Quest for love has local man kissing strangers on reality show
The producers of TLC’s “Love at First Kiss” believe in pushing boundaries, which might be why they believe their “dating” show is the new swiping-right.
In the show, which airs 9 p.m. Wednesday nights on TLC, strangers do just as the title suggests. They meet, don’t say anything, kiss as the cameras roll and then decide if there’s a spark of romance in that extended lip-lock.
Their reasoning? With the world population hovering over 7 billion and endless dating services, websites and apps (like Tinder, which has you “swipe right” on favorable matches) available, singles will go to great lengths to find love.
Case in point, Houston-born Shondo Blades, a single man who jumped at the opportunity to swap spit on TV.
“Put your tongue down someone’s throat, you learn about them real quick,” says the unmarried father of three. “You have to have a physical attraction to somebody, so that’s how the show is set up, to get right to the point.”
Otherwise, he adds, you waste two or three months getting to know someone to see if you have any chemistry.
Should sparks fly, the show’s participants can opt for a two-minute speed date. From there, if the butterfly feelings are mutual, the next step is a real date in the real world — documented by a production team, of course.
“Anytime you include pretty ladies, the California sunshine, and a camera, Shondo is there,” Blades says. “I like all 31 flavors, it’s more about the swag. If the girl likes to have a good time, that can boost a girl from a five to an eight.”
The 32-year old professional cage fighter, who graduated from Sharpstown High School, moved to Los Angeles in 2013 after his coach, Bas Rutten, said, “the TV needs you.”
Blades played quarterback for McMurry University in Abilene before learning how to cage fight from YouTube videos. He previously appeared on ABC’s short-lived fantasy reality show “The Quest” and currently splits his time between Houston, Los Angeles and New York.
“Someone called me about (“Love at First Kiss”) from casting, I thought it would be fun,” he says, before going into
third person. “Shondo loves the ladies, and the ladies love Shondo.”
See if Blades’ selfprofessed high kissing standards are met during his episode, which airs at 9 p.m. Wednesday on TLC. Or, if the Hollywood hopeful returns to the more “traditional” tact of swiping for love.