Long before Baby Hit Me One More Time was on the air and long before karaoke hit these shores and dominated, uh, stuff, the hot TV show was Puttin’ on the Hits.
The concept? Lip-synching! No, no – not karaoke. That hadn’t been “invented” yet. This is lip-synching, Milli Vanilli-style. Average janes and joes would do full-on impersonations of their “favorite” stars, and get up on stage to lip-synch their biggest hits. Of course there was a little contest built around it, too.
The memories on Jump The Shark did kick in when someone reminded me of the guy who came out dressed as half man, half woman and would sing “Endless Love”. He kept turning to show the appropriate silhouette and everything. Just freaky.
Thankfully the show didn’t last very long. But it was a nice diversion when lip-synching was used for good and not evil.
Posted in Television, Movies, and Music
andi August 31, 2006, 9:44 pm
Please post the 19 video on youtube!
I am thrilled that you have a copy of that performance!
That was my friend Doug. He was an actor and went by the stage name 3D and was really good doing his lip-sync to 19 as well as other songs. I have lost my copy of his winning performance from Puttin’ on the hits in 1984. I have been trying to find him, since we lost touch back in 1993.
By the way … there is a rip-off video on youtube from 1988 and it’s not Doug/3D!
Brian September 21, 2006, 11:01 pm
Does anyone remember the guy who performed a song called “Shoeshine Boy”? I think he went by “Dino” and he brought down the house with his act… I’m trying to find the actual song but keep coming up zeroes. Any info from any of your POTH veterans out there? Please let me know of any leads etc by dropping me a line at:
bps 3013 @ gmail dot com
Thanx! 😀
mike October 5, 2006, 4:25 am
The Bus Boys sang the song…I remeber his act and his cool “ramp” style haircut.
Angela April 1, 2007, 3:49 am
I was also on the show in 84 doing Bette Midler’s version of Beast of Burden. I had quite an eating issue then so I was a bit thick but I just pulled the tape out of my performance that Dick Clark productions offered all the contestants. It was fun to see. I’ve been an entertainer almost all my life and at 19, I loved me an audience. Sadly they didn’t give the whole show on tape to performers.
Cory C April 8, 2007, 3:49 am
I was on the show also, me a 3 other friends did “Girl Talk” by the boogie boys, and we called ourselves the booty boys!!!
I have the “19” tape also….
we got a 28,29, and a 30 for lip sync and we tied with two other groups who got the same score in other categores and they awarded the other two acts the prize…
but yeah heck of a time in cali…..
Guido April 28, 2007, 12:28 am
hi,
please put the episode 19 in youtube i like see the half woman half man show.
i dont have in tape this episode.
thanks
Mike May 9, 2007, 4:16 am
19 is on youtube!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdOX6nihPo4
guido May 13, 2007, 8:22 am
hi, thanks for upload in youtube. 😀
but what is the episode where is the person who act the half woman half man.
is the same episode, 19?
i waching 19 and he isnt here.
byes,
guido May 13, 2007, 10:09 am
hi, i dont see the act: half woman half man, in what episode is?
please tell me and upload in youtube if you can.
thanks
Mas June 26, 2007, 1:31 pm
Hello All;
I’ve been looking for the “Endless Love” peformance on and off for about a year. Does anybody remembered the name of the person who performed it?
In Wiki it says: Originally from San Diego, California, Jazzmun made his/her first national television appearance on the talent variety show Puttin’ On the Hits in 1984 in which he split his body half in male drag and half in female drag, lip synching as a “duet”.”
When I contacted Jazzmun she said she performed something else and Wiki was wrong! 🙁
Does anybody have a copy of the performance? Please post it on YouTube!
Thanks,
Mas
guido July 4, 2007, 1:46 am
maybe is better you contacted again and talk whit jazzmun about she can post the video of her perfomance in youtube o where we can see the video.
cya
Roxanne July 18, 2007, 4:41 pm
We are doing a program similar to this on my campus in the fall. Does anyone remember what the areas that were judged? I’m guessing appearance, lip-sync, but I wasn’t sure of the other. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Vanessa July 24, 2007, 7:29 pm
Wow…I was also on puttin on the Hits with 4 other girls…when I think
back, I ask myself what the HECK? we were 5 girls pretending to be New Edition… but we had a great time. They judge you on Lip Sync, Appearance and Originality. I remember the women who did Patti Labelle on our show was awesome. She won of course. I wonder whatever happen to the jewish guys who called themselves the Temptationowitz.. lol they were too funny. I lost my tape. I performed around 1st week of July 1985…
You can search me on myspace by email.
