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Karen Valentine, the star of ‘Room 222,’ recalls an ‘awful’ experience she had on ‘The Dating Game’

Back in the day, The Dating Game was the first ever dating reality show which opened the path for a number of similar shows that followed. This one, however, served another purpose, too, that of a launchpad for new actors, among which Suzanne Somers, Tom Selleck, Leif Garret, and Karen Valentine.

Before agreeing to be part of the show, Valentine was a former beauty queen who was then given the chance to interview three eligible bachelors hidden behind a dividing wall.

However, as she believed the experience would be a fun one, her ‘pick’ made it terrible.

Karen Valentine, 1971. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images)

Recalling her appearance on The Dating Game, the now 77-year-old actress shared with Closer Weekly, “That was awful, because the guy thought that this was really going to be a date, right? The Dating Game got more serious later where people would be sent on trips.” She then added: “I only got to go to the Ambassador Hotel to see a show, but the guy thought we were going to make out in the limo and it, was, like, ‘You know this is a first date, right?’ It was so sleazy. You’d go to dinner and then to a show, which is the prize I won, but the guy thought this was serious. I wanted to get out of the date. You know, ‘Save the money, who needs to go on a date? Let me do another show. Give me a shot at acting or something.’”

Although the experience wasn’t a pleasant one, the show did help her land roles, including the one in Room 222, which catapulted her into stardom.

Wikipedia Commons / ABC Television

In 1970, Room 222 cleaned up at the Primetime Emmy Awards, earning titles for Outstanding New Series, while Valentine and Michael Constantine both won supporting roles.

This was everything a young actress like Karen Valentine dreamed of.

It seemed surreal that she earned such a prestigious award at the start of her career.

“It was kind of mind-blowing to have that happen so soon, so quickly,” said Valentine of her first nomination and win. “And to meet Carol Burnett and her saying, ‘Well, congratulations for this.’ It was like, ‘Thank you.’ But that Carol Burnett would know me? Just incredible.

“I remember I was taking singing lessons at the time, and I went to my singing class,” Valentine started. “Also taking lessons was Gregory Peck… When he walked by, I was at the teacher’s piano and he saw me through the window and kind of mimed, ‘You did it!’ I was like, ‘Oh my God. It’s Gregory Peck!’ How was it that I had the fortune to meet these stars and talented people from the get-go?”

The series was a huge hit, with incredible rankings and positive critics, but then, during season four, people’s interest in it declined and it was canceled in the middle of season four.

“Why things changed, I have no idea,” Valentine recalled when the network told the cast the show was cut. “But they did have the wherewithal to give us the word that it was happening, and it was sad… Well, it’s always sad, but especially when you feel you have a good product and a good show, for it to be taken away. But in the end, the network made the decision to go in a different direction. That’s what they always say, ‘We’ve decided to go in a different direction.’”

Karen Valentine appeared in a number of series and films, with her latest one, Wedding Daze, released in 2004.

Karen Valentine attends the Chiller Theatre Expo at Sheraton Parsippany Hotel on October 26, 2013 in Parsippany, New Jersey. (Photo by Bobby Bank/WireImage)

Speaking of the role in Room 222, the actress has only fond memories of it.

“Working with all of those people, and to have that kind of experience first time out–the show just brings back the fondest and best memories in the world to me.

“…It also kind of spoiled me, because it set the bar really high. So when other things come to you, you think, ‘What is this?’ It was different, you know. But I was fortunate that I did get material that was pretty fun and well done.”

Valentine has been married two times. She and her second and current husband, Gary Lewis Verna, tied the knot in 1977.

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Update on the Pope’s health after he reportedly informed aides he ‘won’t make it this time

According to people close to the veteran, Pope Francis was admitted to the hospital last week for the same illness that caused him to become ill in 2023, but this time he doesn’t think he’ll be as fortunate. The 88-year-old was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Friday last week (February 14) with bronchitis, a respiratory infection, and was later diagnosed with pneumonia in both of his lungs.

“Pneumonia is inflammation and fluid in your lungs caused by a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection,” according to the Cleveland Clinic. In addition to making breathing difficult, it can result in fever and coughing up crimson, green, or yellow mucus.

Additionally, it states that “if left untreated, especially if you have an underlying health condition,” pneumonia can be fatal. Thankfully, it is recognised that baby is breathing on his own despite the diagnosis.

Politico said that the head of the Catholic Church has been “suffering from intense pain and has privately expressed certainty he won’t make it this time,” according to two persons who were supposedly aware of the situation.

However, a third source reportedly told the US-based website that Francis, who was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina’s Flores neighbourhood, is only following “doctor’s orders.”

