| Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Reality |
| Starring | Chuck Woolery |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Producer | Phil Gurin |
| Running time | 20–22 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | Game Show Network |
| Release | June 15 (2003-06-15) – July 27, 2003 (2003-07-27) |
Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned is an Americanreality television show that starred American game show hostChuck Woolery. Six episodes aired onGame Show Network (GSN) between June 15 and July 27, 2003. The series is centered around Woolery and his family, specifically his personal life and his work as host of GSN's original game showLingo. The show placed strain on both Woolery's workload and his marriage, and was met with generally negative reception.
The show focuses on the life of Chuck Woolery, at the time host of theGame Show Network (GSN) seriesLingo.[1][2] The series' title, "Naturally Stoned", is derived from aBillboard Top 40 song from 1968 by Woolery's former music groupThe Avant-Garde.[3] Each half-hour episode combines elements from Woolery's personal life and a behind-the-scenes look atLingo.[4] The show also introduces viewers to the Woolery family's new residence inPark City, Utah,[5] having moved there fromLos Angeles in August 2002.[6] When discussing how the show is produced, Woolery explains, "There's no script. There's no beginning, there's no middle and there's no end. There's no plot. So when do you have enough? Never. It's the job that never ends."[6]
The series was green-lit on December 1, 2002, under the preliminary titleChuck Woolery: Behind the Lingo.[7][4] Game Show Network chief executiveRich Cronin explained, "We felt our fans loved Chuck, and if we did a reality show (about him), we'd have something that appealed to our current audience and bring in new viewers."[4] Cronin added that it was important for the network to air original programming beyond game shows themselves: "We may get fans for this show who love reality series or love Chuck Woolery, but either way, it's important for us to break out of just doing studio-based game shows."[8] The series was GSN's first attempt at producing a reality or documentary series.[3] Over 400 hours of footage were recorded for the show.[9]
Woolery was at first hesitant at being the show's subject. "I really wasn't in favor of it because I was looking atthe Osbournes andAnna Nicole Smith, and I don't have a life like these people at all. I personally think watching me is kind of like having lunch withPat Boone. It doesn't exactly rivet you to your chair."[6] He later told the producers, "Maybe it will work if you edit it together and make it funny."[6]
The series premiered on June 15, 2003,[10][11] airing six episodes.[9]
| No. | Title | Original release date | Production code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Behind the Chuck" | June 15, 2003 (2003-06-15) | 01-001[10] |
Chuck's early life and career are summarized; his wife and kids are also introduced to the viewers. | |||
| 2 | "A Tale of Two Chucks" | June 22, 2003 (2003-06-22) | 01-002[10] |
Chuck's desire to spend more time with his family is made difficult due to his hectic schedule withLingo. | |||
| 3 | "Reinventing the Cheese Wheel" | June 29, 2003 (2003-06-29) | 01-003[10] |
Chuck travels to a discount store in search of his favorite cottage cheese. | |||
| 4 | "The Road to QVC" | July 6, 2003 (2003-07-06) | 01-004[10] |
Chuck sells a bass fishing lure product onQVC. | |||
| 5 | "Chuck and the Common Man" | July 13, 2003 (2003-07-13) | 01-005[10] |
Chuck's relationships with hisLingo co-workers are detailed. | |||
| 6 | "The Reality Behind Reality" | July 27, 2003 (2003-07-27) | 01-006[10] |
Chuck's issues with his marriage are brought to attention. | |||
PopMatters' Cary O'Dell opined, "This too-much-Chuck is a problem. Without a built-in curiosity factor...Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned is left with Woolery mugging for the camera or behind the scenes hijinks atLingo. Neither is interesting enough to fill 30 minutes of TV."[12] In his bookTelevision Game Show Hosts: Biographies of 32 Stars, David Baber noted that "taping the reality series put tremendous pressure on Woolery's already troubled marriage."[9] Woolery separated from his then-wife Teri Nelson while the series was airing.[9] When previewingCarnie Wilson: Unstapled (a similar series that aired on GSN in 2010),CNN's James Dinan recalled the network's lack of success with reality television in the past, writing, "Anyone remember the horse racing-themedAmerican Dream Derby or the Chuck Woolery-centricNaturally Stoned? Neither lasted long."[13]