A syndicated version of the show began airing in 1977, with the same rules and set as the ABC original. Mostly successful, it nonetheless was canceled in 1980, not directly because of the show itself. In fall 1979, creator Chuck Barris had debuted something of a spin-off show, "3's a Crowd", in which a man, his wife and his secretary would compete. The controversy, driven by the implications of adultery that came with such a concept, ruined Barris's reputation and not only ended "3's a Crowd", but all three of Barris's other shows that were airing at the time: "The Newlywed Game", "The Dating Game" and "The Gong Show". This was because most local stations did not want anything to do with the controversy, fearing potential boycotts and loss of advertising that might result.