Chuck Woolery, game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83

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Ronda Churchill/Las Vegas Evaluation-Journal through AP NEW YORK — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking recreation present host of "Wheel of Fortune," "Love Connection" and "Scrabble" who later turned a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the federal government of mendacity about COVID-19, has died. He was 83.

Mark Younger, Woolery's podcast co-host and good friend, mentioned in an e-mail early Sunday that Woolery died at his house in Texas along with his spouse, Kristen, current. "Chuck was an expensive good friend and brother and an amazing man of religion, life won't be the identical with out him," Younger wrote.

Woolery, along with his matinee idol seems, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Recreation Present Corridor of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978.

In 1983, Woolery started an 11-year run as host of TV's "Love Connection," for which he coined the phrase, "We'll be again in two minutes and two seconds," a two-fingered signature dubbed the "2 and a couple of." In 1984, he hosted TV's "Scrabble," concurrently internet hosting two recreation reveals on TV till 1990.

"Love Connection," which aired lengthy earlier than the daybreak of relationship apps, had a premise that featured both a single man or single lady who would watch audition tapes of three potential mates after which decide one for a date.

A few weeks after the date, the visitor would sit with Woolery in entrance of a studio viewers and inform all people in regards to the date. The viewers would vote on the three contestants, and if the viewers agreed with the visitor's selection, "Love Connection" would provide to pay for a second date.

Woolery informed The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2003 that his favourite set of lovebirds was a person aged 91 and a lady aged 87. "She had a lot eye make-up on, she regarded like a stolen Corvette. He was so previous he mentioned, 'I bear in mind wagon trains.' The poor man. She took him on a balloon experience."

Different profession highlights included internet hosting the reveals "Lingo," "Greed" and "The Chuck Woolery Present," in addition to internet hosting the short-lived syndicated revival of "The Courting Recreation" from 1998 to 2000 and an ill-fated 1991 speak present. In 1992, he performed himself in two episodes of TV's "Melrose Place."

Woolery turned the topic of the Recreation Present Community's first try at a actuality present, "Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned," which premiered in 2003. It shared the title of the pop music in 1968 by Woolery and his rock group, the Avant-Garde. It lasted six episode and was panned by critics.

Woolery started his TV profession at a present that has turn out to be a mainstay. Though most related to Pat Sajak and Vanna White, "Wheel of Fortune" debuted Jan. 6, 1975, on NBC with Woolery welcoming contestants and the viewers. Woolery, then 33, was attempting to make it in Nashville as a singer.

"Wheel of Fortune" began life as "Shopper's Bazaar," incorporating Hangman-style puzzles and a roulette wheel. After Woolery appeared on "The Merv Griffin Present" singing "Delta Daybreak," Merv Griffin requested him to host the brand new present with Susan Stafford.

"I had an interview that stretched to fifteen, 20 minutes," Woolery informed The New York Instances in 2003. "After the present, when Merv requested if I needed to do a recreation present, I believed, 'Nice, a man with a nasty jacket and an equally unhealthy mustache who does not care what it's a must to say — that is the man I wish to be.'"

NBC initially handed, however they retooled it as "Wheel of Fortune" and received the inexperienced gentle. After a number of years, Woolery demanded a elevate to $500,000 a yr, or what host Peter Marshall was making on "Hollywood Squares." Griffin balked and changed Woolery with climate reporter Pat Sajak.

"Each Chuck and Susie did a nice job, and 'Wheel' did effectively sufficient on NBC, though it by no means approached the type of rankings success that 'Jeopardy!' achieved in its heyday," Griffin mentioned in "Merv: Making the Good Life Final," an autobiography from the 2000s co-written by David Bender. Woolery earned an Emmy nod as host.

Born in Ashland, Kentucky, Woolery served within the U.S. Navy earlier than attending faculty. He performed double bass in a people trio, then shaped the psychedelic rock duo The Avant-Garde in 1967 whereas working as a truck driver to assist himself as a musician.

The Avant-Garde, which tourbed in a refitted Cadillac hearse, had the Prime 40 hit "Naturally Stoned," with Woolery singing, "Once I put my thoughts on you alone/I can get sensation/Really feel like I am naturally stoned."

After The Avant-Garde broke up, Woolery launched his debut solo single "I've Been Improper" in 1969 and a number of other extra singles with Columbia earlier than transitioning to nation music by the Seventies. He launched two solo singles, "Forgive My Coronary heart" and "Love Me, Love Me."

Woolery wrote or co-wrote songs for himself and everybody from Pat Boone to Tammy Wynette. On Wynette's 1971 album "We Certain Can Love Every Different," Woolery wrote "The Joys of Being a Girl" with lyrics together with "See our child on the swing/Hear her chortle, hear her scream."

After his TV profession ended, Woolery went into podcasting. In an interview with The New York Instances, he known as himself a gun-rights activist and described himself as a conservative libertarian and constitutionalist. He mentioned he hadn't revealed his politics in liberal Hollywood for concern of retribution.

He teamed up with Mark Younger in 2014 for the podcast "Blunt Drive Reality" and shortly turned a full supporter of Donald Trump whereas arguing minorities do not want civil rights and inflicting a firestorm by tweeting an antisemitic remark linking Soviet Communists to Judaism.

"President Obama's recognition is a fantasy solely held by him and his dwindling legion of juice-box-drinking, anxiety-dog-hugging, safe-space-hiding snowflakes," he mentioned.

Woolery additionally was lively on-line, retweeting articles from Conservative Temporary, insisting Democrats had been attempting to put in a system of Marxism and spreading headlines similar to "Impeach him! Devastating picture of Joe Biden leaks."

Throughout the early phases of the pandemic, Woolery initially accused medical professionals and Democrats of mendacity in regards to the virus in an effort to harm the financial system and Trump's probabilities for reelection to the presidency.

"Probably the most outrageous lies are those about COVID-19. Everyone seems to be mendacity. The CDC, media, Democrats, our medical doctors, not all however most, that we're informed to belief. I feel it is all in regards to the election and protecting the financial system from coming again, which is in regards to the election. I am sick of it," Woolery wrote in July 2020.

Trump retweeted that put up to his 83 million followers. By the top of the month, practically 4.5 million Individuals had been contaminated with COVID-19 and greater than 150,000 had died.

Simply days later, Woolery modified his stance, saying his son had contracted COVID-19. "To additional make clear and add perspective, COVID-19 is actual and it's right here. My son examined constructive for the virus, and I really feel for of these struggling and particularly for many who have misplaced family members," Woolery posted earlier than his account was deleted.

Woolery later defined on his podcast that he by no means known as COVID-19 "a hoax" or mentioned "it is not actual," simply that "we have been lied to." Woolery additionally mentioned it was "an honor to have your president retweet what your ideas are and assume it is vital sufficient to try this."