Customer Reviews

Wally George: The Father of Combat TV

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Wally George is an absolute genius. The only thing better than this book is his toupee. He is the only man I know who wears two or three different hair pieces at the same time. And the colors never match. But I digress. This book is the monument Wally deserves. It is as sharp, intelligent and bitingly funny as he is (or isn't). It also manages to capture the complex human being who is Wally George. Is he really a master performance artists who lowers himself to the level of his audience? Or is he the borderline retard who doesn't know anything about politics or humor? You decide. All I can tell you is that watching Wally's show on Saturday nights is a bit like taking mushrooms: nothing makes sense. (For the really bold, try doing them both at the same time; it will scar you forever). Anyway, this book sucks just like Wally does. But his stupidity and awfulness is so great that he actually becomes funny and entertaining. Hard to believe, but true. Just like his hairpiece(s).

After leaving the funeral of Wally George in Garden Grove, CA, I was given a copy of his autobiography. "How interesting could it be?", I thought. But as I skimmed through the pages, I found myself immersed by the tale, in Wally's own words, of a man who, while combative in front of the camera, was one of soft-heartedness and dedication to family and faith. While he boasts of his accomplishments, he expresses his deepest hurts with narrative clarity. He tells of his combats, and friendships, with past guests on his show "Hot Seat". He holds nothing back about his political views. His solid Christian faith weaves its way through the text. His love for his children is penned with emotion. From the pride in his son Kerry to his joy with daughter Holly, and the hole left in his heart by his broken relationship with oldest daughter, Rebecca De Mornay.

I can't believe I would recommend this as a read, but I highly do. And don't be surprised if your eyes become a bit watery here and there.

If you want to know the true story of Wally George's life, this is not the book for you. If, however, you want to learn how to make up a great story about your life when it comes time to write your own autobiography, buy this book immediately. There is no way this book is factually accurate. It is full of contraditions and impossible senarios, most of which are totally hilarious. Like the time 10-year-old Wally rode in a parade with Nixon during the 1952 presidential election. You do the math on that one. Wally would've been in his early 20s. His stories about his hatred of his mother and how he's been living off lawsuits for the past decade are also great. The book is also full of lots of great photos. I don't think you even need to know who Wally George is to enjoy this book, although he does claim to have "millions of fans all over the world."

I like how this book was written. Wally George is a very good person in general. His life is a very unique and interesting one. If you want to know more about him, get this book!

We often hear the complaint that the current level of political discourse in the U.S. is not what it was in the past. Maybe the Lincoln-Douglas debates were remarkable for their tone and erudition, but I wasn't around for them. I did have the pleasure of attending a "debate" between Wally George and Timothy Leary at UCLA, probably in 1983 or 1984. By that time, Leary had become a mere representative of a drug-addled, new-age, free-love counterculture, a calling card of the Summer of Love. George, on the other hand, was the vivid and muscular present, one of the first media figures to embody the conflict between the infallible idea of "America" and the real America, which was going down the sewer because of people like Leary and what he represented. We take this doublethink for granted today, but at the time, it was a new idea, not easily countered. You couldn't get very far by reminding someone in the Wally contingent that "America" had enslaved Blacks and slaughtered the Native Americans, if they thought these were good things. I do remember that at one point during the "debate," one of the moderators, an intelligent and sensitive young man named, I think, "Stu," lost patience with the proceedings and walked out.

Ruder than Limbaugh, not as well-read as Savage, stupider than Hannity, not as polished as O'Reilly, sort of a male Ann Coulter (is that redundant?), Wally George was nevertheless a pioneer in the conservative-as-entertainer field, paving the way for those who came after. The result is deeper polarization than ever before, both in Congress and the public at large, and the inability to conduct meaningful dialogue, because both sides are starting with different definitions of the same thing.

It has always fascinated me how these radical right yahoos, who drip poison with their every public utterance, can fall back on what good Christians they are and how much they love their families. From George and Pyne to Downey and Limbaugh and down, they act in the most unChristian like manner possible as long as there are political points to score and ratings to be had, then try to convince the throng they're really swell fellows after all. George's book is part and parcel of this, and while it is not awfully written, it tells the Big Lie: that even though George was one of the first footsoldiers that led to the corruption of public discourse in America, he didn't really mean it like that.

Sorry, but if I am going to read metretricious, self-justifying twaddle, at least I'll read some with genuine historical import; Mein Kampf is about that speed.

