Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Dec. 27REAL PERSON ''Gong Show'' host Chuck Barris
PLAYED BY Sam Rockwell
THE DISH According to Barris, generating lowbrow schlock like ''The Gong Show'' wasn't his only outrageous act in the '70s. The film explores Barris' outlandish claim (put forth in his book ''Confessions of a Dangerous Mind: An Unauthorized Autobiography'') that he was using his day job as a cover for a more serious gig, as a CIA operative.
THE REALITY Good question. The thought of Barris working for the CIA seems like a joke. But, with the CIA, it's hard to know.
WHAT YOU WON'T SEE In the script, Barris is a fun-loving bachelor, so you won't see his daughter Della (who would sometimes appear on ''The Gong Show''), his first wife, Lyn, or his second wife, Robin. That's not such a bad thing, since the on-screen Barris gets wild and wooly with a sexy spy (Julia Roberts) and a sweet flower child (Drew Barrymore) instead.
WHAT MAKES THE CUT Brad Pitt and Matt Damon make cameos as ''Gong Show'' contestants, and the movie's director George Clooney (yes, THAT George Clooney) plays a CIA agent.
