Which comedian hosted the television show The Gong Show from 1976 to 1978?

Chuck Barris hosted The Gong Show from 1976 to 1978.

The Gong Show was a talent competition known for deliberately eccentric acts and a panel of celebrity judges. Barris served as host during the original NBC daytime run and became closely associated with the program’s playful, chaotic tone. Contestants could be stopped when a judge struck a large gong, an instantly recognizable feature of the format.

Barris was more than a host: he was a television producer, songwriter, and creator of several game shows. He had already created The Dating Game before The Gong Show became a hit. The program is sometimes misidentified as a standard amateur talent contest, but its appeal came from combining genuine performers, novelty acts, comedy, and unpredictable judging. A syndicated version continued after the original network run, with Barris remaining the best-known face of the franchise.