RICHARD DAWSON'S KISSESThe other day, I stumbled upon a video online that really caught my attention. It was a clip from a TV show where the host kissed all the female contestants on the lips, and it all seemed completely natural. Something that, nowadays, would be almost unimaginable. After digging a little deeper, I found out it was Richard Dawson, the host of the hit game show Family Feud in the '70s and '80s.
Dawson’s unique habit of kissing contestants wasn’t planned from the start. It began spontaneously when one particularly nervous contestant stepped up to play. To calm her down, Dawson gave her a kiss on the cheek. As luck would have it, she went on to win the game. From then on, the gesture became a sort of good luck charm, evolving into a tradition that became one of Dawson’s trademarks.
Of course, even back then, not everyone saw this practice in a positive light. There were critics who questioned whether it was appropriate or felt it crossed a line. However, the majority of American society viewed these kisses as something charming and harmless, and Family Feud remained a beloved program for audiences.
It’s fascinating how something that seemed so normal at the time now feels surprising or even uncomfortable. Each era has its own way of interpreting relationships and social gestures, and Richard Dawson’s story perfectly reflects how society back then embraced a more laid-back and spontaneous perspective. Perhaps that’s why, for many, those times carry a certain nostalgic charm that’s hard to replicate today.
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