Whoopee! Memories Of The Ol’ Heritage Days Gong Show

For several years, the most enjoyable moment of my Heritage Days celebration was when I hosted The Gong Show. The whole thing, I believe, was concocted by Dave Pearse..and executed by Historic Main Street Alliance with help from some phenomenal sponsors.

“Judges, what do you think of this dog act?”

I have done a lot of hosting in my day…Sunday In The Park, Alliance Idol, KCOW’s Game Show Nights…and a whole mess of others. But what made the Gong Show especially fun (and freeing) was that I hosted in character as Chuck Barris. This made it easier for me to tell jokes and do things I would never do in a million years as myself. Something about a pair of thick-rimmed nerd glasses, a loud shirt, and hats…soooo many hats…

Year one, and my first of several ribald jokes in introducing Jaye P. Morgone. Kendra-as-Jaye offers the perfect rejoinder.

The acts were the star, of course…you never knew what kind of madness was going to take that stage. But there were certain consistencies…Chuck always needed a good line when an act was gonged.

“I don’t know why they gonged you! I loved that act…but then again I love root canal surgery (paper cuts, head trauma, etc.)”

And most of our Gong Shows featured Gene Gene The Dancing Machine and The Unknown Comic. Did I mention that you never knew what the acts were going to do? Because that’s absolutely true. For example, I did not know what Elaine and Angie from our Main Street Players group had in store for me in 2012:

Angie plays an obsessed fan of mine. No…really.

It was a short-lived obsession. And one of many Main Street Players performances ending in a pie-in-the-face.

I am very nostalgic for the Gong Show, but I do believe events like this have a lifespan…and I feel like we drew the curtain down at the right time. There are lots of memories…and lots of pictures of me in goofy hats.