“Gonnnnnnnnnnnnnnng”
It was the bottom of bottom-feeding television. “The Gong Show,” which aired on NBC from 1976 to 1980, combined the worst of amateur talent and bad television production. By comparison, “American Idol” looks like the Metropolitan Opera.
Instead of verbal abuse, contestants on “The Gong Show,” were cut off in mid-act by the ringing of a 3-foot gong.
The show is long gone and its creator, Chuck Barris, only a bad Hollywood memory, but the gong lives on in Colorado.
Kevin Olson, who lives in Fort Collins, was a young employee at Automated Studio Lighting in Los Angeles when “The Gong Show” and Barris’ “The Newlywed Game” and “The Dating Game” were flying high.
When “The Gong Show” rang its last gong, it went into storage. The company was sold, its space downsized, so Olson took the gong home, promising to bring it back. In the meantime, employees were told that everything related to the shows was “put in a warehouse,” Olson recalled. “In fact, they took it all to the dump.”
Olson moved to Colorado a decade ago and brought the gong with him. “I didn’t even think about it. I put it in the garage, where it’s been sitting for the last 10 years.” His friends think he should bring it out, make money by charging people a dollar to ring it with a big mallet, which he also has. He tells them, “Dude, it’s just a gong.”
But what a gong! It was signed by a dazzling galaxy of B-grade celebrity judges, including Jaye P. Morgan, Henry Gibson, Rex Reed, Pat Harrington and Scatman Crothers.
Don’t think about making him an offer; it’s not for sale. “I really don’t want to get rid of it. It’s kind of a cool thing. People have found out I have it and come knocking on the door and asked if they can see it.
“The funny thing is, if I hadn’t taken it, it would have been buried in a landfill.”
Another tragedy averted.
Ryan goes deep
Now you see him, then you don’t, then you do, now you won’t.
KUSA-Channel 9 sportscaster Ryan Chiaverini, who took to the air here in 2002, then left to seek his fortune in L.A., then came back in July to cover football, is off again.
He’ll start March 6, covering the Chicago Bears for WLS in Chicago. “I wanted the opportunity to grow,” said the former CU footballer. Sunday was his last day at Channel 9.
Around the dial
New faces: Bill Gamble, late of ABC in Chicago, is the first program director for the new KWLI 92.5-FM (“Willie”), and Beau Raines, ex of WZLX in Boston, has been named program director at KQMT 99.5-FM (“The Mountain”). … Similarities between the 1960 and 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey teams are explored in “First Miracle” (6 tonight, ESPN Classic). Biggest difference: No one remembers the 1960 miracle. … Quotable: “Spontaneity is such an entertaining facet of show business.” Chuck Barris.
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-820-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com.
