THE BAGGAGE IS PACKED AND THE ROMANCE TAKES FLIGHT - OR DOES IT? - AS GSN ANNOUNCES A NEW SPECIAL, "BAGGAGE FIRST DATES," HOSTED BY JERRY SPRINGER AND AIRING SUNDAY, AUGUST 21 AT 8:00 P.M. ET/PT

Following a "Baggage" Couple Through the Awkward Romance of Their First Date, BAGGAGE FIRST DATES Will Air During a Five-Hour "Best of Baggage" Marathon Running August 21 from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m ET.

Santa Monica, CA - August 4, 2011 - Dating "baggage" takes on a whole new in-your-face reality when a couple who met on GSN's hit series BAGGAGE begins a tentative and highly awkward romance, as GSN announces the premiere of a new special, BAGGAGE FIRST DATES, on Sunday, August 21. BAGGAGE FIRST DATES, hosted by Jerry Springer, will premiere during a five-hour best of BAGGAGE marathon that begins at 7:00 p.m. ET and runs through midnight. The BAGGAGE FIRST DATES special airs Sunday, August 21, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Andre and Maggie found each other through their baggage-or rather, through GSN's "BAGGAGE." Guided by host Jerry Springer, Maggie (the dater) and Andre (the contestant vying for Maggie's approval) revealed their emotional and lifestyle baggage: Andre's menagerie of pit bulls and a full-grown tiger and Maggie's unfortunate adult-diaper issue. Yet the attraction was strong and the couple agreed to a first date-and now the audience of BAGGAGE FIRST DATES gets to go along for the bumpy ride. Can Maggie, a born-and-bred New Yorker who's terrified of dogs and large animals, deal with Andre's snarling backyard beasts and his peculiar survivalist bunker? Can Andre get past his aversion to Maggie's "leaked" secrets? And can their budding romance survive the big reveal-when they meet with Springer back on the BAGGAGE stage and open one last shocking piece of baggage?

BAGGAGE FIRST DATES will air during a five-hour best of BAGGAGE marathon beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET. On each half-hour episode of BAGGAGE, Springer guides the fun as one dater chooses among three contestants, who reveal the intimate secrets and hidden flaws that are typically kept under wraps to impress a first date. Each contestant enters with three suitcases-small, medium and large-containing the quirky, annoying and sometimes truly shocking "baggage" that may or may not eliminate the contestants from competition, to the accompaniment of the dater's tagline, "I'm sorry, but you have too much baggage."

With a lively pace and a playful sense of humor, BAGGAGE reveals what people are willing to put up with in the name of finding love.

BAGGAGE FIRST DATES was produced by Comcast Entertainment Studios with Jay James and Brad Spotto as executive producers.

About GSN

GSN is a multimedia entertainment company that offers original and classic game programming and competitive entertainment via its 75-million subscriber television network and online game sites. GSN's cross-platform content gives game lovers the opportunity to win cash and prizes, whether through GSN's popular TV game shows or through GSN Digital's free casual games, cash competitions and social games. GSN is distributed throughout the U.S., Caribbean and Canada by all major cable operators, satellite providers and telcos. GSN and its subsidiary, WorldWinner.com, Inc., are owned by DIRECTV and Sony Pictures Entertainment. For further information, visit GSN at www.gsn.com.