In memory of American game show host extraordinaire, Chuck Barris, who passed away today, my book of the week is his 1982 memoir, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind: An Unauthorized Autobiography, which was re-released 20 years later just before its film adaptation was released.
I saw the movie in the theater before reading the book, but enjoyed them both immensely. Was Barris really a CIA assassin, sent all over the world under the guise of a Newlywed Game chaperone? It’s unlikely, but it makes for great entertainment. Note the word “unauthorized” in the subtitle. But what’s not to like about a Cold War spy novel disguised as a memoir? Barris is a master storyteller and just as eccentric in his writing as he was on TV.
May his memory be a blessing.
Leave a Reply