Evocation: I first became acquainted with The Wally George Show when I was in High School, on UHF's KDOC Channel 56 Los Angeles {a station which preserves timeless favorites}, which was re-airing episodes of Dark Shadows at the time, when I saw a commercial for the program, airing at 11pm on Saturday nights, so I decided to tune in. His demeanor was amusing, yelling and insulting guests was his shtick, and even though he addressed what was to be the subject of the show, he always turned it into a verbal shouting match with an audience of mostly drunken supporters shouting "Wally! Wally!", hardly letting the guest get a word in edge-wise, and when they did, they were often called "idiots", "morons", or if female, the ubiquitous "bimbo" was often used, which was also repeated by the belligerent and inebriated crowd. He was typified as the raucus Conservative with the American flag, an enlarged photo of The Challenger, and John Wayne on the rickety baby-blue cubicle-like backdrop enfolding around his desk, upon which was always that apple-boysenberry juice in his mug. It was not a show for serious consideration, but purely for entertainment purposes. His co-host included a yes-man named "David Kennedy" who actually did interject relatively cohesive commentary from time to time.

Of note, his guests have included billboard-queen "Angelyne", Racist Tom Metzger and son, Rick Dees {a long-standing "feud" resulted in which one day as a guest George 'broke' a prop chair over his back, as well as having a pie-throwing episode}, fellow Conservative-loudmouth poseur Morton Downey Jr. {who owes his momentary fame to George, and whom he also had an ongoing "feud" with}, some regulars who appeared with various agendas and cardboard props which were frequently torn from their hands, ripped to pieces and thrown over George's shoulders, members of Heavy Metal band "Dagahoggit" {said to mean "castration by teeth"}, Rebel-Rebel, The Mentors, and Radio Werewolf, along with a slew of strippers, male and female wrestlers {most times actually becoming involved in staged mud-wrestling}, and even a Wally George impersonator at one point {the 'real' Wally George was predictably removed by the resident 'security guards' therein}.

During his tenure, George cameoed in several films including "A Nightmare of Elm Street 5", "Repossessed" {a hilarious parody of 'The Exorcist' starring Leslie Nielson & Linda Blair}, "Club Fed", and "Grunt: The Wrestling Movie", among others. He also eventually wrote a book entitled "The Father of Combat Television", and was even featured as the subject on E!'s "True Hollywood Story" at one time, which has slipped into obscurity.

Also of note, his estranged daughter happens to be actress Rebecca Demornay {Risky Business, The Hand That Rocks The Cradle}, who wanted little to nothing to do with her father.

Eventually, George began playing re-runs of his show which included daily monologues in which one could perceive his increasing physical deterioration, yet he persisted almost until his last days. He occasionally had guests on, mostly consisting of sponsors. He also hosted a radio show for a time, which was much more of the same, for it went on for several hours. Within the last month, a message came up asking viewers to pray for him in his failing health. And now it seems that most traces of his show have been seemingly wiped out, even on the web, which began with the abrupt removal of Hot Seat from the airwaves altogether, without so much as a word of warning.

Through all of this Wally George was essentially a performer, and with that in mind, one could overlook the sometimes absurd antics and attempted 'seriousness' he tried to assert during some commentaries. Love him, hate him, or indifferent about him, he sure was amusing, And for that amusement, the program is missed.

He is survived by daughters Rebecca Demornay, Holly, son Kerri, and a questionable young ex-wife often shown as part of the crew.

Note: This Evocation was written largely because of sudden inspiration, the relative obscurity of this entertainer, the sad obfuscation of information, and the preservation of this segment of the "Schlock" genre. For the purposes of evocative entertainment, this series should be made available on DVD.

A very interesting book, could not stop reading untill it was finished. His Views, and His Belief, was main part of the book that held my intrest. His TV show "Hot Seat" was always very good, and if you did not believe in his theory, well you either was disconnected or thrown off the show.

wally george has already proven himself intellectually and politically incompetent on his ten-cent "television" show, so I don't know why he wants to prove himself STUPID on two mediums. I agree with review #1; the man is totally naive; he takes strong political stands on subjects he doesn't fully understand. This would be dangerous for anyone els, but I think most of the nation knows what a complete, utter, total nincompoop this joker is. The man is sadly lacking, not only in writing talent, but, on his show, in aeshetic charisma. This guy needs to retire and go back to the elementary school he dropped out of.

Wally George is a shriveled up old hack. The man has absolutely no talent in radio or writing, please for the love of God please do not torture yourself with this book. Bababooie, Bababooie