On Wednesday, Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni paid the Pope a visit and emphasised that he was healthy enough to joke about. “I’m glad to have found him responsive and attentive.

As usual, we made jokes. “He still has a good sense of humour,” she clarified. Today, February 21, the Vatican released a statement that said, “The night went well, and this morning Pope Francis got up and had breakfast.”

The Vatican maintained on Wednesday that the Pope was recovering, despite reports from people close to him suggesting otherwise. They added: “The blood tests, evaluated by the medical staff, show a slight improvement, particularly in inflammatory indices.” “Pope Francis has had a restful night and this morning, got out of bed and had breakfast in an armchair,” the Vatican wrote on Thursday, February 20.

Pope Francis greets people at the end of the weekly general audience on February 12 – just two days before he was admitted to hospital (FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images)

Francis was admitted to Gemelli Hospital in March 2023 with acute bronchitis, so this is not the first time he has been hospitalised with a respiratory ailment.

“I am still alive,” he declared to the public after being released from the hospital.

Twelve years ago, in March 2013, Pope Francis was chosen, making him the first pope from the Southern Hemisphere and the first non-European elected in almost 1,300 years.

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What grabs your attention immediately?

Optical illusions have always intrigued us, capturing our attention and leaving us with many unanswered questions.

Rather than just using flashy tricks, these fascinating images take us on a deep, thoughtful journey, showing us the complexities of how we see things.

Our special optical illusions will make you rethink everything you know about yourself. They might give you more insight into your life.

What grabs your attention immediately?

This picture is interesting because it shows how you see both the world and yourself. If you see a duck first, it means you’re outgoing, enjoy being around people, think quickly, and handle stress well.

If you see a rabbit first, it means you believe slow and steady wins the race. You prefer to think things through carefully before making a decision.

When you want something done right, you follow the proper steps. You are more introverted than most people. Like me, you prefer a few close friends over many acquaintances.

Do you see the faces or the vase?

This picture trick was created by a Danish psychologist to show how people see their strengths and weaknesses. If you see two faces first, you’re good at noticing small details and understand many different jobs.

But if you noticed the vase first, you’re someone who focuses on the overall picture and might miss small things.

Do you see an old man or a young woman?

At first, you might see one of two images. If you see the big-nosed older man looking down, you’re someone who pays close attention to details. Sometimes, though, you might overthink things because you’re very sensitive and understand others’ needs well.

But if you see the woman turning the other way, you’re more spontaneous and like to do things quickly. Your optimism helps you stay in control of your adventurous side.

Do you see an older or younger woman?

Who you see first in this picture might give away your age. If you see the young woman turning away, you’re probably still young. But if you notice the older woman, you might be older yourself. This was studied and published in the academic journal Scholarly Reports.

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Heart surgeon shares four types of foods you should ‘always avoid’ as they ‘poison’ your body

When it comes to our health, there are plenty of things that we should consider. However, a well-balanced diet is one of the most important factors.

Heart surgeon Dr. Jeremy London, who’s very famous on TikTok with his valuable advice he shares with his followers, shared a video in which he highlighted four foods that are dangerous for our body.

Fast Food

As expected, he places fast food on the top of the list of foods that need to be avoided.

Dr. London labels fast food as “edible food product,” emphasizing the fact that they lack important nutritional value.

A 2017 article published by the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine notes that fast foods are high in calories and low in nutrients. They are loaded with various synthetic ingredients, chemicals, extra corn syrup, sugar, artificial sweeteners, salt, and coloring agents. All these can affect our health in a negative way.

Soft Drinks

Dr. London, who has almost 400,000 followers on his TikTok account, refers to soft drinks as to “liquid death.”

These drinks are full of sugars and their consumption can easily lead to obesity and diabetes.

The same goes for the diet sodas, which are expected to be a healthier option but are actually disrupting our metabolism and increasing the hunger.

The surgeon’s opinion about soft drinks is backed up by a number of research conducted over the years. A particular one, from the UCLA Health, highlights that even a single can of soda per day can increase the risk of developing type II diabetes.

Milk Products

Further, the heart surgeon lists milk products as type of foods that poison our bodies.

Humans are the only mammals who consume milk beyond infancy and consume the milk of other species.

Milk products are full of saturated fat, whose consumption is linked to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s.

The website of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine states that “Studies have also linked dairy to an increased risk of breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers.”

Dr. London advises that we either limit or avoid milk products altogether.

Alcohol

According to Dr. London, alcohol is  “absolutely toxic to every cell in our bodies.

“Even moderate or occasional use is in fact detrimental,” he says. “So if we are working so hard to optimize our health, the least you could do is stop actively poisoning your body.”

Instead, we should focus on diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables, and consume minimally processed foods such as beans and wholegrains.

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