Program Gives ‘Dating Game’ a Cultural Twist

“ San, er . . . yi! (Three, two . . . one!)” the television studio director counted down. Right on cue, a peppy tune began to blare over the sound system.

On stage, six young men and women squirmed awkwardly in their seats as spotlights focused on them, then crisscrossed over a pair of huge pink cardboard hearts in the background. The live audience oohed and aahed, craning necks to get a better view.

“Da Jia Ai Hong Niang!” Perry Ni, the show’s dapper host, announced as he surveyed the nervous contestants.

So began “Everybody Loves a Matchmaker,” a new dating game filmed each Saturday in the South El Monte studios of North America Television Corp.

The program, produced by The Fifth Season Inc. of Rosemead, is one of several designed to meet a growing demand for programs that cater to Chinese-American interests.

On this day, not all the dating game contestants had come willingly. Joseph Lu, 20, said he had lost a bet that Michael Chang would not make it past the second round of the U.S. Open.

Chern Phanthavong, 21, said that a friend had signed him up as a joke. And San Gabriel High School students Irene Lu and Christina Chen, both 17, said they just wanted to meet older men.

After some brief introductions, the pertinent questions began.

“Men have several hobbies--cars, wine, and ladies. What should be the proper order of importance?” Irene Lu asked in Chinese, translated by NATV cable manager James Meng.

A curtain separated her and the other bachelorettes from the men so they could hear, but not see, each other.

“I just need a girlfriend, nothing else,” Bachelor No. 2 promised.

“Girls, then cars, then wine,” said Bachelor No. 3. “If you don’t have a girlfriend, what’s the point of having the others?”

Other questions were more practical.

“Who should pick up the tab, the man or woman?” Phanthavong asked in his Thai accent.

“The man must pay the first time,” said Bachelorette No. 2. “Later on, whoever’s economically better off.”

Joseph Lu wondered, “If you marry a wealthy husband, would you be willing to be confined to housework?”

Bachelorette No. 3 replied, “I’d rather stay home.”

At the end, the contestants were instructed to announce their choice by holding up a card with the number. Interestingly, each bachelor selected the woman who chose him.

Janice Yin of The Fifth Season said the highly unlikely outcome was coincidental.

“I liked his accent,” Chen said of Phanthavong, who in turn said he picked her because he liked her singing voice.

“He said he likes to dance.” Irene Lu said as she glanced shyly at Joseph Lu. “I like to dance.”

It was Cal State Los Angeles student Irene Law’s culinary talent that caught Albert Wang’s fancy.

“I liked the way she said she made cheesecake,” he explained.

Before they left, the couples were handed door prizes including room air-filtration systems, movie passes and wristwatches.

“Everyone should be on time when they go on a date,” said hostess Shirley Lin.

It was love, Chinese-American-style.