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CNN Live At Daybreak
Televised Talent Shows
Aired May 30, 2003 - 05:53 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: You know, it seems nearly impossible to turn on the TV anymore without seeing some sort of televised talent show, from "American Idol" to "Star Search" to "The World's Most Talented Kid," and even the most talented three-legged dog from Idaho. Well, I made that last one up.
But our Jamie Colby sat down with the man who may be responsible or irresponsible for all of it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "AMERICAN IDOL")
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All night long will share all my feelings...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JAMIE COLBY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The reality behind reality shows like "American Idol," as a genre, they aren't new. Go back to the 1960s and '70s, shows like "The Dating Game."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE DATING GAME")
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What haven't you had since high school?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A date.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLBY: "The Newlyweds."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE NEWLYWEDS")
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No one has ever asked me what is whoopee before.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLBY: And "The Gong Show."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP "THE GONG SHOW")
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Congeniality himself, Mr. Chuck Barris.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLBY: Shows masterminded by Chuck Barris he says set the stage for today's reality TV.
(on camera): Was there a formula?
CHUCK BARRIS, FORMER GAME SHOW HOST: Yes, there was. They were the first show, really, "The Dating Game" was, that was spontaneous. Up until that time, all game shows were question and answer and stunts.
COLBY (voice-over): But Barris says reality shows tonight have taken a turn, from entertainment to beratement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ricky, I think you're here because of your personality.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLBY: Unlike the bizarre acts of "The Gong Show"...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE GONG SHOW")
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It gets better when you're happy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARRIS: The shows today are kind of mean-spirited and really kind of hostile and they kind of humiliate the contestants, whoever is performing.
COLBY: Though he's retired from TV, Barris still oversees the occasional gong. Here consoling the hillbilly Shakespearean at a New York YMCA charity event. Barris is also writing the follow-up to his autobiography, "Confessions of A Dangerous Mind."
BARRIS: The critics tore it apart and said what kind of a book do you expect from a guy that gave us "The Gong Show?"
COLBY: The book was a flop until the George Clooney directed movie of the same name was released last year. In it, Barris's character trains as a CIA assassin using "The Dating Game" program as a shield.
BARRIS: If you'd ask the CIA, they'll tell you it's absolutely a lie, he was never a member of the CIA.
COLBY (on camera): So what's the reality about whether or not Barris was a dual operative -- TV producer by day, hired killer at night? He still won't say.
BARRIS: Whether I did or didn't do it is not important. What is is whether you enjoy the book or you enjoy the movie.
COLBY (voice-over): Whether his claim is yet another game or reality, Chuck Barris has a goal -- to keep America entertained and guessing. Jamie Colby, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: I have to admit, it was an entertaining movie.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 30, 2003 - 05:53 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: You know, it seems nearly impossible to turn on the TV anymore without seeing some sort of televised talent show, from "American Idol" to "Star Search" to "The World's Most Talented Kid," and even the most talented three-legged dog from Idaho. Well, I made that last one up.
But our Jamie Colby sat down with the man who may be responsible or irresponsible for all of it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "AMERICAN IDOL")
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All night long will share all my feelings...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JAMIE COLBY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The reality behind reality shows like "American Idol," as a genre, they aren't new. Go back to the 1960s and '70s, shows like "The Dating Game."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE DATING GAME")
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What haven't you had since high school?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A date.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLBY: "The Newlyweds."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE NEWLYWEDS")
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No one has ever asked me what is whoopee before.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLBY: And "The Gong Show."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP "THE GONG SHOW")
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Congeniality himself, Mr. Chuck Barris.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLBY: Shows masterminded by Chuck Barris he says set the stage for today's reality TV.
(on camera): Was there a formula?
CHUCK BARRIS, FORMER GAME SHOW HOST: Yes, there was. They were the first show, really, "The Dating Game" was, that was spontaneous. Up until that time, all game shows were question and answer and stunts.
COLBY (voice-over): But Barris says reality shows tonight have taken a turn, from entertainment to beratement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ricky, I think you're here because of your personality.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLBY: Unlike the bizarre acts of "The Gong Show"...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE GONG SHOW")
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It gets better when you're happy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARRIS: The shows today are kind of mean-spirited and really kind of hostile and they kind of humiliate the contestants, whoever is performing.
COLBY: Though he's retired from TV, Barris still oversees the occasional gong. Here consoling the hillbilly Shakespearean at a New York YMCA charity event. Barris is also writing the follow-up to his autobiography, "Confessions of A Dangerous Mind."
BARRIS: The critics tore it apart and said what kind of a book do you expect from a guy that gave us "The Gong Show?"
COLBY: The book was a flop until the George Clooney directed movie of the same name was released last year. In it, Barris's character trains as a CIA assassin using "The Dating Game" program as a shield.
BARRIS: If you'd ask the CIA, they'll tell you it's absolutely a lie, he was never a member of the CIA.
COLBY (on camera): So what's the reality about whether or not Barris was a dual operative -- TV producer by day, hired killer at night? He still won't say.
BARRIS: Whether I did or didn't do it is not important. What is is whether you enjoy the book or you enjoy the movie.
COLBY (voice-over): Whether his claim is yet another game or reality, Chuck Barris has a goal -- to keep America entertained and guessing. Jamie Colby, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: I have to admit, it was an entertaining movie.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
