The Gong Show (1976–1980) User Reviews

It Was a Show I Loved to Hate

[hfan77 · 6/10 · 22 April 2011]

Of all the reviews I have done for this website, The Gong show is the first Chuck Barris show I wrote about. It was a show I remember watching a few months after the local NBC affiliate started carrying it because they aired a local talk show in its original timeslot when it debuted. It was a show I loved to hate because Barris was mad, cracked, sick and crazy (to quote the titles of humor magazines) as a host and the acts were rather strange.

One thing I remember was when an act was really bad, the audience would groan and I would shout at the TV "THROW THE BUM OUT!!" it was a sign that an act was on the verge of being gonged.

Many celebrities served as judges on the show, including Jaye P. Morgan, Arte Johnson, Rex Reed, Phyllis Diller and Jamie Farr. Also guesting on the panel were then LA Dodger Steve Garvey and Dodger Stadium peanut vendor Roger Owens.

I also remember getting a kick out of a couple of semiregulars The Unknown Comic and Gene Gene the Dancing Machine. They were hilarious. It also contributed to The Gong Show's wild and crazy atmosphere.

There was also a syndicated nighttime version that was hosted first by Gary Owens and later Barris. Owens usually said once per episode "All acts know beforehand that they may be gonged." The Gong Show was silly but memorable.

a brief history of time

[tomloft2000 · 8/10 · 1 June 2007]

normally,i would put out a spoiler warning on almost any comment i make.i made an exception in this case because there is really nothing to spoil!although the gong show was only on the air for the latter half of the decade,it really en-capsules the '70's as a whole.it has even spilled over into present times(renamed American idol)and has had tremendous influence over comedy the last 30 years.creator Chuck Barris(who was also behind The Dating Game et.al)decided to step in front of the camera,and set back cultural tastes by years.but it was a lot of fun,and without the mean-spiritedness of present day reality shows.Chuck was MC,and accompanied by a varying cast of characters who acted as judges(including the over the top J.P. Morgan).they basically either loved or hated an act(which typically was followed by the ominous gong),and when things slowed down it was time for the likes of the unknown comic or gene gene the dancing machine(my favorite).if there was a time capsule for TV shows ,this one should be included.

American Idol without judges

[view_and_review · 6/10 · 3 November 2021]

This show was funny and different. Unlike "Star Search" where they feature talented amateurs, this show feature some of any and everybody. And if you got the Gong you were gone. It was pretty much American Idol without the annoying judges.

A classy no class show

[jodylax · 10/10 · 3 December 2006]

People may not realize it, but you really DID have to audition to get on the show. No Talet Bums would be lined up around the block waiting for their chance to try to get on the show. An episode of Sanford and Son and Carol Burnett were framed around getting on the Gong Show. How can you not pee your pants laughing when every singe act sang "Feelings". The $516.32 was the union scale and everyone got it, regardless if they got gonged or not, and yes they still get residuals to this day! Gene Gene the Dancing Machine (Gene Patton) was a stage hand who was sent out one day to dance and it took off. The house band, Miton DeLugg and his Band with a Thug were real people. And of course, Chuck seemed the most surprised when a bad act got gonged while being booed by the audience, "I can't believe they did that, you were doing so good" was classy in a classless show. Its too bad they couldn't keep their drug use under control, it really could have gone on a lot longer than it did!

My mother let me watch this show!

[BlackJack_B · 13 April 2003]

I was in my single digits when "The Gong Show" was on the air. I remember watching this one and enjoying it. Even though I didn't know it was rigged (Jaye P. Morgan and her fellow judges convinced me it wasn't) it was great fun. You never know who'd show up or what outrageous act would be featured. They certainly had some very "racy" stuff from other people's recountings of the program.

I still remember Jaye P. Jamie Farr, Arte Johnson, Gene-Gene The Dancing Machine, The Unknown Comic, and that midget; but even today, I still have Chuck Barris etched in my 31-year old mind as the ultimate in manhood. Chuck was my first idol; I wanted to grow up to be just as cool as he was. I still really wonder why he'd start out wearing a tuxedo and then shedding parts of it gradually; sometimes even wearing a Philadelphia Flyers jersey. Maybe he was a Diana Ross fan LOL.

I wish I could see this show again in some capacity today. Perhaps some day "The Gong Show Movie" will be released on DVD if it hasn't already. Just to show you that the 70's was a great decade for entertainment; better than the 00's will wish to be.

Definitely Not A "J. Arthur Rank Production"

[redryan64 · 7/10 · 13 December 2014]

IN SEEKING TO have a good show, why not make it so bad that it's a perverse sort of hit. Like many a stupid joke and "Camp" humor, it's so bad that its "good." That is the path chosen by Mr. Chuck Barris & Company in bringing us THE GONG SHOW.

THE PRETENSE OF having a well known funny-man acting as host of a Game Show in order to get an audience is an old one. One need only look to such titles as YOU BET YOUR LIFE (Groucho MARX), TAKE A GOOD LOOK (Ernie Kovacs), THE NAME'S THE SAME (Herb Shriner) and the ill-fated YOU'RE IN THE PICTURE (Jackie Gleason). The Chuck Barris team took everything another step further by totally fracturing the concept of talent competition.

SO,WHAT FOLLOWED was a parade of sub-standard performers who were purposely chosen because their dubious talents and abilities. In this universe, it was the singer/dancer/juggler who was least abrasive to the audience and panelist-judges who "won".

A PARTICIPANT'S TIME on stage would be ended with a resounding stroke of the Gong; hence the title. There always seemed to be one "contestant" who was a shill, planted in the show strictly for the fun of it.

IN A SORT OF round about way, Chuck Barris' program produced some near profound realization in the viewer. It made us realize just what so much of the total programming was a waste of our time; even if it was sort of fun.

Untalented Acts In A Good Kind Of Way!

[ShelbyTMItchell · 9/10 · 23 October 2013]

Chuck Barris the brains behind the "Dating and Newlywed Game" that has made him a fortune. Stepped out as the back then press shy producer became host and producer of this show.

Where there were some talented and most of all, not so talented acts. On his show. As Chuck also wore some cheesy tuxedos. And clapped with the audience since he began the show pretty shy. But then got used to hosting once he got into the groove.

Also had zany panelists like Artie Johnson, Jamie Farr, and Jaye P Morgan, who got fired for flashing her breasts on national TV. There were acts that were too hot for TV at the time.

Barris knew how to push the envelope!

The Unknown Comic vs Gene Gene the Dancing Machine

[a-alexander119 · 10/10 · 27 June 2021]

Ah the 70's.. and The Gong Show was as 70's as you could get. And as time has gone on I can almost believe Chuck Barris was a mystic CIA operative ( Confessions of a Dangerous Mind). Jamie Farr at his best and Hot Stuff JP Morgan.. she once flashed the audience. Occasionally they would have a performer who demonstrated actual talent but that was an exception to the rule. It was fun while it lasted but alas, it died with Disco. All Hail Chuckie Baby!

If You Thought this was a Game Show, The Yoke is on You

[DKosty123 · 5/10 · 15 September 2008]

This is a show sort of wildly veering and entertaining while it claimed to be a game show. There are a lot of reasons it wasn't but what this show really was depends upon how much you liked being entertained.

Chuck Barris was more like a ring master of a circus here. The original concept of the gong goes back to the Ted Mack & Major Bowes Amateur Hours era. The Gong is supposed to put a stop to a bad act. On this show, it wasn't rung enough. That's why it give it a 5 rating out of 10 is because there were times this show was inspired, and there are times this show perspired.

There are always 3 celebrity (?) judges though at times there were Jamie Farr & JP Morgan, and at others there were more dubious ones. Everybody and everything on the stage was made fun of. After a while even Barris physical mannerisms became fodder.

Even though each show had a winner, only a few of these winners ever went anywhere after scoring on this show. Regulars like the Unknown Comic & Gene The Dancing Machine became parodies of themselves.

The band on this show got into the act and were sometimes featured too, and up until the recent Don't Forget The Lyrics, this was the rare game show that even featured a band.

