Puttin' On the Hits
Encyclopedia
Puttin' on the Hits was an American syndicated music/variety competition show hosted by Allen Fawcetthttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0346377/fullcredits. The show featured amateur acts lip-synching
to popular songs. The show aired on weekends from 1984 through 1988.
The show grew out of lip synching contests developed by Wm. "Randy" Wood, who by 1982 had realized that his contests had grown so popular that he needed to stage them on a broader scale. The planning process eventually grew into Puttin' on the Hits. Gong Show
format creator Chris Bearde
was credited in the same role for this series, and he and Dick Clark served as executive producers. Clark's son, Richard A. Clark, produced, and MCA TV served as distributor. Puttin' on the Hits was taped in Hollywood, California at Universal City Studios
.
Contestants would often dress up in costumes and use props to make their act more outrageous. This varied from a seemingly severed head singing "I Ain't Got Nobody" to an Aretha Franklin
drag
act using couch cushions for breasts. Other acts were more conservative and placed emphasis on performance.
The competition, as it was, was conducted as many other televised performance contests (e.g. Star Search
) were. Each act was judged by a panel of celebrity judges based on their appearance, song choice, and lip-sync ability with a total of 90 points being the maximum value an act could score; to achieve that, an act would have to receive 10 points in each of the three categories from all three judges. The act with the highest score at the end of the show won $1000. They also advanced in a tournament, with the championship show in that tournament (dubbed the "Grand Championship") worth $25,000 to the winning act.
Puttin' on the Hits has been credited with launching the career of the group Troop
, and Jazzmun
, a drag performer who can be seen in many contemporary television shows. Kato Kaelin
was another notable contestant, appearing during the show's third season performing Steppenwolf
's Born to Be Wild
.
Lip-synching in music
Lip-synching in music is "moving the lips in synchronization with [pre-]recorded speech or song" to give the appearance of a 'live' performance. It is generally considered dishonest, though some producers argue that it needs to be done in some performance contexts...
to popular songs. The show aired on weekends from 1984 through 1988.
The show grew out of lip synching contests developed by Wm. "Randy" Wood, who by 1982 had realized that his contests had grown so popular that he needed to stage them on a broader scale. The planning process eventually grew into Puttin' on the Hits. Gong Show
The Gong Show
The Gong Show is an amateur talent contest franchised by Sony Pictures Television to many countries. It was broadcast on NBC's daytime schedule from June 14, 1976 through July 21, 1978, and in first-run syndication from 1976–1980 and 1988–1989. The show was produced by Chuck Barris, who also served...
format creator Chris Bearde
Chris Bearde
Chris Bearde is a comedy writer, producer and director best known for his work as a writer on the '60s zeitgeist hit Laugh In and for co-writing and producing TV specials for Elvis Presley, Bob Hope, Sonny and Cher, Bill Cosby, Steve Martin, Jim Carrey, Andy Williams, The Jackson Five, The...
was credited in the same role for this series, and he and Dick Clark served as executive producers. Clark's son, Richard A. Clark, produced, and MCA TV served as distributor. Puttin' on the Hits was taped in Hollywood, California at Universal City Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
.
Contestants would often dress up in costumes and use props to make their act more outrageous. This varied from a seemingly severed head singing "I Ain't Got Nobody" to an Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
drag
Drag (clothing)
Drag is used for any clothing carrying symbolic significance but usually referring to the clothing associated with one gender role when worn by a person of another gender. The origin of the term "drag" is unknown, but it may have originated in Polari, a gay street argot in England in the early...
act using couch cushions for breasts. Other acts were more conservative and placed emphasis on performance.
The competition, as it was, was conducted as many other televised performance contests (e.g. Star Search
Star Search
Star Search is a television show that was produced from 1983-95, hosted by Ed McMahon, and created by Alfred Masini. A relaunch was produced in 2003-04. The show was originally filmed at the old Earl Carroll Theatre at 6230 Sunset Blvd...
) were. Each act was judged by a panel of celebrity judges based on their appearance, song choice, and lip-sync ability with a total of 90 points being the maximum value an act could score; to achieve that, an act would have to receive 10 points in each of the three categories from all three judges. The act with the highest score at the end of the show won $1000. They also advanced in a tournament, with the championship show in that tournament (dubbed the "Grand Championship") worth $25,000 to the winning act.
Puttin' on the Hits has been credited with launching the career of the group Troop
Troop (band)
----Troop is an R&B group from Pasadena, California. TROOP has had three number one singles and ten top ten singles on the Billboard R&B Charts. They have also completed five albums, which include three certified gold and one certified platinum album...
, and Jazzmun
Jazzmun
Jazzmun is the stage name of Nichcalo Dion Crayton , an American actor and nightclub performer specializing in female impersonation in the Los Angeles area.-Background:...
, a drag performer who can be seen in many contemporary television shows. Kato Kaelin
Kato Kaelin
Brian Jerard "Kato" Kaelin is an American radio and television personality who gained fame as a witness during the 1994–95 murder trial of O. J. Simpson.-Personal life:...
was another notable contestant, appearing during the show's third season performing Steppenwolf
Steppenwolf (band)
Steppenwolf are a Canadian-American rock group that was prominent in the late 1960s. The group was formed in 1967 in Los Angeles by vocalist John Kay, guitarist Michael Monarch, bassist Rushton Moreve, keyboardist Goldy McJohn and drummer Jerry Edmonton after the dissolution of Toronto group The...
's Born to Be Wild
Born to Be Wild
"Born to Be Wild" is a rock song written by Mars Bonfire and made famous by the Canadian-American rock band Steppenwolf. It is often used in popular culture to denote a biker appearance or attitude...
.