Editing The Gong Show (section)

===Barris as emcee===
[[File:The Gong Show Chuck Barris 1976.jpg|thumb|right|Chuck Barris on the ''Gong Show'' set, 1977]]
An established [[game show]] producer (''[[The Dating Game]]'', ''[[The Newlywed Game]]''), Barris was originally creator and co-producer of ''The Gong Show'' and had no intention of  hosting the show himself. He was an emergency replacement for original host [[John Barbour (actor)|John Barbour]], who had objected to the show's satirical concept and tried to adopt more of a traditional amateur-hour format.
Barbour would eventually serve as producer and co-host of the hit NBC [[reality television|Reality TV]] series, ''[[Real People (TV program)|Real People]]'' (1979–84) 
Barris initially appeared somewhat ill at ease as host, but before long he was working so loosely on camera that many viewers assumed that he was intoxicated from alcohol or other drugs. In a later interview with the [[Archive of American Television]], Barris recounted that he was never drunk and forbade the use of drugs by anyone in his production company.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Archive of American Television|title=Chuck Barris Interview|url=http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/chuck-barris|access-date=July 22, 2017}}</ref>

Producer Chris Bearde, formerly of ''[[Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In]]'' and ''[[The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour]]'', clashed with Barris over the program's content, favoring more scripted comedy over chaotic nonsense. (Bearde's "new talent" segments on ''[[Laugh-In]]'' had featured oddball performers, the most celebrated being [[Tiny Tim (musician)|Tiny Tim]].) After a violent argument between Barris and Bearde over the future direction of the show came to blows and resulted the throwing of chairs and other objects, Bearde resigned, leaving Barris fully in charge of ''The Gong Show''.