Chuck Barris, the creator and host of The Gong Show, was one of my childhood heroes. I always wanted to be like him, a game show host with big, quirky ideas.
Although my TV career never happened, I do get to play game show host every time I run my Personality Poker experience on stage. And funny enough, Barris once had an idea that was surprisingly similar to mine.
In the book Gong This Book! (a playful look at Barris’s career), I discovered a game show he piloted but could never sell: People Poker.
Here’s how it worked:
- Sixteen contestants were divided into “suits.”
- Two celebrity panelists had to guess the professions of the contestants using a poker-like strategy.
- Correct guesses earned them “human poker hands.” For example, five brain surgeons equaled a five-of-a-kind.
The production was a disaster. At one taping, the booker brought in five policewomen and five sex workers, who refused to appear on stage together. Needless to say, the pilot never aired.
Soon after, Barris struck gold with The Dating Game and later cemented his fame with The Gong Show.
I couldn’t help but smile when I read this story. Barris had People Poker. I have Personality Poker. Different “cards,” same playful spirit, using the metaphor of poker to reveal something deeper about people.
Maybe I’m closer to Chuck Barris than I ever thought.