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.
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.