Showing posts with label Dog the Bounty Hunter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dog the Bounty Hunter. Show all posts

Thursday, January 27, 2011

The Big Bad Dog

Yesterday while perusing the Weather/TV section of the Kenosha News, I came across the following blurb by Kevin McDonough of United Feature Syndicate:

“Part of the agony of watching a promising show die an early death is the knowledge that all too often the truly undeserving goes on and on. In this spirit, please note that tonight marks the 200th episode of Dog the Bounty Hunter.”

The gall of that man! Did he ever think that maybe some of us enjoy Dog the Bounty Hunter? Was he even aware that there was a daylong marathon celebrating this historic event? Probably not.

Perhaps he was just attempting to be snarky at the expense of those that choose not worship at the altar of American Idol. Different strokes for different folks, Kev!

For those of you not familiar with the show that Mr. McDonough was taking a pot shot at, here is the Reader’s Digest version of what this entertaining program is all about.

Dog the Bounty Hunter is a reality television show on A&E which chronicles Duane “Dog” Chapman’s operations at his job as a bounty hunter, at Da Kine Bail Bonds in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Each week his wife and business partner, Beth Smith Chapman, his children Leland Chapman, Duane Lee Chapman II, and “Baby” Lyssa Chapman-Galanti join Dog, working together as bail bondsmen and bounty hunters.


A typical show begins with a brief clip of the Dog and a part of his rather large family frolicking on a beautiful Hawaiian beach. Then it’s down to business.

At his Da Kine Bail Bonds office, the Dog reveals to his crew whom they are going after. After he gives a physical description, they discuss just how dangerous this person is and how they must be extremely cautious.

The next order of business is to “suit up”. This entails putting on a bunch of black stuff; bulletproof vests, gloves, hats and most importantly, sunglasses. The only exception to the all-black motif is Beth. Most of her accessories are pink. Go figure.

Now it’s time to chase down the bad guy. But not before they say the ubiquitous pre-hunt prayer. This is where everyone holds hands in a circle and the Dog asks Jesus to help them capture this dirty, rotten creep and make the world a safer place.

The next portion of the show deals with the tracking and the subsequent capture of their prey. Typically, the perp is violently thrown to the ground to a barrage of foul language that would make the most profane dockworker blush.

The final step of the process is for the crew to transport the ruthless wrongdoer to jail. Along the way, the Dog and his team will give their prisoner a cigarette, feed them, enter them into a rehab program and convert them to Christianity. It’s a beautiful thing.

Just as it began, the show usually ends with the Dog and the rest of the Chapman clan enjoying themselves in some sort of family activity. Remember, I told you that the Dog has a rather large family?

Here is a list of the Dogs progenies: Christopher Chapman, Duane Lee Chapman II, Leland Blaine Chapman, Wesley Chapman, Zebediah “Zeb” Duane Chapman, James Chapman, Nicholas Chapman, Barbara Katy Chapman, Tucker Dee Chapman, Lyssa “Baby Lyssa” Chapman, Bonnie Jo Chapman and Garry Chapman.

What a wonderful show! Now you can see why I chose to watch Dog the Bounty Hunter rather than American Idol. Nothing against the fans of American Idol, but to each their own.

Besides, it was the 200th episode of Dog the Bounty Hunter. And despite what that pantywaist Kevin McDonough says, I enjoyed it! Until next time…from the booth.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

American Idol?

Okay, tonight I bit the proverbial bullet and tuned into American Idol at 7:00. With pencil and pad in hand, I was ready to take copious notes and attempt to write a semi-humorous blog. But, what do I get? A mere shell of American Idol! No Simon Cowell. No Paula Abdul. Sure, Ryan Seacrest and Randy Jackson were still there, but Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler? Puh-leeze!

The last time I watched the show was in 2005 when Carrie Underwood, Constantine Maroulis and Bo Bice were battling it out for musical supremacy. Although I was never an American Idol geek, this just didn’t feel right. Something was definitely lacking.

After five or ten minutes it became crystal clear that this wasn’t worth watching. I know, I know; everyone watches the wacky auditions that they show the first couple of shows. Sorry, I wasn’t falling for it.

There is no Simon or Paula, so why would there be a Renaldo Lapuz doing “You Are My Brother”? Why would there be a General Larry Platt performing “Pants on the Ground”? And I guarantee you that there will be no William Hung singing “She Bangs”.

So now what? I was all fired up for American Idol and they give me this watered-down imitation. To say that I was underwhelmed would be an understatement to say the least.

I had promised to write a blog, but I was at a loss.

As I changed the channel to watch Dog the Bounty Hunter, it hit me. If they were going to change the American Idol brand, why not do it in style? Give the people something they could really sink their teeth into.

Bring back Chuck Barris. Bring back the sultry Siv Ã…berg. Bring back Milton Delugg and the Band With a Thug. Bring back the Unknown Comic. And, dare I say, bring back Gene Gene the Dancing Machine.

That’s right. Bring back the Gong Show.

Like American Idol, the Gong Show presented a contest between amateur performers of often-dubious talent, with a panel of three celebrity judges. The program’s most frequent judges included juicy Jaye P. Morgan, Jamie Farr, Arte Johnson, Rip Taylor and Phyllis Diller.

Just as American Idol has had a revolving team of judges, the Gong Show has its share of judges. In addition to Morgan, Farr, Johnson, Taylor and Diller, there was also: Patty Andrews, Pearl Bailey, Bill Bixby, Dr. Joyce Brothers, Joyce Bulifant, Freddy Cannon, Harry Wayne Casey, Scatman Crothers, Clifton Davis, Gary Mule Deer, Fannie Flagg, Wayland Flowers, Eva Gabor, Steve Garvey, Gloria Gaynor, Shecky Greene, Buddy Hackett, Pat Harrington, Harry James, Milt Kamen, Mabel King, Abbe Lane, Peter Lawford, Michele Lee, David Letterman, Shari Lewis, June Lockhart, Allen Ludden, Steve Martin, Pat McCormick, Barbara McNair, Scoey Mitchell, Louis Nye, LaWanda Page, Pat Paulsen, Johnny Paycheck, Mae Questel, Tony Randall, Charlotte Rae, Rex Reed, Joan Rivers, Mort Sahl, Soupy Sales, Ronnie Schell, Elke Sommer, The Unknown Comic, Bobby Van, Mamie Van Doren, Dionne Warwick, Anson Williams, Paul Williams, Chuck Woolery and Jo Anne Worley.

Pretty impressive list of luminaries, huh?

While American Idol has turned Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson and Chris Daughtry into household names, the Gong Show has had its quota of talent cross its stage as well.

One of the biggest Gong Show-related show-biz successes was Andrea McArdle. Twelve-year-old McArdle appeared on an early show in 1976, shortly before winning the lead role in the hit Broadway musical Annie.

Among the other true talents that appeared on the show were singer Box Car Willie; comics Paul Reubens (aka Pee Wee Herman); Joey D'Auria (WGN’s second Bozo the Clown) and impressionist/comic Michael Winslow of Police Academy fame.

A band led by future film and television score composer Danny Elfman, called The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo eventually evolved into Oingo Boingo. Also, Academy Award nominated actress Mare Winningham sang the Beatles song “Here, There, and Everywhere.”

And finally, Future Super Bowl XXXV winning head coach and current NFL analyst Brian Billick also made an appearance, performing a routine known as the “spider monkey.”

There you have it. I tried. Give me the Gong Show and I will tune in. Unfortunately, I don’t think that is going to happen anytime soon. For now, I will watch Dog the Bounty Hunter and wait for Survivor: Redemption Island to debut February 16. Until next time…from the booth.