Prior to this season, in the introduction to each episode of Millionaire Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Patti Stanger, claimed a 99% success rate. This season the introduction has changed to say Millionaire Matchmaker has an extremely high success rate, but nothing more specific is stated. The Millionaire Matchmaker website says, “we have an extremely high success rate; nearly four out of five men get into a relationship with our matchmaking service.”
So, the claim is that about 80% of the matchmaker clients get into a relationship of some sort. According to the show’s epilogues, most of the matches don’t work out so well and never see each other again, and several clients have been kicked out of the club for being difficult. Those who remain in the club, continue to be matched until they find someone that works out. It would seem that only a small number of Patti Stanger’s matchmaking clients appear on her tv show.
So, the current claim of the show is that around 80% , (rather than 99 out of 100, as previously claimed), of the men end up in a relationship through the matchmaking services. ”Relationship” is not defined, and as most of us know, relationships can be long or short, and most relationships don’t work out so well.
One of the reasons for my critique of Millionaire Matchmaker’s success rate arises from my curiosity regarding Patti Stanger’s matchmaking methods. Patti goes to great lengths to coach the men and women on how to look and act on their dates, often with the assistance of life coaches or other professionals who work with clients.
Patti is big on acting in accordance with stereotypical gender roles. Although people can easily act like something they are not at the beginning of a relationship or for a single date, it doesn’t work well in a long-term relationship. Their true colors show and their partner feels like they got and bait and switch, or they get in the habit of never showing their true self to their partner, which can lead to misery. Even when people sincerely want to change something about themselves, it can be incredibly hard to do. It’s even more difficult if you are doing it at the direction of another. Wouldn’t it make more sense to find people who are compatible as they are, ultra-masculine, ultra-feminine, or somewhere in between? It makes sense to be on your best behavior at the beginning of a relationship, but if you have to give up who you are to be with another person, the cost is too high, even if it pays millions.
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I also noticed the same issues with the show. Her intro has definitely changed. I would assume that she has felt pressure after so many failed relationships. It seems like her segment of the population would be one of the hardest to deal with. I’m glad I don’t have to do it.
You’re right, lots of perfectionists and other difficult traits.
As a matchmaker myself (based in South Africa) I can safely say that a success rate of 99% or even 80% is highly unlikely. Especially when the pressure is on to deliver and people aren’t being their usual selves because they are on a television show. We need to remember that the matchmaking and dating service industry isn’t regulated. You are not dealing with large corporations who adhere to ethical business practices. You are relying on an individual who is selling her company and service to you. Hopefully doing this with honesty and integrity in mind…