Just Men!

1 9 8 3 (USA)
65 x 30 minute episodes

Betty White, who seemed to appear on every game show needing a celebrity from the 1950s through the 1980s, took her only shot as a hostess in the genre in this undeservedly short-lived effort.

The NBC daytime show Just Men! featured seven male celebrities – actors, comedians, singers and sportsmen – who each responded to questions on a variety of half-baked issues (intimate and otherwise) with a hidden “yes” or “no” answer.

Two female contestants guessed how each man had responded by quizzing them for one minute, each using questions provided by the show’s writers.

When the minute had elapsed, the first contestant had to guess a celebrity’s answer. A match won her a car key held by the performer.

After the first round of questioning, an incorrect guess gave the contestant’s opponent control of the celebrity’s key.

The player with the most keys at the end of the day won the game and had to choose which of her keys could start a car seen onstage. Contestants could play on the show for up to seven days or until they won the car.

Guests included baseball player Steve Sax, Jeff Altman, Tony Danza, Leif Garrett, Dirk Benedict, David Hasselhoff, Mr T, Richard Dean Anderson, Gene Rayburn, Gavin MacLeod, Bubba Smith, Jerry Seinfeld and Dick Van Patten, who alternated daily with his son Nels.

Betty was bright and personable, as always, and the game moved briskly, but the competition of Family Feud on ABC proved to be too much, and the show ended after just 13 weeks.

Despite the show’s short run, Betty White won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host, becoming the first woman to win the award.

Hostess
Betty White
Announcer
Steve Day