Gene Gene.. the Dancing Machine

[bluehen47 · 9/10 · 10 March 2022]

Chucky, Chucky, Chucky, the Unknown Comic and of course, Gene, Gene the Dancing Machine. Outrageous, politically incorrect and wildly entertaining. One of my favorites from the '70s.

A classic show

[chickensue · 21 October 2004]

What a little gem of a show this was. If my memory serves me correctly this aired in the UK on Channel 4 twice a week in the early eighties long after the series had finished in America. A bold move I must say on the part of Channel 4 at the time, considering the fact that apart from Jamie Farr (MASH), and Arte Johnson (Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In) none of the other members of the show were actually, house hold names with the British public.

Taking that and the show's formula, getting anyone off the street, with absolutely no talent what so ever to do a turn, then get marked for their efforts, (if they didn't get gonged first) it's amazing it ever got shown once a week, let alone twice! Thankfully it did and what wonderful 'Acts!!!' some of them were. The guy dressed in a dinner suit complete with Bowler hat and walking cane, coming to the front of the stage, then standing in a fixed position for one completely minute without saying a word. Then there was 'Granny Go Go'. A 70+ woman wearing a mini dress dancing wildly to a boogie on down sound of the time. How about the singing trio whose lyrics to their song contained just one line 'I don't know why?' Mind blowing stuff!

They did though have some class acts appearing on the show in between the dross. Willie Bo Bo, a panelist on the Gong Show from time to time, along with his band, gave an excellent up beat rendition of the '2001- A Space Odyssey' film theme, 'Also Sprach Zarathustra' that really went down well. A girl singer going by the name of 'Stony' did a very nice version of the song 'I Got the Music in Me' and The Valentine Brothers, a brilliant close harmony duo sang 'That's the Time I Feel Like Making Love to You'.

I guess we'll not see the like's of this on TV again? Thankful though I've managed to lifted off the seven episodes I have from VHS tape onto DVD, so I'll still be able to go back from time to time and relive them all over again!

Almost Perfect

[profsmichael · 9/10 · 26 December 2017]

Some of the acts may be staged for the celebrity guests, but I simply don't care. This isn't or does not need to be reality TV> I am waiting for the return of the unknown comic! Tommy Maitland is some kind of weird conglomeration of the late Robin Williams, and Mike Myers (as Shrek). It works perfectly! The one liners from Maitland are a jewel. I am not sure who the shows writer is... be he/she/they are geniuses.

Watch this show for some great goofy fun. You will not regret it.

Chuckie, Chuckie, Chuckie, Chuckie, Chuckie!

[INTJewel · 10/10 · 7 August 2009]

Ah, the Gong Show... distilled essence of the fabulous, frenetic 70s.

Who, at the time, didn't jump up and shout (and take another bong hit) at the opening bars of the Gene Gene theme? Who didn't laugh their butt off at the antics of JP and Arte? Or the Unknown Comic? Or Larry and his Tuba (what ya gonna do?)? Or the thousand and one renditions of 'Feelings' and 'Desperado'? And the popsicle girls?

Who didn't looooove Chuckie, the coolest dude to ever walk the earth? And his many, many hats (that he wore all at once)? And his hockey jersey? And that suspicious nose-wiping after the commercial breaks? And the utter, incomprehensible, delectable madness of it all?

Chuck Barris and the Gong Show was the best television that has ever been aired, bar none.

Chuck Barris Takes Center Stage

[shelbythuylinh · 10/10 · 13 November 2021]

After being behind the scenes with Newlywed and Dating Game shows, it led to having Barris to host his own show and create and executive produce

With bad acts and silly panel usually Jaye P. Morgan, Jamie Farr, and the late Artie Johnson. As anything and everything can and will happen. Plus recurring characters like Gene Gene the Dancing Machine and the Unknown Comic.

Really the late Chucky Baby seemed nervous when hosting but then got the hang of it and his name is linked to this show.

One of the best TV shows ever, ever...EVER!