take care.
debra November 17, 2007, 11:01 pm
I also was on this show, it aired 02/14/1987, I had so much fun, and still to this day I have a great friend that I roomed with while doing puttin on the hits. I remember that I was suppose to lip sync “Good Bye To You” by Scandal, but columbia records wouldn’t let me use the song, so I ended up doing ” No More Words” by Berlin, and I had no dance routine, nothing worked out, but I just went and winged it, and had fun. I would never be embarressed about doing this show, it started me on a wonderful career path.
genna November 24, 2007, 2:36 am
I’m trying to explain the endless love routine to my fiance… I can’t find it online anywhere… can someone please post the episode or email it to me?! THanks!!
rebecca December 2, 2008, 2:20 am
i was on puttin on the hits, we called ourselves..bertha and the bodybusters and we performed proud mary by ike and tina turner…i seem to have misplaced my video of it, if anyone out there would happen to have this i would appreciate if you could upload it onto youtube or email me please!
smitty December 28, 2008, 9:18 pm
I would love to see the Lionel Richie/Diana Ross performance. Please post it!
jim February 3, 2009, 6:45 am
i was on poth. we won our show then competed with the lionel rich/ diana ross act. he was billed as “houston”. he was a make-up artist. i have the complete season on tape.
Greg April 24, 2009, 5:04 pm
The BusBoys’ “Did You See Me” was the song Dino used. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLSjJM_SyLk
Bonnie October 2, 2009, 10:11 pm
Was also on this show with 2 friends -we did Mr. Postman. It was a fun time!!!!
Charles October 23, 2009, 6:46 pm
Cuba Gooding Jr’s first telvision appearance was on this show. Him and another guy did a routine to a Douge E fresh song. I seen Cuba on a talk show and they supprised him by playing that performance.
Tia December 24, 2009, 8:58 pm
We lost to Cuba Gooding Jr. on Puttin on the Hits. We did Rick Springfield’s “Celebrate Youth.” I had hoped no recordings of that show existed anymore.
T October 3, 2010, 11:12 pm
Would love to see a copy of Cuba & Chris Gossett (now a famous cartoonist) doing Slick Rick/ Doug E Fresh’s “The Show”. We went to school with both of them. Was so great/ funny. Can’t find it anywhere. TIA: Sorry about losing to same, though. The rest of the acts were good as well. 🙂
TAS January 5, 2011, 2:15 pm
I remember the show well and my sister’s boyfriend was on the show there act was Purple Rain, they were honestly the best lip sync act of their generation, they were in the finals and look to this groofy group singing what the world needs now is love sweet love, really a lame act but it was political back then, they were so good Warner Bros, and Capitol Record, offer them contracts, but the thing was the guy who played prince could not sing or play an instruments. The show was cheesy but these guy were entertainers. I met more women hanging these guys it was great. If anyone has a copy of their performance, she is finally getting married to this guy, in a few months and I would love to show it at the receptions when they do there life story bit. my email is brakeboss@hotmail.com
Greg March 15, 2011, 8:17 pm
I looking for the Puttin on the hits TV show mid 1988 or so. It was 3 or 4 women dressed up it tuxedos and singing the 4 tops Can’t help myself. If someone can youtube that would be great.
Fancy Ray McCloney aka Skebo July 2, 2011, 2:38 pm
I was on POTH doing Screamin’ Jay Hawkin’s “I Put A Spell On You”. I went to the $25,000 Grand Final and lost to the Diana Ross/Lionel Richie Guy. Great Time and WONDERFUL Memory!!!
Here’s the clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71gO0bDQDyM
Tim January 11, 2016, 4:17 am
I was on the show at on time we were thought to be the best in the business lol, our group was called wait for it. Purple Rain it was fun we done a couple of other TV Shows then opened our own company Carbon Star Attractions good memories
Debbi January 17, 2020, 10:53 pm
https://youtu.be/LifNxXAorLM
I was on this show as 1/2 man 1/2 woman act here is the link. Several people I competed with in the Chicago area were on the show. Splish Splash by Bobby Darin ( sung in the shower) and Donny Lovedart singing Cupid in a diaper. Fun times!