
Singles have no need to despair if they’re chosen to appear on the TV show, Bubbies Know Best — these Jewish grandmothers will help them find a great first date.
“I think of it as an America’s Got Talent panel with three bubbies as judges,” said Erin Davis, the show’s host.
Each episode, she and the bubbies interview three potential suitors, then debate who will make the best match. The bubbies watch and comment during the couple’s date, and then return to the studio to debrief.
Executive Producer Brad Pomerance, who also serves as Senior Vice President of Programming at Jewish Life Television/JLTV, co-created the show. “Whether you’re Jewish or not Jewish, everyone knows what a bubbie is,” he said. “There’s a sense in culture that bubbies have wisdom.”
The bubbies have appeared on Access Hollywood, TMZ, and Steve Harvey. During a recent interview with Zach Galifianakis, the bubbies “tried to set him up with Bubbie Bunny , who is single, and grilled him about circumcision,” Pomerance said.
“We had so much fun meeting Zach and putting him through the ringer — the conversation took on a life on its own,” said Linda Rich, known on the show as the sage Bubbie Linda. Rich also was the first female cantor ordained by the Conservative movement.
Sandra J. Mendelson, known as the sassy Bubbie Sj, was a recent fan favorite on America’s Got Talent . She was inspired by her own bubbie, a Brooklyn matchmaker. “I basically got it from her. I have the matchmaking gene in me,” she said.
Kathleen Bubbie Bunny Gibson, one of the original dancers on American Bandstand , grew up Catholic–and didn’t know she was 50 percent Jewish until she took a DNA test.
“When the audition came up, I wanted to honor this new discovery of who I was,” she said. “The world needs more love, and if I can be a part of making that happen, I feel that that is one of the best things I can do with my life.”
Dating Tips from The Bubbies
Erin Davis, host:
- Dating isn’t a chore! Stop filtering with checkboxes like age and height.
- If your first date is a blind date, keep it short. One hour, one drink or coffee is enough.
Sage Bubbie Linda:
- Stop before you schtup ! Get to know a person before you get physically involved with them.
- Get to know your date’s friends and family. You can tell a lot about a person from who they hang out with.
Sassy Bubbie S.J.:
- Meeting in person is the best. If there’s someone you think is attractive or interesting, just go up to them. What’s the worst they’re going to say? I met my husband in the bank!
- Look at a date as a job interview. Ask them questions, and if they’re not interested in a relationship in six weeks, kick them to the curb because it ain’t gonna go any further.
Sweet Bubbie Bunny:
- First, you should love yourself! Work on being 100 percent of what you could be, so then you can meet someone who’s 100 percent. Two whole people getting together will have the biggest chance of being successful.
Watch Bubbies Know Best at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Mondays on Comcast Channel 686 and DirecTV Channel 325-1. For more information, visit jltv.tv .