RIP Gong Show’s “Gene Gene The Dancing Machine”

Gene Patton, the dancing stagehand on 'The Gong Show' who became an audience favorite has died at 82.

Gene was a stagehand for NBC when host Chuck Barris saw him dancing backstage, and decided the world had to see his moves. For seemingly no reason at all, host Barris would call out for Gene to come start dancing and all heck would break loose.

The celebrity judges would start dancing around the gong, the audience members would start screaming and dancing and other stagehands would throw things like rubber chickens onto the stage.

The Gong Show took television by storm in the 70's, and was a goofy talent show hosted by an even goofier Barris. The contestants were mostly awful and often the audience would yell for the judges to put them out of their misery by hitting the gong.

But everybody liked Gene and his moves. I hadn't thought of The Gong Show, or Gene Gene The Dancing Machine for years. It's sad that he's gone, but I thank him for yet another reminder of why I miss the 70's.