Author Topic: Gong Show Live stage show coming soon (Read 4013 times)

bricon · « **on:** June 04, 2010, 07:43:23 PM »

Opening in NYC in August. Details here.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #1 on:** June 04, 2010, 10:13:19 PM »

Quote

...which laid the foundation for virtually every reality show competition we see on TV today.

That seems a bit much. The Gong Show was a talent show. There were talent shows before it, and there have been talent shows after it. All of them have had their share of blissfully clueless talent. As much fun as The Gong Show was in its day, and as much outrage as it inspired in its day, I have a hard time considering it particularly influential.

WarioBarker · « **Reply #2 on:** June 04, 2010, 10:39:20 PM »

Most talent shows prior to Gong took themselves seriously -- Gong took pride in not taking itself seriously. John Barbour was canned after taping five shows because he took the show way too seriously.

I recall reading an article in my local newspaper around the time America's Got Talent debuted in which the paper's TV guy, Tom Jicha, stated that the only thing the show was missing was "a gong".

And you gotta love being treated to the Gene-Gene music upon visiting the page...but I wonder why the keyboardist's name is blanked-out -- and why "Radiochick" looks like Barbra Streisand.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #3 on:** June 05, 2010, 12:07:53 AM »

[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'241942\' date=\'Jun 4 2010, 10:39 PM\']Thing is, Matt, all the talent shows prior to Gong took themselves seriously -- Gong took pride in not taking itself seriously. It "laid the foundation", as it were, by being over-the-top silly and envelope-pushing.[/quote]
"Laid the foundation"...for what? Where are all the other over-the-top silly, envelope-pushing talent shows? Nothing that came after -- nothing successful anyway -- followed in the Gong tradition. Thanks to the genius that is Tom Bergeron, a show like DWTS can get away with winking at the audience while still taking its competition seriously. Most of them today don't even go that far.

The Gong Show also did not invent the idea of putting bad acts in among the good ones. Heck, The Gong Show didn't even invent chasing bad acts off the stage by ringing a gong! The Gong Show was simply an interesting product of its era.

NickS · « **Reply #4 on:** June 05, 2010, 12:20:26 AM »

[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'241942\' date=\'Jun 4 2010, 09:39 PM\']Thing is, Matt, all the talent shows prior to Gong took themselves seriously -- Gong took pride in not taking itself seriously.[/quote]

While I will agree with the latter, I think the Apollo Theater's Amateur Night (while not a show) would like to have a word with you regarding the first part.

Please stop this Wikirhea that you consistently have on here. It's a messy cleanup.

/If it hasn't been trademarked, I claim full rights to "Wikirhea"

RMF · « **Reply #5 on:** June 05, 2010, 01:58:13 AM »

[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'241942\' date=\'Jun 4 2010, 10:39 PM\']Thing is, Matt, all the talent shows prior to Gong took themselves seriously -- Gong took pride in not taking itself seriously. It "laid the foundation", as it were, by being over-the-top silly and envelope-pushing. That's why John Barbour was canned after taping five shows -- he took the show as a serious talent competition.[/quote]

Point #1: The earliest episodes of the Barris Gong (and, IIRC, the Owens episodes) also take the program somewhat seriously. The form it took developed over the run.

Point #2: An important item to remember about the tone is timing. Major Bowes had a large number of people whom were trying to use his program to survive (and, in the process, annoy the NYC relief officials), Had Bowes been as flip as Barris, he'd probably have gotten into severe trouble.

Point #3: The claim of influence sounds a lot like a Barris claim, and, given that this is a man who claims to have invented a media form (first-run syndication) that existed before he was born, one must regard this with a grain of salt.

Adam Nedeff · « **Reply #6 on:** June 05, 2010, 02:15:40 AM »

[quote name=\'RMF\' post=\'241947\' date=\'Jun 5 2010, 01:58 AM\']Point #3: The claim of influence sounds a lot like a Barris claim, and, given that this is a man who claims to have invented a media form (first-run syndication) that existed before he was born, one must regard this with a grain of salt.[/quote]
Yes, THIS is the claim that should make us question Chuck Barris' credibility. :-)

J.R. · « **Reply #7 on:** June 05, 2010, 03:23:39 AM »

I love it when a newbie tries to correct a veteran, especially when most of his facts are wrong.

chad1m · « **Reply #8 on:** June 05, 2010, 04:36:40 AM »

[quote name=\'J.R.\' post=\'241951\' date=\'Jun 5 2010, 03:23 AM\']I love it when ~~a newbie~~ Dan88 tries to correct ~~a veteran~~ anyone.[/quote]Fixed your post.

/I tried to reach out and help. I really did.

BrandonFG · « **Reply #9 on:** June 05, 2010, 08:59:52 AM »

[quote name=\'chad1m\' post=\'241952\' date=\'Jun 5 2010, 04:36 AM\']/I tried to reach out and help. I really did.[/quote]
A lot of us did, sadly. One thing I learned in life is that some people just can't be helped, no matter how hard you try...

SRIV94 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 05, 2010, 10:47:35 AM »

[quote name=\'RMF\' post=\'241947\' date=\'Jun 5 2010, 12:58 AM\'][quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'241942\' date=\'Jun 4 2010, 10:39 PM\']Thing is, Matt, all the talent shows prior to Gong took themselves seriously -- Gong took pride in not taking itself seriously. It "laid the foundation", as it were, by being over-the-top silly and envelope-pushing. That's why John Barbour was canned after taping five shows -- he took the show as a serious talent competition.[/quote]

Point #1: The earliest episodes of the Barris Gong (and, IIRC, the Owens episodes) also take the program somewhat seriously. The form it took developed over the run.
[/quote]
True that. And I think it's fair to say that having Larry Spencer taking over head writing chores from Rick Kellard, and John Dorsey taking over the directing from Terry Kyne helped hasten the form it took. In other words, the housecleaning of Chris Bearde's people.

Chuckie also getting more comfortable in the hosting role also helped, but I think some of that comfort level came from putting his people in. (Maybe more than some.)

What I haven't figured out yet is why Barris and Bearde hooked up for the project. Did they both have some derivation of the idea, or did they actually collaborate?

TimK2003 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 05, 2010, 05:47:45 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'241940\' date=\'Jun 4 2010, 08:13 PM\']

Quote

...which laid the foundation for virtually every reality show competition we see on TV today.

That seems a bit much. The Gong Show was a talent show. There were talent shows before it, and there have been talent shows after it. All of them have had their share of blissfully clueless talent. As much fun as The Gong Show was in its day, and as much outrage as it inspired in its day, I have a hard time considering it particularly influential.
[/quote]

Same could be said for "Jerry Springer: The Opera" across the pond -- except Springer ran a daily freak show with clueless people.

J.R. · « **Reply #12 on:** June 06, 2010, 01:55:34 PM »

[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'241942\' date=\'Jun 4 2010, 09:39 PM\'](edited to remove my douchebaggery)[/quote]
You do realize your "douchebaggery" still exists in quotes and thus its existence can't be denied?

Just realize you goofed and move on, trying to erase history doesn't help (and could sometimes make it worse).

/OBChuckBarris: I thought the "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" movie was cheesy but fun.