[curtis-8 · 14 January 2003]

I used to watch this show religiously back when I was in High School. If only my family had owned a VCR way back then (did they make them in '76--I don't remember). I would have taped every single episode, and I'd still be watching them today. "Star Search"? "American Idol"? Those "reality" shows are crap! The Gong Show was the polar opposite of this kind of show--the REAL real deal, not a pre-fab parade of future showbiz hacks doing pale imitations of current showbiz hacks while former showbiz hacks pretend to "judge" them. The Gong show was an out of control coke-fueled madhouse that presented a mind-blowing array of street performers, lounge acts, amateurs, and just plain street psychos doing their things! In other words, nobodies copying nobody being judged by virtual nobodies. Format? Script? A plan, even? For Chuck Barris and his cronies, all these things were only concepts, to be used or thrown away at will. What happened, happened; the show was what it was. Never before and never since has there been such entertainment on Television! If they put the entire series on DVD, I'd save up my money and buy two copies!

Almost live!

[jonesy74-1 · 5 November 2005]

Critics basically said this was the end of civilization when the Gong Show came out. Gary Owens was supposed to be the host, but Chuck Barris, the hand clapping, head-scratching creator of both The Gong Show AND The Dating Game, usurped that position at the last moment, as I understand it.

It was a simple premise. Basically, let anyone who thought they might have talent come out and do their thing, whatever it happened to be and have a panel of judges either give them the gong or rate their act. Some folks knew they were going to hear the tintinabulation of the gong because they went on just to get their mug on T.V. Others were serious about their "craft" and were hurt when they were the one for whom the gong tolled. I remember thinking, "Lardo the Clown," a kazoo-playing clown with horrible make-up was one of the most wretched.

Others were pretty darned good and I always wondered if any of them went on to have a career in the entertainment field. Jaye P. Morgan once cattily remarked regarding a sweet young lady with a beautiful voice, "I would have given her a higher score if her neckline would have been lower." Such was the tenor of the show. My favorite guest critics included Steve Martin, who usually just looked puzzled when a bad act was on, Artie Johnson, Jamie Farr and of course, Jaye P. Morgan. I understand, Ms. Morgan was asked to leave the show after flashing her bra to the camera. It is said the shot never aired, although, there are those who swear they saw it.

There were the usual gang of idiots who would show up without warning - Gene Gene, the Dancing Machine was my favorite interruption in the show. But, there were so many others - the Unknown Comic - a guy named Larry (?) who would come out and sing a song about, "I'm gonna play my tuba" (what are you going to do?). He usually ended up blowing a long sour note on whatever instrument he had walked out with, with Chuck saying, "Aw Larry, why did you DO that?" The Gong show was just plain fun, although some days were fairly dismal, with the acts all being bad and not much action from the guest critics.

All in all, I liked it. It was a fun party every time it aired... and, you could tell, even the the Dwarf enjoyed himself.

Great back then, misunderstood today

[Jim-500 · 1 February 2006]

In discussing how mean American Idol has gotten lately, a lot of people point back to the Gong Show as the initiator of public TV humiliation. Anybody who thinks that never saw this show.

The show basically had two kinds of acts: the really ridiculous, and the really good. People with genuine talent were usually given high marks and compliments by the judges, who were all show-biz veterans and who knew talent when they saw it (I recall after one such act, Arte Johnson exclaimed, "I'm gonna get you a job!").

The other acts were supposed to be either wildly bizarre or just plain dumb. This gave everyone a chance to enjoy it for a few moments, knowing that the gong was soon in the offing. When the gong sounded, everyone laughed, including the people in the act itself. And Chuck Barris would shake his head in mock indignation and say "Gee, I don't know why they did that..." and as he escorted the act offstage, he cooed "Be of good cheer."

It was all played for laughs. Nobody was told they were horrible, nobody was told they had no talent, nobody was told they were too fat.

Add to this the great music, the amazing creativity of the contestants, and the one-line jokes between acts, and you had a great half-hour of comedy.

This Show Was The Best!

