Yay! Movies!

Any fan of "The Gong Show" who's remotely curious about creator and host Chuck Barris ought to watch this movie. It's an adaptation of his "unauthorized autobiography" in which he claims he lead a secret life as a decorated CIA agent while producing hits like "The Dating Game" and "The Newlywed Game." It's like a fan fiction autobiography. I loved watching Chuck Barris on "The Gong Show" when I was a kid. He was such a funny goof. It always seemed like he had a mouth full of saliva that he was trying to keep in. Watching Sam Rockwell play him during the movie, I kept having to remind myself that he was playing Chuck Barris until it got to "The Gong Show" parts. He did a super imitation of Barris.

I really enjoyed this movie, and it made me sad for Barris. I've never been snooty enough to think that reality TV like "The Gong Show" was the lowest of low. I've always thought it exactly what it is... entertainment. Yet people were so cruel to Barris. Not just the critics who are supposed to be negative (who would care what they had to say if they were never negative?). Everyday people would disrespect him.

Salon has a good article on Barris.

Yay! for Confessions of a Dangerous Mind!

More information and purchase: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind