By Daniel Thai
Special for The State News
"The Newlywed Game" is alive and well at MSU.
The Residence Halls Association and Olin Health Center came together Friday to sponsor the first MSU Couples Challenge as part of Women's Healthy Sexuality Month.
"Based on data from several polls from students, relationships were a stress and academics were affected," psychology senior and Olin health advocate Shannon Kilway said. "Our goal is promoting healthy relationships and giving people an idea of what's needed for a healthy relationship."
Eighty-three couples expressed interest in participating in the challenge, but Kilway sent out only 40 questionnaires. From those, 9 pre-selected couples participated in the night's challenge, and six other couples were chosen by a random drawing at the event. They all competed in a revival of the popular 1960s "The Newlywed Game."
"We just wanted to have fun," said Rob Kolo, a human resources management senior and winner of the evening. "This was something different, and it seemed like a good challenge."
The couples' introduction revealed that love can spring from all types of situations.
One couple had known each other since kindergarten, while another met at a bus stop. A different couple met on a double date, but they were dating other people.
Five couples took the stage each round. In classic "Newlywed Game" style, one member from each couple answered five questions while the other member waited in the hall. The second member returned and tried to answer the questions the same way his or her partner did.
Each contestant was asked questions such as his or her partner's favorite childhood cartoon, professional goals and favorite celebrity.
"It got very exciting as the couples got more involved," said Brandon Brown, communication senior and host of the show. "I didn't expect the couples to be so committed to each other. The fact that they talked about future plans and everything was amazing."
In the spirit of Bob Eubanks and the original TV series, several questions were a bit racier, and the answers followed suit. One of the night's most memorable moments occurred when Brown asked, "What would your partner say is the strangest place you've ever made whoopee?"
"When one of the contestants answered, in his grandparents' house's basement, (it) really stuck out in my mind," Brown said. "Actually, I thought it was the creepiest answer."
The winners of the three preliminary rounds later met on the stage for a "lightning round" to determine the winner. The couples, sitting back to back, were given statements and each person blindly replied - using "SpongeBob SquarePants" paper plates - whether they agreed or disagreed. If the couples' answers matched, they received points.
After several tiebreaker questions, one couple came out victorious and won the first prize - a weekend away at a bed and breakfast.
"We were nervous, not knowing what the questions were going to be," said accounting sophomore Samantha Bonder, Kolo's girlfriend and part of the winning couple. "The most exciting part was the tiebreaker and winning."
Second place received passes to Bravo! Cucina Italiana restaurant, 2970 Towne Center Blvd. in Lansing, and third place won passes to Connxtions Comedy Club, 2900 N. East St. in Lansing.
Kilway was happy with the turnout and the evening.
She said, with that night's success, the event might become an annual one.
"The couples were awesome and their dynamics on stage were good," she said.
