# So I'm Watching "The Gong Show Movie" . . . **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 8, 2006, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582 "2006-02-08T19:55:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/1 "2006-02-08T19:55:29Z")
. . . which, if I believed in the concept of “guilty pleasure” would be near the top of my list. Well, OK, I do believe in guilty pleasures. But for me, that describes a movie (since we’re talking about movies) that I actually feel \*guilty \*about liking, like _Life with Mikey_. As a person who has \*Showgirls \*in his lifetime top ~20 list, “guilty pleasure” has a pretty limited meaning. So anyway, I’m watching _The Gong Show Movie_–cowritten by Robert Downey Sr., which makes sense considering he’s the guy who made [_Greaser’s Palace_](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=4198746&postcount=11) --and I’m thinking: What’s the difference between the _Gong Show_ and _American Idol_ audition shows? I’m not sure who Randy parallels, but Paula is Jaye P. Morgan, and you KNOW that Simon Cowell has a life-size cutout of Rip Taylor in his bedroom. Wait, now that I think of it, Simon is the _gong_. Maybe \*Randy \*is Rip Taylor. That would make Seacrest Chuck Barris, wouldn’t it? I don’t really see that; Ryan really strikes me as slightly more Rip-Taylorey than he’d be willing to admit, even to himself. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/2 "2006-02-08T20:33:17Z")
But then who is Jamie Farr? ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/3 "2006-02-08T20:35:09Z")
So, William Hung is Gene, Gene the Dancing Machine? ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/4 "2006-02-08T21:13:40Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > I’m not sure who Randy parallels, but Paula is Jaye P. Morgan Does that mean Paula has a sign over her bed that say “Slippery when wet?” Hey, chuck said it and I never forgot it – made a very strong impression on my adolescent mind. ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/5 "2006-02-08T21:14:57Z")
> [@h.sapiens](#): > > So, William Hung is Gene, Gene the Dancing Machine? No, Randy is Gene Gene the Dancing Machine. He adds nothing to the show, but is there whenever you need to fill time. ---
**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:** [February 8, 2006, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/6 "2006-02-08T21:27:34Z")
William Hung is Steve Martin, except his bad performance isn’t an act. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/7 "2006-02-08T21:44:40Z")
William Hung is 90% of the show’s acts. He’s like the guy who played all the Oompa Loompas in _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_. Peel a Gong Show performer, and reveal William Hung every time. But seriously. You can’t say that the American Idol audition shows represent any kind of cultural _progress_, can you? ---
**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/8 "2006-02-09T00:51:22Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > . > > But seriously. You can’t say that the American Idol audition shows represent any kind of cultural _progress_, can you? Didn’t Chuck Barris say that he’d originally intended to do a real talent show, but most of the contestants were so horrible that he decided to make it a joke? The _American Idol_ auditions really have that element about them. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/9 "2006-02-09T01:01:26Z")
Wouldn’t surprise me. For some reason I can’t quite figure out, Chuck Barris is my hero. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/10 "2006-02-09T01:26:55Z")
> [@Rube E. Tewesday](#): > > Didn’t Chuck Barris say that he’d originally intended to do a real talent show, but most of the contestants were so horrible that he decided to make it a joke? The _American Idol_ auditions really have that element about them. From what I’ve read, Chuck had a lot of contempt for TV (don’t recall the reasons). He created game shows that were not your normal “a brand new car!!” type. With “The Newlywed Game” he could get young couples to talk about their personal lives. On “Dating Game” he could get single people to do the same thing. “The Gong Show” was an experiment to see just how far people would go just to get on TV. “The $1.98 Beauty Pageant” was a jab at all beauty pageants. Despite all this, nearly all of his shows became big hits. Yep, ole Chuckie Baby was a freaking genius. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/11 "2006-02-09T01:41:57Z")
My initial point was that, despite Idol being largely packaged as celebration of talent–a golden ticket for some talented hard worker–most of its appeal, for most people, is the meanspiritedness: the Gong continues to rule. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/12 "2006-02-09T01:45:52Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > My initial point was that, despite Idol being largely packaged as celebration of talent–a golden ticket for some talented hard worker–most of its appeal, for most people, is the meanspiritedness: the Gong continues to rule. Agreed. Some of the acts on The Gong Show were far beyond bad. OTOH, many were not bad. Not recording contract good, but not torture-your-enemies bad. ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/13 "2006-02-09T05:26:40Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > My initial point was that, despite Idol being largely packaged as celebration of talent–a golden ticket for some talented hard worker–most of its appeal, for most people, is the meanspiritedness: the Gong continues to rule. This is exactly why what little I know if it is too much. It is an exercise in cruelty. There are better ways to tell people that a singing career isn’t for them than ridiculing them on national television. It reminds me of the “worst date” contests some arrogant groups would have. whoever brings the biggest loser as a date wins. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/14 "2006-02-09T12:55:52Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > So I’m Watching “The Gong Show Movie” . . . First mistake… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/15 "2006-02-09T13:08:30Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > First mistake… I actually paid to see it when it first came out. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/16 "2006-02-09T14:42:27Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > I actually paid to see it when it first came out. I stand corrected. Actually seeing the film is the _second_ mistake. 😃 ---
**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:** [February 9, 2006, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/17 "2006-02-09T15:02:51Z")
I read Chuck Barris’s book, and he created the show to show what people would do to get on television and to win a little amount of money. When he interviewed people to be the host, they were all taking it very seriously. Finally, he realized he would have to host it himself to convey the big puton that it was. I remember seeing the “Popsicle Twins” on the show, doing a popsicle-linking act that was very suggestive (giving the popsicles a blow job). Barris says it only aired once, and everybody in the studio went into shock and the phones went crazy. Did anyone else see this? ---
**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:** [February 9, 2006, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/18 "2006-02-09T16:03:12Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I remember seeing the “Popsicle Twins” on the show, doing a popsicle-linking act that was very suggestive (giving the popsicles a blow job). Barris says it only aired once, and everybody in the studio went into shock and the phones went crazy. Did anyone else see this? Only in clips in the “Outrageous Game Show Moments” specials. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/19 "2006-02-09T16:16:47Z")
Gong Show… MMmmm Carol Wayne. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-watching-the-gong-show-movie/343582/20 "2006-02-09T17:47:49Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I read Chuck Barris’s book, and he created the show to show what people would do to get on television and to win a little amount of money. When he interviewed people to be the host, they were all taking it very seriously. Finally, he realized he would have to host it himself to convey the big puton that it was. > > I remember seeing the “Popsicle Twins” on the show, doing a popsicle-linking act that was very suggestive (giving the popsicles a blow job). Barris says it only aired once, and everybody in the studio went into shock and the phones went crazy. Did anyone else see this? Yeah, it’s in the movie. Best part of the movie: it’s full of all the R-rated bits that did NOT make it into the final broadcasts. Who knew the Unknown Comic worked blue?