The Gong Show All Star Special

In 1977, NBC gave its daytime hit "The Gong Show" a one-time-only shot in primetime. My guess is that Chuck Barris and crew filmed about an hour and a half of material for the show and cut it down to an hour's running time. There are extra disclaimers at the end of the show heralding this.

Big show with lots of people, in the filmed intros and on stage. You want music? (Alice Cooper, the UCLA band, Harry James and his orchestra) Comedy? (Rindercella, Tony Randall, the Bait Brothers) Action? (there's a crew fight) This show has it all. I am embedding the first part and you can find the rest yourself by clicking through to the YouTube page.

"This Is The Moment We've Been Waiting For!"

Fans of the late 1970's talent train-wreck "The Gong Show" have plenty to be thankful for tonight. In connection with the upcoming wide release of "Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind", creator Chuck Barris' "unauthorized autobiography" brought to the screen by director George Clooney and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, two cable networks tonight have scheduled presentations that are putting this 70's artifact back on the small screen, if only for a night. The program, which premiered in July 1976, lasted two years on NBC and a concurrent syndicated version (first with Gary Owens at the helm) ran for four seasons.

E! Entertainment Television, known for its tawdry documentaries, plays its card first at 8:00 p.m. Eastern with "The E! True Hollywood Story: The Gong Show". The obligatory backstage drama and scandal typical of all E! THS' is due to be on display. Look for coverage of the last-minute host switch (John Barbour was gonged after five shows were taped), outrageous acts including the dreaded "Popsicle Twins" (actually called "Have You Got A Nickel" on the show), panel anarchy at the hands of Jaye P. Morgan, Jamie Farr and Arte Johnson, and Chuck's gradual transformation from stiff, tuxedoed presenter from something more closely resembling himself - wearing blue jeans, athletic jackets and goofy hats on the air (usually covering his eyes so as not to see the audience), jamming with the house band, and dancing around with Gene Gene The Dancing Machine.

Of course, immediately after the E! show ends, tune to Game Show Network for a three hour tribute to "The Gong Show" and to "Confessions..." with interviews with Barris, Clooney, and the movie's stars, Sam Rockwell and Drew Barrymore. GSN usually slots five half hour shows for a three hour marathon to allow for interstitials and interviews. Hope GSN picks five good ones.

Randy Amasia Dies

The world of game shows lost a friend and supporter yesterday. Alan Randy Amasia, 44, died at approximately 2 pm on Wednesday. If you go to USENET and read the memorial messages posted in alt.tv.game-shows, you will get pretty much a cross section of what this man meant to a lot of people. A little background: Randy Amasia was a successful contestant on an otherwise-forgotten show called "WHEW!" and parlayed that into a research position with Goodson-Todman Productions. Along the way he also appeared on "Jeopardy!", was rejected for "The Gong Show" and eventually was a regular fixture at game show tapings around Hollywood. When the Internet beckoned, Amasia had another outlet for his mania. He had been having some health problems over the last year which culminated in his final hospitalization with advanced throat cancer. Mercifully, this period of suffering was brief, and now Randy is with angels. And all of us who ever filled in the blanks or solved the puzzle or bid on the showcase from our easy chairs are richer just for having known him.