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Summary: It can't be real, can it?
Review: A guy creative enough to make the Dating Game and the Gong Show work and have six contorversial game shows going on the networks at once could certainly dream up the exciting second life of a CIA contract assassin. As he traveled the world in his Hollywood role, maybe he even looked for mysterious deaths that happened where he was and wrote his story into the world around him. Has anybody checked the dates and events he chronicles?The book actually demonstrates part of why his TV shows worked. Without the story of his secret life as an assassin, it would have been deadly boring. Add something totally outrageous to the mix, and it not only holds your attention but provides a contrast to his Hollywood life that actually makes the story interesting. The self-effacing account of his prolonged fifteen minutes as a TV sensation, which is probably on the mark, contrasted with his portrayal of a contract killer with a KGB contract on his head, makes for an entertaining, off the wall story. It's also interesting that it took twenty years to get Barris's story on film. A lot of it, like his high profile assignment in Paris, escape from the KGB and debriefing scene with Jim Byrd on a bench in Central Park, read like a screenplay. We'll see how it plays out when the movie is released.
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Summary: Chuckie Baby.. What's going on?
Review: A very entertaining story.. (or is it a biography?) that is for each reader to decide.. I'm still on the fence on whether this belongs in the fiction, non-fiction, or lunatic rambling category. Wherever it belongs, it is a highly amusing and quick read.. Do yourself a favor and pick it up..
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Summary: Amazingly entertaining and unbelievable reading
Review: Chuck Barris - the guy responsilbe for producing tv shows such as The Gong Show, Newlywed Game, Dating Game and others tells all in this fast paced thriller. The way Barris writes is similar to some of the old hard boiled detective novels of years gone by. He writes from a first person view and takes you down the road of his strange and fascinating life. While it is odd to think of Chuck Barris as fascinating instead of just plain weird, the life he unfolds will astound you. It will also have you scratching your head about the authenticity of his story. But it is so outrageous that it has to be true. Chuck Barris - out of work bum, video producer, CIA agent, hitman. Yes, you heard correctly. Mr. Barris was once a bonefide hitman for the CIA. He tells his story with great detail, emotion and honesty. (He continually lied to a CIA recruiter to get hired) Eventhough he was at the zenith of pop television culture, Barris tells of the turmoil in his life and the strange worlds he had to step back and forth from to make a living. I really enjoyed the whole book. It not only tells of an off the wall guy who made it big in television production, but it is a good story about life and how unusual it can be. I wished that the book were longer because it was such a fun read.
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Summary: ????????
Review: Chuck Barris is my hero. I want to be just like him when I grow up. Have a nice day.
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Summary: Terrific account of a pop culture master
Review: Chuck Barris' impact on our culture cannot be ignored, nor can this book he wrote detailing his television years or his 'CIA Assisin' years. I think what's key with this book is how significantly Barris understood how to give the public what they want, and his impact on shaping a medium that today resonates with his impact. (Simon Cowell would have a gong instead of barbs if he could!) He really is a surprising mix of intellegence, shyness, and I would have to add genius to that list. He is truly one of the most surprising characters in the American popular landscape. Yeah, Chuck said he was a CIA assasin, and he orchestrated some interesting dating game trips as covers for his hits, and he creates an alternate life that does jump off the page, but remember, this is also the man who thought it would be a good idea to throw a man and his wife and secretary on stage for a game show. His creativity is never in dispute. This is just a great book and, while you feel like you know who Chuck Barris is when you finish it, it still leaves you wondering how well you REALLY know him. You won't be disappointed with this surprisingly fun looks into a media pioneer.
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Summary: The literary version of the Urban Myth?
