game shows
He also hosted other short-lived game shows such as Dream House, The Diamond Head Game, and Trivia Trap. In 1985, while original Card Sharks host Jim Perry was under contract with both NBC and Reg Grundy Productions, hosting Sale of the Century, Mark Goodson hired Eubanks as the last minute replacement to host a revamped version of Card Sharks (Bill Rafferty did the nighttime version also), for CBS, an average hit game show which ended production in 1989. Coincidentally, both Card Sharks and Sale of the Century are now owned by FremantleMedia In recent years, he has hosted or co-hosted all five of NBC's Most Outrageous Game Show Moments specials.
Radio
Prior to entering game shows, Eubanks was a popular radio DJ at station KRLA in Los Angeles as well as a music promoter and manager. He was responsible for bringing The Beatles to Los Angeles for their first West Coast performances in 1964 (mortgaging his house to do so), all of which originated from the famed Hollywood Bowl, with fellow KRLA DJs Dave Hull and Reb Foster joining Eubanks in introducing them. He also operated the Cinnamon Cinder Club ([1]) on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City, California.
He stood in for fellow DJ Casey Kasem twice on radio's American Top 40: January 9-10, 1982 (that year's first regular episode), and April 16-17, 1983.
Other appearances
He has also hosted the Tournament of Roses Parade on Los Angeles television channel KTLA since 1976 and with Stephanie Edwards from 1978–2006. In 2007, Eubanks continued to host with Edwards' replacement, KTLA Morning Show anchor Michaela Pereira.
On July 6, 2007, Eubanks sat in as a celebrity "Mob Member" on the NBC game show 1 vs. 100 along with fellow game show host Wink Martindale.
His autobiography, It's in the Book, Bob (ISBN 1-932100-28-8), was published in 2004.
Controversy
Eubanks also appeared in the 1989 Michael Moore documentary Roger & Me hosting The New Newlywed Game at the Genesee County, Michigan Fair. In the film, he infamously cracks an offensive joke: "Do you know how come Jewish women don't get AIDS? Because they marry assholes, they don't screw them." Reportedly, he later apologized publicly in general and specifically to Jewish people and groups for the incident. On a commentary track for the Roger & Me DVD, Moore recollects watching Eubanks making a television appearance with a representative of the Anti-Defamation League denouncing Roger & Me as anti-Semitic shortly before the film's release, despite the fact that it was Eubanks himself making the anti-Semitic joke.
He publicly labelled the 501st Legion of Stormtroopers as a bunch of "groupies" and stated they all "need to get jobs" during the 2007 Tournament of Roses Parade [2], before learning the group primarily raises money for various charities worldwide. Bob has since apologized to the group stating he regretted his remarks. He claimed to not have reviewed the material and didn't know who and what the 501st were.