# Gene? Gene! The dancing machine stopped! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 14, 2015, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989 "2015-03-14T14:17:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989/21 "2015-03-14T22:16:03Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > The unknown comic? > > I just got an apartment over a bank, an now my assets over a million dollars! (pronounced “ass sets”) > > This is my impression of the first man to land on the sun. [High-stepping painfully…] “OOH! OW! OOH! OW!” I still do the first man to land on the sun impression occasionally. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989/22 "2015-03-14T22:16:03Z")
I have no idea why my parents let me watch The Gong Show, but god bless 'em for doing so. RIP Gene. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989/23 "2015-03-15T21:39:36Z")
> [@AtomicDog](#): > > I lived through the 70’s, and it still amazes me with what they got away with on TV. > > I feel so nostalgic. What’s really funny is that Chuckie-baby intended for the censors to not allow them on TV. The censors picked a different contestant to keep off the air, much to everyone’s surprise. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989/24 "2015-03-16T21:13:38Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Ah, but the late Garry Owen was the original host! I’ve always heard that the decision to replace him was taken by Chuck himself, since he _really, really_ wanted to do it. > [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > Gary Owens (best known as the announcer on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In) was the host of the weekly syndicated version (with the $712.05 prize instead of $516.32) for the first season before Barris took over (and the prize raised to $716.32). Barris was the only host of the NBC version, as far as I know. Along with Owens as the nighttime host, the original host for the unaired pilot for the daytime version was TV personality John Barbour, most famous for later being a host of the (godawful) 70s show _Real People_. [Barris correctly pointed out that he was all wrong because he simply didn’t ‘get it’.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riwRApZVJl4&feature=player_detailpage&list=PL32EBE27D8000FAE1#t=127) Barbour treated it as though it was a genuine, county fair-like, amateur talent contest, not a proto-hipster ‘laughing-at-them-not-with-them’ comedy show. Barris’ people finally told him the only way the show would work was if he hosted it himself. ---
**Author:** ![MsJinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/278dde/32.png) [@MsJinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsJinx)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989/25 "2015-03-18T23:31:33Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > I used to get up and dance along with Gene, Gene, too. IIRC, on at least one episode, various family members of his came out and danced with him. > > Anybody remember The Unknown Comic? He was a great inspiration for Halloween costumes in the day. One of my friends added a second small sandwich bag out of his pants’ fly. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989/26 "2015-03-19T01:22:17Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > That’s the saddest thing I’ve ever seen; Chuck Barris getting rich off producing the show, and poor Gene can’t even afford a change of clothes. I’m not sure if you’re being serious or not. Given the nature of his schticky ‘act’ he would of course always had to have worn the exact same outfit whenever he performed it on camera. And I’m sure he got paid union scale for each performance. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989/27 "2015-03-19T01:47:42Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I thought I’d heard he’d died several years ago. Must’ve been someone else. Same here. I do remember that he had to have his feet amputated at some point (diabetes related). I always thought that ironic given his fame as a dancer. Loved him! Unknown Comic? Do you like sex? Do you like to travel? Then take a fucking hike! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989/28 "2015-03-19T03:44:11Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > I’m not sure if you’re being serious or not. Given the nature of his schticky ‘act’ he would of course always had to have worn the exact same outfit whenever he performed it on camera. And I’m sure he got paid union scale for each performance. Aye, Gene was most likely double dipping on those occasions. Gene Patton was a fellow IATSE member; he retired in 1997. Mr. Barris saw him dancing his little dance during rehearsals and loved it and stuck him in front of the cameras one night to eat up some time. Mr. Patton got his AFTRA membership from that and enjoyed many subsequent appearances, AFAIK getting paid twice each time. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989/29 "2015-03-19T05:19:09Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > I’m not sure if you’re being serious or not. Given the nature of his schticky ‘act’ he would of course always had to have worn the exact same outfit whenever he performed it on camera. And I’m sure he got paid union scale for each performance. It’s not like it was some identifiable costume or anything, just a green sweat jacket over a yellow shirt. It looks like they just put him out there in whatever he happened to be wearing that day, but there’s no reason for it to be the same whatever each time. And my mistake, the pants were different in the first clip. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989/30 "2015-03-19T05:37:18Z")
**RE: The Gong Show** _“Cocaine is a Hellava Drug!”_ -Rick James, _Bitch!_ ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989/31 "2015-03-22T00:26:21Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > Unknown Comic? Do you like sex? Do you like to travel? Then take a fucking hike! Lissen, people! We all oughtta get together! White people, black people, yellow people, red people! We all oughtta get together and gang up on the Greeks! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989/32 "2015-03-24T22:03:23Z")
I once had a poster of the Unknown Comic nude. With two bags. Everyone who saw it fell down laughing. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989/33 "2015-03-25T17:03:40Z")
He will be missed. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2015, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989/34 "2015-03-31T15:08:13Z")
For all you Gong Show fans, if you live in the New York area or are planning a visit, there’s an off-Broadway show of [The Gong Show Live](http://www.gongshowlive.net/), which is absolutely hilarious. RIP Gene. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2015, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989/35 "2015-03-31T17:20:41Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > The unknown comic? > > I just got an apartment over a bank, an now my assets over a million dollars! (pronounced “ass sets”) > > This is my impression of the first man to land on the sun. [High-stepping painfully…] “OOH! OW! OOH! OW!” Huh, I would have sworn I saw Richard Prior do that. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2015, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989/36 "2015-03-31T17:55:37Z")
Chuck, Milton Da Lug, Gene Gene, the Unknown Comic, Stella Bella, Jaye P. Morgan…ahhh, the smoke clouded memories of EVERY day after class my sophomore year of college. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989/37 "2015-03-31T18:08:41Z")
So sad I did love Gene so. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-gene-the-dancing-machine-stopped/714989.md?page=1)