Shark Bytes

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=163028784
His myspace profile

Mason is definetly dead. I saw his obit in the NY Times... They said he had aids.

Mason Reese was the only good reason to watch Douglas's show. (Of course, I like watching videos of car wrecks, so take that into account.) BTW, I saw him the other night in NYC, so he's definitely not dead. Morally degenerate maybe, but nowhere near dead.

Looking for a copy of The Spokesman apperance in
1965 to buy,can you please help me find someone
who may have this in stock.
Thank You,John

Mason Reese was the worst ever!!! I wonder what ever happen to the little obnixious brat. He may have pressed the right buttons with Mike. I just didn't get his whole act. He was talentless. One of my friends had told me that he became homeless and died of an overdose a number of years ago. I guess he took the path of your typical child actor. who knows? It doesn't make a difference anyway because I think there is about 20 people in this country who remeber him... C-Ya

The move to LA killed the show. Being in Philly gave Douglas a more relaxed atmosphere which was unique. El-lay is a glitz factory and you could see the change in the guests demeanor...the Mike Douglas Show just became one extra stop in that day's itinerary. I agree with others that his modest, low-key, respectful approach makes him quite unique in talk-show history. And to think his producer when Roger Ailes who would become the mastermind behind the rise of Fox News.

When I was in the studio audience. It was in LA in early 1980. I got a free ticket at the Farmers' Market, and went down to the studio to see it. My uncle (who was in "the business") told me that Mike wouldn't pay attention to the guests when they answered questions. He was right! Wish I could remember who the guests were. I think Curt Gowdy was one. What I do remember well is the usher who did the Johnny Carson impersonation and the fellow sitting next to me who knew all the pre-show warm-up guy's lines by heart. Very weird.

Never. It was what it was. There are two things I remember that really stand out. The first was an early appearance by Kiss. I beleive they sang Firehouse. I must have been in early teens. I've never been a huge Kiss fan, but it was certainly interesting watching the fire and listening to the screaming music, and listening to my Mom's "what kind of crap is this?" reaction. Unforgettable. The other is watching Mason Reese's life be ruined. Harry Chapin was signing "Cat's In The Cradle" and Mason Reese got teary-eyed. I can't remember what actress was also on, she started go on and on about sweet it was that Mason was so in touch with his emotions, blahblahblah. I remember thinking, God, this poor kid will NEVER hear the end of this. Of course, his life was probably so sheltered that he probably didn't have any friends or classmates to make his life a living hell. Which may be why got emotional in the first place. Anyway Mike Douglas ROCKS! Way better than that stuffy gay stick-in-the-mud Merv!

Mike's show finally jumped when it moved to LA and became the Mike Douglas Funtime Goodtime Boogertime Slaphappy Hour. Or something like it. Actually, Mike had a lot in common with Merv, but there was one big difference. Merv always came across as a smarmy, rich Republican jerk whereas Mike was a very likeable sort. Merv and Mike were not hip, but Mike at least TRIED to, and he booked hip guests like Todd Rundgren and of course the legendary John and Yoko week. The weekly co-hosts were always different and when Mike was in an awkward spot, he'd eventually scrunch up his face and say "I don't get this." Mike was honest. And the bizarrities on his AM show were truly fascinating to behold. Mike beat Merv by a wide margin because in my world, Mike was my white, middle-aged neighbor... Merv was the stodgy rich dude on the hill. Both clueless, but one honest, the other a creep.

I know this site has been up for a few years now, and I wish I had an idea of when one of the above posters said he thought Mike Douglas was cool after James Brown told him to loosen up. I hope he/she is still reading thee postings, because I actually saw a repeat of the show he is talking about, and MAN, Mike's reaction to Brown was VERY obviously staged! Mike didn't 'loosen up' at all, just because James Brown told him to. It was painfully obvious to anyone paying attention that it was all scripted. Mike Douglas and Merv Griffin were early versions of Oprah Winfrey and Jerry Springer. They TOTALLY catered to what they thought their audience of the day wanted to see, and had nothing at all to do with what he really felt or thought. It was all about the ratings, just as Oprah and Springer are now. Mike Douglas would blow bubbles if Lawrence Welk was a guest, and would wear a long, black wig if he had the Beatles on. He didn't give any more of a damn about James Brown as he did about Paul McCartney. At least he was a night club singer, and had some talent. What did Oprah Winfrey ever do? Only in America.

Two incidents spring to mind. One was when the blind lawyer guy was on. There was a time when the man's son was in a swimming pool and the guy couldn't help, and Mike asks him "What was it like to know your child was drowning and you couldn't do anything?". The other time was when they had some very overweight actress or singer on. He made a point of asking her favorite food, and then showing a picture of her when she was hot. Then he brings out whatever that favorite food was (cake I think?) and watches her face to see her reaction. I stopped watching after that

One week Mike Douglas had 70s singer-comedian Gary Muledeer on. 1980 or 81, I think. OK, I'm not imagining this... I swear this happened.. at the end of the show, Gary Muledeer and Scott Baio were wearing helmets with a plunger piece fastened to the top, and Debby Boone and Elaine Joyce (I think it was her) were tossing eggs across the stage, trying to land them in the plungers. I'm not kidding. This happened. It was the dumbest, most pointless thing I've ever seen. If anyone thinks I'm lying about this or imagined it, I promise that it happened. SCOTT OR DEBBY - If you're reading this, please back me up.

When Mike introduced ABBA to the world, and lo and behold, poor things, nobody in the group even knew how to speak english. HA!!! What a hoot there sat good ol Mike, trying to communicate with the four, and all of them sitting there, smiling and nodding their heads. My family and laughed so hard.

Mike Douglas was always part of my day for over a decade (about 9 through college). I was a little young for the Cleveland years but the show was at its best during the Philly period. Joe Harnell, a classy pop-jazz pianist, led the band. Mike was the perfect host for middle-of-the- roaders like myself, my mom and even my grandmother. He was always warm, unpretentious, not a bad singer (though his one gold record, "The Men In My Little Girl's Life", was awfully gooey), and showed real interest in all who came aboard. Mike had to put on more than a little bit of Irish charm if big-name stars had to spend a week in Philadelphia! As with that other Philly-bred favorite, "American Bandstand", "Mike Douglas" saw fins to the left- and right- when it went Hollywood. For Philly and Cleveland, it was a great link to big- time show biz. For LA, it was just a drop in the bucket. I didn't watch it as much in the late '70s and '80s, but on one occasion, "Mike Douglas" was a welcome friend from home. In 1980, I spent a week in the province of Quebec. "Mike Douglas" was still running on Montreal's (Anglo) Channel 12. In lovely but uni- lingual Quebec City and in bustling but foreign Montreal, "Mike Douglas" was not only welcome but lovable- especially when Canada's, and my, favorite singing star, Anne Murray, just happened to be the co-host! Somehow, hearing my lovely Anne do "Snowbird" and "You Needed Me" with Mike on Canadian TV just felt right. On that long-ago week abroad, "Mike Douglas" wasn't shark bait at all. Do pick up "I'll Be Right Back" if it's in your local library. Mike's as engaging as ever as he retells the story of his show- dated at the end but, in these coarsened times, never out of date. Too bad Rosie turned out to be the "Queen of Mean" after she quit!

Never jumped because it was consistent. I agree with the poster who both loved and hated the show - it may have been bad, but it was classic show-biz tv. Mike and Merv were not as good as Johnny was at night, but they introduced a lot of great moments to tv.