The show taped five shows in one day and had all the contestants waiting in an unused studio next to The Hollywood Squares set. At lunchtime we had a huge jam session including singers and dancers. We were having such a good time that a group on the studio tour didn’t want to go any further. It ended because we were so loud they could hear us on the Hollywood Squares !

If you remember Laugh-In then you’ll remember that the studio was in “Beautiful Downtown Burbank”.

I had brought a pint of Brandy with me and was pretty well lit up when I got to the airport in LA to return to San Francisco.Well they used to have these little stand up beer bars in the airport and I put on a show there. Wellllll people started buying me beers and I just made my red-eye(2 & a half hr.)flight to SF.
I kind of passed out and woke up the next morning when the ground crew was cleaning the aircraft in…SEATTLE !!!! Western Airlines was kind enough to give me a free ticket back to San Francisco on the condition that I do not go to sleep.

I still have my trophy sitting on the entertainment center and will try to send a pic of it on Monday.

No, I don’t have a blog yet because I can get very busy travelling from CT to NC playing civil War music on my fife and October is extremely busy with 2 weddings,2 4 day re-enactments, 2 old time dances and a private party besides teaching fife every Wednnesday. Whew !! Just got tired writting that with my trusty one finger.

Any way, happy you wrote back. Feel free to use any part or all of what I wrote. I hope you enjoyed the true Gong Show Story.

I have a retro record player/ radio, my 1st job out of H.S. was servicing checkwriters,I too have tinnitus and someone stole my 1830′s banjo clock.

I am only a little overweight but elevationally challenged but when I was in the USAF I marched in front of the tall guys because I was either carrying the guideon or playing my Fife.

I lived in San Francisco for 9 years and was a street musician for the last 3 & a half yrs. I won on the Gong Show back in ’77 and was in the movie Gods and Generals in the only music scene.

Over the years I have met and performed for,Mayor John Lindsay of NY,Lieberman,Dodd Delauro & Govs.Weiker and Rowland of CT senators, Kennedy,Sarbanes and Kerry. Govs of Virginia, Warner,Allen,Gilmore and Wilder and Presidents GHW Bush.WHJ Clinton and GW Bush plus many other Reps and candidates of both parties. I really do believe we should all be involved in our government to make sure it does the will of the people and not the other way around.

I have been enjoying your blog and I thank you for the chance to share my opinions or as opinions are better known S**T !!

People like Glen Beck are necessary to help get the truth out there. I don’t agree with everything he says (I don’t agree with anything anyone says), but he is on the money more often than not.

I disagree with Cronkite and Huntley/Brinkley being called commentators. They were the last newscasters to tell it like it is, and it was rare tosee them state an opinion.

The media feeds us what they want us to know, and have gone straight downhill since the mentioned newsmen retired. The news now is about the personality and looks of the newsperson.

For those that want everything given to them, get a 2nd job. And in most cases get off the couch, and get a job.

No one ever said life is fair, and everything you want is guaranteed. I know from experience!