[Fury_Fan · 30 November 1999]

The Gong Show was one of the best game shows to ever hit television. Chuck Barris was a genius in himself with several other hit game shows, such as The Dating Game and The Newlywed Game just to mention a few. People that appeared on The Gong Show had to be a little off to come on and perform some of the wild acts they did. The Panel, with the usuals such as Jaye P. Morgan, Arte Johnson and Jamie Farr were so unique in that anything went on the show, well anything that could get by the censors that is. This show still has a great following till this day, and is still one of the best there is.

looking for my gong show winning performance 1978

[marylyndias · 18 April 2017]

I was on the gong show 1978 I won with a guitar/ vocal for Loretta Lynns You Ain't Woman Enough To Take My Man

my parents passed away and could not find their VHS tape of it any info will help I am willing to pay for a copy if someone thinks they my have one I still have the paperwork and the trophy but not a copy of my performance

Thank you

Mary Lyn Dias.

This was a game show?

[sportsfreak2125 · 27 December 2002]

I have mixed reviews about the Gong Show. On the one hand, IT'S HILARIOUS. The bad acts, the silly panel (Jamie Farr and Jaye P. Morgan were a riot), and of course Chucky baby himself made each episode a laugh out loud riot. When you look at an episode of tha Gong Show, it looks more like New Year's Eve at Times Square than an actual game show. This was THE show where anything, and everything can happen, from the host being tied up by the panel, to an entire marching band marching out in the middle of an act. This show didn't spare itself or its viewers by going over the top, especially when "Gene Gene the dancing machine" came out and the ensuing chaos takes over, but the show's claim to fame also proved to be it's downfall. The latter part of the show's run more resembles a drawn out SNL sketch gone horribly wrong then an actual game show. Granted it was still funny, it was a little too much, especially when you have everyone being censored out all the time. All this, plus the fact that you can only pie Chuck Barris so many times, led to the cancelation of the Gong Show. All in all, the Gong Show was um... interesting to say the least. But it's always good if you want to laugh till you cry.

One of the wildest shows ever made

[wmattifo · 5 January 2003]

I remember this show from my youth. Every once in a while there'd be a performer with some talent but most of the time this show belonged to some pretty weird contestants. They would be painfully bad but would still get upset when they were gonged. Of course "Chuckie baby" and his clapping would keep the show going. Then "Gene Gene the Dancing machine" would dance his classic dance. The judges were minor celebrities that didn't take their jobs too seriously. Like I said this was a pretty weird show that couldn't be taken at face value as a "talent" show but just a crazy show that eventually became stale. It made "Chuckie baby" a household name (and a ton of money), and it was a fun way to waste a half hour.

WONDERFUL

[rnichols-1 · 30 November 2001]

I got to see some of the Game Show Network's 25th anniversary special and it brought back a lot of memories. One of my fave's was a guy who did an incredible impersonation of Chuck himself. Not only did he win that show's episode, but Chuck brought him back in character for the next day's show!

Looking for bottle blowing act on Gong Show episode

[johnrday · 27 December 2006]

Hey:

Wonder if anyone out there has a video snip of an act that was part of a July, '77 (I think) Gong Show episode. The act consisted of 11 people from two families (mine and one other) dressed in red, white, and blue, who blew across the top of some 25 coke bottles to play "The Loveliest Night of the Year" (generic circus theme song). We never got a tape of the show (VCRs were for rich people back then).

Please let me know at [e-mail] if you can help me out. For what it's worth, the judges (Pat Paulson, Jamie Farr, and J.P.Morgan I think) gave us three "9"s, so we were relegated to the obscurity of neither winning nor getting gonged.

Thx! jrd

The Bong Show

[Lord-of-Delusion · 25 July 2005]

That's what this show could have been called! As a child watching this, I always wondered why everybody acted so nuts on this show, especially Chuck Barris, and now I know why. Blow. And lots of it. My God, remember how Barris used to constantly flick at his nose? Ahh, the 70's. Shows like this, and Match Game, were just half hour exploitations of the Hollywood B list. These people were just out to have a good time. The Unknown Comic? A dude with a brown bag over his head. I used to laugh just looking at him. And that was the point. When this show was at it's peak, it was comic zaniness of insane proportions. God I miss being a child again.

Gong show was the pioneer

[Paul_Cowan · 30 July 2020]

What is America's got Talent but a gussied up Gong show ? It still works