Review: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is the unauthorized autobiography of Chuck Barris. Mr. Barris is probably best known as the creator of several popular games shows including the Dating Game, the Newlywed Game and the Gong Show. In this autobiography he also makes the claim that he was one of the CIA's most successful assassins. Although his claim is highly dubious, Mr. Barris has a knack for spinning it into one hell of a story. In the first chapter we are introduced to the 1980 version of Chuck Barris playing the role of the reclusive and paranoid millionaire. A burnt out, former international celebrity best know for serving up some of the schlockiest television shows in the pre-reality television era. Chuck, plagued by nightmares and consumed by his phobias, attempts to exorcise his demons by authoring the book "Confession of a Dangerous Mind" which he refers to an "act of catharsis". However, before he can finish this story and free himself he must complete the now all too cliché "final mission" for the CIA. As formulaic as this premise may sound I can guarantee that Chuck has you completely snared by the end of the first chapter. Chuck tells the tale of himself as the proverbial young man down on his luck trying to find his place in the world. He is unable to hold a job, or maintain a stable relationship when he answers a newspaper ad that reads: "COLLEGE GRADUATE: FREE TO TRAVEL". As difficult as this is to believe, he is promptly recruited into the CIA and embarks on his new career as an international assassin. As luck would have it, he simultaneously creates several hit television shows and becomes one of the most successful producers in television for more than a decade. Through out the book the author struggles to intertwine the two disparate careers. Ok, I know this sounds like the plot for a B movie but surprisingly the story actually works. Mr. Barris is effective because he plays upon the fantasies of our culture. Aren't we all longing for a life-changing event that sweeps us away from our mundane existence into a titillating new life? Isn't that the reason we go to the movies or read books, in order to escape the routine for a few hours? I resisted reading this book because I thought it would be too farfetched and the spy plot would be too distracting but. However I found the blend of fiction and non-fiction to be both audacious and compelling. Even if you unable reconcile the fictional aspects from the "true" anecdotes, this tale remains an insightful and entertaining glance into the mind of a creative yet disturbed man.
Chuck Barris has often been criticized for the quality of the body of work he has created, but you do have to give Chuck some credit. He knows what the masses want and he consistently delivers it and this book is no exception. My rating: I gave it 5 stars just because I had a great time reading this book on the train into work every morning for a week, which does not happen that frequently. By the way, I hate this "out of 5 stars" thing. It doesn't really tell me anything. So I will just rate this book a 270 out of a possible 538 Electoral College votes. My reasoning is that this book is would be good enough to elect for as Leader of the Free World for 4 years but it probably won't change the way you live your life.
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Summary: Believe It or Not, It's Still Good
Review: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind surprised me in a number of ways. As someone who enjoyed the Gong Show in its heydey, I thought I'd be in for a few chuckles. As a voracious reader of fiction, I found a book that is more than satisfying--every bit as fun as James W. Hall, Elmore Leonard, Dean Koontz and others. Barris is brutally honest about himself and his achievements, bringing humor into almost every vignette. Although I'm not sure I believe his story (I was sent scurrying to the 'Net to check various references--all my queries were inconclusive), his writing is excellent! Always engaging with a great sense for transition, Barris writes a great book. Whether you opt in to the spy story or not, this is a fascinating, enjoyable read!
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Summary: Interesting - Regardless of the truth...
Review: Forget whether or not it's real. It's a good yarn that is convincingly told. Funnily enough, the parts of the story that concentrate on his role as a CIA agent are probably less interesting than his life as a gameshow producer and his own inability to be content with anyone or anything.
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Summary: WHAT!?
Review: Hard to imagine this book is from the creator/host of the "Gong Show"! Dark, entertaining & hilarious. But believable? At times, no. But read it anyway, you'll fall over laughing.
Other spoof biographies that are very funny - "No One's Even Bleeding" & "Delano"
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Summary: Funny stuff
Review: Having seen the movie of the same name, I checked out the book. It's a funny account of Barris's life. I don't believe the CIA stuff for a minute, but it's fun to to see someone sort of create a new life story for themself because they weren't happy with the truth. Note to parents: there is a fair amount of sexual content in this book (I would've preferred more Gong Show anecdotes!) and a TON of foul language. Depending on their age, I would keep this book away from children, or at least read it first before letting them.
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