Marc Summers delves into career and life struggles in one-man play,

Marc Summers, the long-lasting host of Nickelodeon’s “Double Dare” and a well-known face on tv for over three many years, is now showcasing his life story in New York City by way of his one-man play, “The Life and Slimes of Marc Summers.”

It is one thing Summers, 72, thought would by no means occur. He was practically out of the leisure business after his time with Nickelodeon and Food Network had concluded. (Paramount is the mum or dad firm of Nickelodeon and CBS.)

But Summers’ path wasn’t all the time a clean one. He confronted vital private challenges, together with early rejections based mostly on his look and final title, which was Berkowitz at beginning.

“I had an NBC executive say to me once, ‘Your nose is too big. And your name, Berkowitz, is too Jewish. Change your name. Get your nose fixed. But until you do that, I’m not gonna hire you,'” he recalled.

Before his tv breakthrough, Summers thought of leaving the business altogether. 

In 1986, Summers was employed because the host of “Double Dare,” a job that might turn out to be iconic. A complete of two,000 folks auditioned for “Double Dare” in New York and Los Angeles. 

Summers admitted he by no means needed to work on a children present, however his method to internet hosting the present turned a sensation and outlined a era.

“I treated them like they were grownups. And that worked for me,” he mentioned.

However, his public persona masked a non-public battle with obsessive-compulsive dysfunction. He mentioned he had no concept what OCD was, however had been experiencing it since he was six years previous. 

“I was living this nightmare of making everything perfect and neat,” mentioned Summers.

He first spoke brazenly about it in the early 2000s and discusses it in his one-man play.

His wrestle reached a vital level when his spouse, Alice, caught him obsessively straightening rug fringes late at evening. 

“What are you doing?” Summers recalled her asking. “I have no idea,” he replied.

Thanks to remedy, Summers has made vital strides in managing his OCD and saved his relationship along with his spouse. He mentioned he is managed to retrain his mind to keep away from intrusive ideas. 

Summers says bringing his play to New York City has been a “dream.” Although a portion of his career has performed out in entrance of a reside viewers, having the ability to share his story in entrance of a crowd each evening has been rewarding.

“I get choked up about it, because … I didn’t think this could ever happen at this point in my life,” mentioned Summers. “I was pretty much out of the business. You know—the Nickelodeon thing, you know, ran its course. And I was at Food Network for 20 years. And that ran its course. And here was this opportunity. And what it’s turned into has just been mind-boggling.”

Nate Burleson

Nate Burleson is a co-host of “CBS Mornings.” He can also be an Emmy Award-winning studio analyst for CBS Sports’ NFL pre-game, halftime and post-game present, “The NFL Today,” and is the host of Nickelodeon’s “NFL Slime Time.”