One of my favorite shows from the 1970’s was The Gong Show. I loved Gene Gene The Dancing Machine, The Unknown Comic and the judges who were always off the hook. Chuck Barris was also hysterical. The talent was usually so bad that it was good. You really wanted the contestants to be bad so the judges could give them the GONG!!!
The Gong Show ran from June 14, 1976 through July 21, 1978, and in syndication from 1976 to 1980 and 1988 to 1989. The show was produced by Chuck Barris, who served as the host from 1977 to 1980. He was as funny as the comedians that he had on judges panel, like Arte Johnson, Joanne Worley, J.P. Morgan and Adrienne Barbeau. One of the few real talents to be legitimately discovered on the Gong Show was Cheryl Lynn, who went on to record Got To Be Real and sing with the legendary Luther Vandross.
