Conflict of Interest Announcing the First-Ever Stranger Gong Show
posted by on March 30 at 12:22 PM
Attention talented freaks and those who love to gawk at them: On Thursday, April 12 at the Crocodile Cafe, The Stranger will be presenting its first-ever Gong Show, hosted by yours truly.
In advance of the show date, we’re looking for any and all unique and entertaining acts hungry to strut their stuff before a panel of drunken judges for fabulous prizes. This means jugglers, magicians, yodelers, strongmen, stand-up comics, clog dancers, air bands, contortionists, jug bands, sword swallowers, vaudeville acts, and anyone else with an act that’s under four minutes long and doesn’t involve fire or minors. (The Croc is a bar.)
For more info and to sign up for the competition, go here. (Talent may also sign-up at the door the night of the show.)
And if you just want to gawk/cheer/heckle the drunken celebrity judges (including Sarah Rudinoff, Kerri Harrop, Dave Meinert, and On the Boards artistic director Lane Czaplinski), show up at the Crocodile on Thursday, April 12 for the fabulous and totally free freak parade kicking off at 9pm.
In an earlier post, Kerri “Jaye P.” Harrop expressed her dream of a Stranger Gong Show contestant recreating the magic of the original Gong Show’s Gene Gene the Dancing Machine. I have my own dreams, one of which involves a Stranger Gong Show contestant replicating this priceless bit from Richard “I wrote Arrested Development” Day’s amazing Girls Will Be Girls, in which the character Varla improvises an aria while eating an entire can of spray cheese.
Did you see that Richard Day and Mitchell Hurtwitz are working on a pilot? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0903651/
What a weird cast!
Gene Gene the Dancing Machine lost his legs to diabetes. I'd happily forgo the sublime magic if it entails such a tragic coda.
Dear The Stranger:
I love the idea of a Gong Show. I loved the Gong Show as a kid. And I have an idea.
If the Stranger's Gong Show is a success, perhaps you'd consider adding to HUMP something I saw once in San Francisco: and XXX Gong Show. It was one of the most amazing, hot, and hillarious things I've ever seen. Imagine the naked scene from Borat, but for two hours, with like 20 people, but funnier. It was great.
It's just an idea, but a worthy one, I fee.
Yours,
Matt
i just learned of this sad news regarding gene, gene the dancing machine's legs via the slog. man, talk about some cruel injustice.
we will be pouring out a little liquor for gene's legs at the crocodile. unless, of course, meinert manages to get to the bottle first (highly likely).
Kerri, you can see Gene interviewed (briefly) in "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" -- rent the DVD, there's a bit about him in the added features, and Clooney talks about it in the movie commentary.
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