Confessions Of A Matchmaker, Patti Novak

NIAGARA LIVING -- Sep 4 -- Owner of Buffalo-Niagara Matchmakers, Novak has been recently featured on "The Oprah Winfrey Show", "Rachael Ray" and last year, had her own show on A&E called "Confessions of a Matchmaker." She recently took a few moments to talk with Niagara Living about her jet-setting adventures of the heart.

Q: What happened to your A&E show?
A:  It was a decision ultimately made by A&E (to cancel), but I think it was a decision that was really the best for me.

Q: How on Earth did you ever start being a matchmaker?
A: I would say I started in grade school ... I was voted to be the next Ann Landers.

Q: In the movies "Hello Dolly" and "Fiddler on the Roof," the matchmakers are rather old-fashioned. You don't really strike me as an old-fashioned type girl.
A: I'm more traditional than you might think. I was taught by my mother, clearly, how to treat a man. If you don't have that in your background, then how do you know how to treat people?

Q: You told Oprah that women need to rely on men a little more. Are you kidding?
A: I call it the "pickle jar effect."  If you're standing around the kitchen talking, hand him the bottle and say, "Honey can you open this for me?" Men still feel a need to be needed.

Q: So, you have a book coming out in December, a TV show in the works and you just expanded your company. Tell me about that.
A: There are two companies now. I opened one up in western Michigan — Kalamazoo, maybe an office in Chicago next.

Q: Are you really expensive now that you are famous?
A: I haven't changed my prices in 10 years. I've kept my "Buffalo humble."
FULL ARTICLE @ NIAGARA GAZETTE

Mark Brooks: The Matchmakers Conference is coming up next week.