‘Gong Show’ Host Sadly Dies At 87, But His “Dangerous” Legacy Still Lives
ILOSM family we have sad news to share with you all. The legendary TV host/producer/author, Chuck Barris, best known for hosting his shows, The Gong Show, The Newlywed Game, and The Dating Game, has passed away at the age of 87. He died on Tuesday, March 21 (2017) at his home in Palisades, N.Y.
At this time, his spokesman, Paul Shefrin, has confirmed his passing, but didn’t give any further details into his cause of death. We do know that Chuck was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2000, as of right now, there has been no connection publicly made to his past cancer diagnosis and his death.
Chuck Barris will go down in history as the man who lived a colorful life.
He was dubbed as the man who, in the mid 1960’s and 1970’s, singlehandedly sparked the fire that breathed life into what would eventually become a plethora of reality TV shows today. Receiving backlash from some and love from many regarding the nature of his TV shows, Chuck loved it all.
First came The Dating Game in 1965. Chuck was criticized for making such a sexually explicit show, by featuring a bachelorette who would ask a few questions to three guys hidden behind a wall. Then she’d choose one to go on a date with…unheard of at that time, but much of the public loved it.
The attraction of his game show, The Gong Show, was the spontaneity it displayed with it’s talent contestants who got gonged if they were wack…again, something unheard of on TV at that time.
Chuck also caught flack and love for his The Newlywed Game where new couples would have to answer questions about the other, with the hopes of getting it right. The heat came from the show’s usage of sexually terms, such as “making whoopee.” The word ‘sex’ was prohibited on national TV back then. Man have times changed!
Chuck Barris On His Influence Of Today’s Reality TV
Via Washington Post: “I’m the guy who came up with spontaneous TV,” he said in 2003. “It has evolved into ‘American Idol,’ ‘Survivor’ and even ‘Jerry Springer.’ My shows were stolen all over the place. ‘Love Connection’ was ‘Dating Game.’ ‘American Idol’ is part ‘Gong Show.’ I guess this is what they call a tribute.”
In 1980, his last TV gig was cancelled. He reportedly sold his production company for $100 million and relocated to France. But what he revealed about himself four years later in his memoir, shocked EVERYBODY…
