Chuck Barris of the Gong Show

I will be interviewing Chuck Barris about his new book, Della. It is a fast read with a compelling story about his daughter Della who died at 36 from a drug overdose. It is a father/daughter story that I found fascinating. Chuck Barris created The Newlywed Game, The Dating Game, The Gong Show. This is his seventh book. His 1984 comical autobiography was called Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and was made into a movie directed by George Clooney and starred Sam Rockwell. The tongue-in-cheek book is about Chuck living a double life as a CIA assassin. It was so well done that many wondered if the story was true. He also wrote music. One of his songs was used as the theme for the The Newlywed Game. This latest book, Della, tells a story of a man who was having a tremendously successful career and his daughter paid a steep price. He was a lousy father and absent during much of her life. The times they were together are precious memories that the reader can enjoy. This is a book of regret and it touched me so deeply that I read the book in one sitting. A rare occurrence for me these days with my ever-busier schedule. The writing is as if Chuck is telling the story—talking to the reader—so the many cliches that are common in speech are included in the book. I highly recommend Della not for its prose but for the incredibly captivating story.