"I was never on drugs, but everybody thought I was. When they saw 'The Gong Show' and I would come out, they all thought I was whacked out of my mind. But I never did drugs. I had a public company. I had lots of television shows on the air. I had a daughter who was a druggie who I could see as an example. And I had no use for drugs at all. So I never did them. But I was excessive and my daughter was excessive and we chewed gum by the packs and stuff like that. But you know, I never drank on the show or ever had drugs."   

    About This Interview

    In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Chuck Barris (1929-2017) chronicles his career from NBC page to novelist. Barris tells how he bluffed his way into the NBC management training program (thanks to some creative and fabricated recommendations from RCA board members), as well as how he started down the path of game show innovator during his tenure at ABC Daytime. He describes his slow start with programs like People Poker, and then finding his stride, first with the popular show The Dating Game, and subsequently with hits The Newlywed Game and The Gong Show - the latter of which Barris himself hosted. He discusses why he believes he was an awful television host, recounts the creation of his production company, Chuck Barris Productions, and shares his recollections of a Newlywed Game contestant's infamous answer to the question, "Where is the weirdest place you've ever gotten the urge to make whoopee?" Also an accomplished author and songwriter, Barris comments on several well-known claims included in his book, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind: An Unauthorized Autobiography, and describes his process for penning the work of which he's proudest -- the song "Palisades Park." Jim Colucci conducted the interview on June 10, 2010 in New York, NY. 

    All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.
    People Talking About ...
    Thumbnail of Chuck Barris

    Chuck Barris on censorship on The Newlywed Game and creating the term "making whoopee"

    01:52
    Thumbnail of Chuck Barris

    On his first creative venture - writing the song "Palisades Park"

    01:16
    Thumbnail of Chuck Barris

    On serving as a producer for The Dating Game

    00:51
    Thumbnail of Chuck Barris

    On whether or not he worked for the CIA

    01:26
    Thumbnail of Chuck Barris

    On how he got into the NBC management training program - by forging references from RCA board members

    01:14
    Play Full Interview

    Chapter 1

    On his childhood and early influences; on one of his first jobs out of college as an NBC page in New York

    06:57

    On leaving NBC and working for ABC Daytime and getting involved with game shows

    14:50

    On developing The Dating Game - the format, music, design, selecting contestants, chaperones

    27:46

    On syndicating The Dating Game

    01:15

    On developing The Newlywed Game

    09:30

    Chapter 2

    On The Newlywed Game

    25:53

    On syndicating The Newlywed Game and the beginnings of first-run syndication

    03:38

    On developing The Gong Show

    34:25

    On The Gong Show Movie and his daughter appearing on the show

    03:37

    Chapter 3

    On The Gong Show staff

    04:25

    On some of his lesser known game shows: How's Your Mother-In-Law?, Operation Entertainment, The $1.98 Beauty Contest, and Treasure Hunt

    10:50

    On forming his own production company and later selling his shares

    05:24

    On his books You and Me, Babe, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind: An Unauthorized Autobiography, and Della: A Memoir of My Daughter

    07:36

    On his legacy, his proudest achievement and how he would like to be remembered

    09:41

    $1.98 Beauty Show, The

    Chuck Barris on The $1.98 Beauty Show - a parody of a beauty pageant

    02:54

    Camouflage

    Chuck Barris on his recollections of the game show Camouflage

    00:31

    Dating Game, The

    Chuck Barris on developing The Dating Game

    29:01

    Chuck Barris on the appeal of The Dating Game for contestants

    01:52

    Chuck Barris on the contracts for The Dating Game

    00:46

    Gong Show, The

    Chuck Barris on The Gong Show

    34:25

    Chuck Barris on The Gong Show staff

    01:54

    Chuck Barris on the legacy of The Gong Show

    02:31

    Chuck Barris on his difficulties hosting The Gong Show

    00:42

    How's Your Mother In Law?

    Chuck Barris on the game show How's Your Mother In Law?

    01:17

    Newlywed Game, The

    Chuck Barris on The Newlywed Game

    25:53

    Chuck Barris on developing The Newlywed Game

    09:30

    Operation Entertainment

    Chuck Barris on Operation Entertainment

    01:06

    People Poker

    Chuck Barris on his first game show People Poker

    01:55

    Tennessee Ernie Ford Show, The

    Chuck Barris on his responsibilities on The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show

    00:51

    Treasure Hunt

    Chuck Barris on Treasure Hunt and host Jeff Edwards

    04:03

    Censorship / Standards & Practices

    Chuck Barris on censorship on The Newlywed Game and creating the term "making whoopee"

    01:52

    Chuck Barris on censorship on The Gong Show and the problematic Popsicle Twins

    04:00

    Chuck Barris on obscene answers on The Newlywed Game

    00:42

    Fame and Celebrity

    Chuck Barris on getting recognized once he hosted The Gong Show

    01:44

    Chuck Barris on being approached by fans

    01:37

    We Laughed

    Chuck Barris on a contestant's answer to the question, "What's the most unusual place you've ever made love?" on The Newlywed Game

    00:54

    Game Show Host

    Chuck Barris on hosting and producing The Gong Show

    02:14

    Hosts

    Chuck Barris on hosting The Gong Show and being hated by critics

    02:48

    Producers

    Chuck Barris on hosting and producing The Gong Show

    02:14

    Chuck Barris on serving as a producer for The Dating Game

    00:51

    Chuck Barris on serving as a producer for The Dating Game and for The Newlywed Game

    00:41

    Game Shows

    Chuck Barris on developing The Gong Show

    34:25

    Chuck Barris on The Newlywed Game

    25:53

    Chuck Barris on the staff and legacy of The Gong Show

    04:25

    Chuck Barris on developing The Dating Game

    29:01

    Chuck Barris on developing The Newlywed Game

    09:30

    Edward Bleier

    Chuck Barris on Edward Bleier's philosophy on production 

    00:32

    Dick Clark

    Chuck Barris on working for Dick Clark in Philadelphia during the payola scandal

    02:54

    Milton Delugg

    Chuck Barris on The Gong Show musical director Milton Delugg

    01:54

    Phyllis Diller

    Chuck Barris on Phyllis Diller as a panelist on The Gong Show

    00:20

    Jeff Edwards

    Chuck Barris on Treasure Hunt and host Jeff Edwards

    03:18

    Bob Eubanks

    Chuck Barris on Bob Eubanks, host of The Newlywed Game

    01:19

    Johnny Jacobs

    Chuck Barris on announcer Johnny Jacobs

    00:48

    Jim Lange

    Chuck Barris on Jim Lange, host of The Dating Game

    01:05

    Chuck Barris on the sign off of Jim Lange, host of The Dating Game

    00:29

    Al Michaels

    Chuck Barris on Al Michaels doing run throughs for The Dating Game

    01:01

    Charlie O'Donnell

    Chuck Barris on announcer Charlie O'Donnell

    00:48

    Paul Reubens

    Chuck Barris on Pee Wee Herman's appearances on The Gong Show

    00:55

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