ABC plans to bring backThe Gong Show, a game show that started in the Seventies, with Will Arnett as executive producer, according toDeadline. The program, a talent contest between amateurs with unusual skills, features a live audience, celebrity judges and goofy prizes. Judges whack a gong to indicate that one of the performers is too bad to continue his or her act.
The Gong Show was originally created by Chuck Barris, who also served as host for part of its run. The program initially appeared on NBC during the day from 1976 to 1978; its first run of syndication lasted from from 1976 to 1980 and 1988 to 1989. The comedy culture we are living in has finally caught up to The Gong Show, so the timing is perfect, said Holly Jacobs, of Sony Pictures Television, which owns the rights to the original series. Weve found just the right partners to bring back this iconic original.
ABC recently renewed four other game show reboots: $100,000 Pyramid, Celebrity Family Feud, Match Game and To Tell The Truth. ABC has tapped into the nostalgia and excitement of primetime game shows, Rob Mills, SVP of Alternative Series said. We are thrilled to add The Gong Show to ABCs schedule spearheaded by the incomparable Will Arnett.
Arnett is still best known for his role as Gob Bluth on Arrested Development. Earlier this year, he launched the Netflix show Flaked. People havent really given Will a chance to show his other chops, Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz told Rolling Stone in March. Ive never doubted that he could do anything. But it was just, Will the town let him?'
Arnett will executive produce The Gong Show with Evan Prager, Jesse Ignjatovic and Peter Principato. Jared Morell, Jordan Barrow and Marc Forman will be co-executive producers. ABC has ordered 10 episodes of the show.