Gene Gene The Dancing Machine

I heard a snatch of music on some TV show last night which for no reason brought Gene to mind. At the next break I headed to the PC to see what could be found, and I found a lot, with many interesting side branches. (I lost an hour.) Searching YouTube for the title of this post I found two videos specifically showing Gene. For those who don't know or remember (how's the latter possible once you've seen him?) he was a stagehand for The Gong Show. Chuck Barris, the host, would bring him out to warm up the audience before the show, then entertain them during commercial breaks. He was so popular he became a regular, closing the show with the credits rolling over his performance to Count Basie's "Jumpin' at the Woodside". I watched The Gong Show when it was on; I liked it. It was a crazy, whacked-out parody of talent contests. Considering what we have peddled to us today as talent shows, I wish the Gong Show was still around -- it was far more entertaining.

Here, for your consideration, are Gene, Barris imitating Gene, and a clip of excerpts from the show starting with Tom Lehrer performing his "Vatican Rag".