The $1.98 Beauty Show
| $1.98 Beauty Show | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Game show |
| Created by | Chuck Barris |
| Presented by | Rip Taylor |
| Narrated by | Johnny Jacobs |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 78 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Chuck Barris |
| Producer(s) | Paul Pompian |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 22–24 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Chuck Barris Productions |
| Distributor |
Sandy Frank Film Syndication Sony Pictures Television |
| Release | |
| Audio format | Monaural |
| Original release | September 4, 1978 – September 1980 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | The Gong Show |
The $1.98 Beauty Show is an American game show that aired in syndication from September 1978 to September 1980.
Hosted by Rip Taylor, the series is a parody of beauty contests, and featured six female contestants (including the occasional overweight ones, Sandra Bernhard, Rhonda Shear and actress Teresa Ganzel, and on at least one occasion a male dressed in drag) competing for the title of "$1.98 Beauty Queen".
Chuck Barris created the series and was executive producer while Johnny Jacobs announced.
The show consists of three rounds, during which each contestant is judged by three celebrity panelists. These include Jaye P. Morgan, Jamie Farr, Steve Garvey, Louis Nye, Marty Allen, and The Unknown Comic. Emcee Taylor introduces the contestants one at a time.
Round 2 features each contestant showcasing their "abilities". Round 3 is a swimsuit competition, in which emcee Taylor ushers the contenders on stage and announcer Jacobs cracks jokes about their vital statistics and hobbies.
At the end of each show, Taylor announces the "$1.98 Beauty of The Week" (sometimes the episode's ugliest contestant); that contestant is then presented with a tacky plastic crown, rotten vegetables as a bouquet, and the titular cash prize of $1.98, which Taylor dispenses from a coin holder on his belt.
Music cues used on this show include "Happy Days Are Here Again" (Taylor's theme song), "Oh You Beautiful Doll", and "Ain't She Sweet". In addition, Taylor serenades the winning contestant as a parody of Bert Parks having done the same on the Miss America Pageant.
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