Patti Novak

Date:   9/28/2007 8:05:04 AM ( 17 y ago)

 Patti's Love Tips

Patti Novak, the strong-willed middle child of five, was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. Throughout her life, Patti worked for companies whose products and services revolved around matters of human nature, from weight loss to matchmaking. Nearly six years ago, after taking a job with a well-known, national dating service, Patti decided to open her own matchmaking service, Buffalo Niagara Introductions, which remains the only locally owned and operated dating service in the Buffalo area. Patti has received awards from Buffalo Spree Magazine (WNY Best Dating Service, 2006) and has been featured in Buffalo News on several occasions.

Patti is looking forward to giving viewers this candid look at her world. Matchmaking is truly an age-old art-form, but no one does it quite like Patti Novak. This intimate peek inside will show viewers the tips, tribulations, and the triumphs of successful dating that, until now, were available only to Patti's clientele.

Get ready for some tough love as A&E presents the original real-life comedic series, CONFESSIONS OF A MATCHMAKER.

This is no ordinary dating show and she is no ordinary matchmaker. For the past six years, matchmaker Patti Novak has been warming up the lonely hearts of Buffalo - a city with one of the highest populations of singles per capita - with her no-nonsense style of tough love. Now, she is letting cameras into her sessions and on dates with her clients...sharing the secrets of her success with the world.

Set in Buffalo, New York, CONFESSIONS OF A MATCHMAKER follows singles desperate for Patti's help, from their initial interview, through the date, and finally, to the often painfully honest follow-up where Patti assesses their performance and reveals whether or not a match has been made. The series goes inside the real world of dating, where people are flawed and sometimes just need a good swift kick. And Patti is not afraid to give it to them. The Simon Cowell of dating, Patti's brutal honesty and gut instincts are like nothing you've ever seen. They may not end up in a hot-tub at the end of every episode...in fact, more than likely, they'll end up in hot water with Patti for not following her advice!

Robert Sharenow and Colleen Conway are executive producers for A&E. CONFESSIONS OF A MATCHMAKER is produced for A&E Network by Sharp Entertainment. Executive producers are Matthew Sharp and Smash Advertising. Co-executive producer is Jerry Kolbert. Supervising producer is Joshua Seftel.  Watch Video

Ingrid Stamatson
BellaOnline's Reality TV Editor

Confessions of a Matchmaker Editor Review

The age-old problem of finding love, the right match, is still among us as witnessed by the personal ads in newspapers and online dating services. We have all heard of matchmakers, but who knew this still existed? It does!

Enter Patti Novak of Buffalo, NY, star of the A&E Network's Confessions of a Matchmaker. This reality series follows Patti and her clients through interviews and commentary. She does not employ computer questionnaires, or personality profiles (a la eHarmony), but rather a good understanding of her clients and plain old-fashioned common sense.

In one episode, we meet two clients: Brenda, the 46-year-old partying mom with a penchant for rocker boys in tight jeans. She is continually cheated on in her relationships and Patti tells her right off that being 46 and acting like 30 is ridiculous. Putting on that party act is exactly what is keeping the good men away and that going after the party boys will not get her what she wants, namely a good and stable man who will commit.

Kevin Fahr is a poet working in a coffee shop who is the poster boy for awkwardness. He is looking for a girl who is into the arts and not the club scene. After looking though her files, Patti does not find anyone, but in walks Angela who is a dancer and (the dating gods be praised) wants a man who appreciates the arts as well.

On another episode we meet Mary who has been carrying around a list in her purse containing the 42 items the next boyfriend must possess. She has had this list for two years and it has been two years since her last date. Think there is a connection? Patti tells Mary in no uncertain terms that the list must go. She eventually does go on a date and we watch and cringe as Mary pushes her date farther and farther away with her sexua| innuendos and explicit speech. She needs more work.

We must thanks the singles who agree to have their experiences taped because this is good television! We can identify with them. We have been there and we can empathize.

It is Patti who holds the show together with her no-nonsense, tell-it-like it is, down to earth, no holds barred approach. It is refreshing and exactly what makes this quality programming. She does not tip-toe around feelings, nor is she concerned with being politically correct. She speaks as we think and that is what we really want - to hear the honest truth.

"The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." - Michaelangelo