Tommy Maitland is the host of The Gong Show, but that isn’t all. Actually, he isn’t who he appears to be, or is he?
When The Gong Show initially appeared back in 1976, it garnered a lot of attention. It ran until 1980 but was quickly forgotten amount until reboots instantly became a thing. Now, ABC has brought it back with a new host, Tommy Maitland.
Who is Tommy Maitland?
It appears that Tommy Maitland is an older British gentleman with a very dry sense of humor. He is 72 years young, a different look for a show on ABC. Before anything else, Maitland was a radio announcer and a gameshow host. He eventually went into retirement but emerged when The Gong Show was given the green light at ABC.
Although you may feel like you know Tommy Maitland, you probably have no idea about him. Everything may appear to have backup information and a solid source, but as it turns out, things aren’t always what they seem.
The master of disguise
If you haven’t figured it out by now, we are going to ruin the charade for you. Tommy Maitland doesn’t actually exist as we know him. While he is definitely a reality for The Gong Show, he is a disguise for the man who fills the role every single week.
Mike Meyers is the man behind Tommy Maitland. He was supplied with a backstory and social media accounts in order to keep the disguise going. While many people have figured it out, there are still some who haven’t been let in on the secret.
Wearing full prosthetics at all times, Tommy Maitland was believed to be a real man. Mike Meyers kept it going until ABC decided to officially let the cat out of the bag. Reports circulated prior to the secret being made public knowledge, but still, not everyone has caught on.
A creative genius is one description of Mike Meyers. He was able to remain in character and keep the backstory in full memory for quite a while.
The Gong Show airs on Thursdays at 8/7c on ABC.