The Game Show King: A Confession [Hardcover]

Chuck Barris (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1993

The former host of "The Gong Show" discusses his creation of "The Newlywed Game," "The Dating Game," and other television programs, his fall from grace, and life in his adopted France. 40,000 first printing.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This autobiography may surprise some readers: while Barris covers his many successful television game shows in some detail, his primary emphasis is on his retirement years in St. Tropez. (He also describes one unhappy return trip to L.A., which convinced him that he didn't want to go home again.) Starting in 1965 with The Dating Game , Barris racked up hit after hit with shows like The Newlywed Game , Dream Girls , The Family Game , The Parent Game , The $1.98 Beauty Show and his most famous and controversial effort, The Gong Show , considered sadistic by many because it featured individuals with minimal talents or skills otherwise unmarketable. Barris ruled the field until 1986, when he moved to the Riviera. France and the French irritated him considerably, but they were real--which, he discovered on his return to La La Land, Hollywood was not. Enlivened by many amusing anecdotes, this is a good read. 40,000 first printing; $40,000 ad/promo; author tour.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Chuck Barris is living proof of H. L. Mencken's assertion that no one ever lost money underestimating the intelligence of the masses. After all, this is the man who gave TV viewers The Dating Game , The Newlywed Game , and The Gong Show. These popular programs earned Mr. B a great fortune and, when he picked himself to host The Gong Show , enormous fame. At some point--the author suggests around 1980, when his one foray into motion pictures, The Gong Show Movie , laid an ostrich-sized egg--it started to go sour. By 1986 Barris was ready to sell his company , and the next year he and his wife moved to the south of France. End of story? Not quite, but, unfortunately, Barris spends an inordinate amount of time describing life in St. Tropez and not enough behind the scenes in TV to make this worthwhile for most collections.
- Thomas Wiener, formerly with "American Film"
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 301 pages
• Publisher: Carroll & Graf Pub; 1st Ed. edition (November 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786700025
• ISBN-13: 978-0786700028
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,198,210 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Give him a break, he didn't find a cure for cancer..., January 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Game Show King: A Confession (Hardcover)

This book was hysterical, it was passed around the office and a good read was had by all. You have to remember that Chuck Barris didn't find a cure for cancer, he created some of the funniest television moments. That being said the book merrily moves along recounting antics from his early days as well as his life in St. Tropez. Lighten up, sit back and enjoy the book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I actually read the book, and the CIA is not in it!, May 24, 2004

By 

I don't have a pen "ted777" (Somerville, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Game Show King: A Confession (Hardcover)

Well, just to let you know, this is not the book that "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" was based on. That book was, surprisingly, called "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind." It might have been more useful had the guy from Woodbury mentioned that. As it is, his wording might lead you to believe that a) The "he" refers to is the reviewer a couple of reviews down who had only read "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind", as his review predates the movie, and confused the title or b) The "he" refers to Chuck Barris since he didn't mention the CIA or c) The "he" refers the reviewer who fails to mention the CIA and therefor read the correct book, i.e. "Game Show King."
"Game Show King" does not mention the CIA, so hopefully that is what the guy from Woodbury meant - or he hasn't read the book either.
It is still a pretty good read, though more of what one might have expected had one never heard or seen "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind." i.e. only knew about Chuck Barris from the various game shows he was involved with.
The movie made me curious and the book just adds to it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly Enjoyable, January 31, 2008

By 

pinmagic "Neil" (Arlington, Virginia USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Game Show King: A Confession (Hardcover)

While I wasn't too keen on the Newlywed Game or the Dating Game, I was always a fan of the Gong Show, and of the way Chuck Barris hosted it. He was crazy, funny, and seemingly out of control.

This sweet, touching, funny book brings it all together, and gives you an inside look at the mind of the man who created some of TV's iconic game shows. He mixes the stories of his time creating those shows, with stories of his retirement (yes, I know he hates that word) in St. Tropez. The craziness of the Hollywood is counterbalanced by stories of St. Tropez, which -- while seemingly peaceful and idyllic -- is crazy in it's own special way (at least, the way Chuck Barris sees it).

The stories are funny, touching, and just plain interesting. While I could have used more on Hollywood, and less on St. Tropez, the combination of the two puts his life more into perspective.

Special note to Mama Cass fans: Barris spends a short chapter talking about his friendship with Cass Elliot, including the time he produced her TV special, the time she spiked his brownies, and their near-tryst.

Barris makes clear in the book that he's proud of his legacy of creating shows, but embarrassed by his persona on the Gong Show. He states that, in looking back, he can't understand his own actions, and calls it his public "mid-life crisis". Maybe that explains the absence of any Gong Show compilation on DVD. Pity.

This book was written long before Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, and includes none of the insanity in that book. (I listened to the audio CD of Confessions, as read by Chuck Barris himself. I was unimpressed.)

Chuck Barris has a unique and intersting story to tell, and he tells it well. Well worth reading.