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Bob Barker hosted the gamer show "The Price Is Right", and did so much morte. Source: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0054837/?ref_=mv_close (May be subject to copyright) |
That meme, shared by my spouse on social media, pretty much describes the experience many of us had with Bob Barker.
Although he hadn’t been on TV for years, when I heard today that Bob Barker had died, it really was the end of an era.
The man told us who was closest to the actual retail price, when to spin the big wheel, and asked whether you wanted to bid on the first show case or pass.
Beyond hosting “The Price Is Right” for the better part of 35 years, he did much more.
You can fit a lot in when you live to be 99 years old.
Truth or Consequences
From the time I started watching “The Price Is Right”, Bob Barker would periodically make some mention of his time hosting another game show called “Truth or Consequences”. I had never actually seen the show, but was familiar with the name because a couple different cousins of mine had the board game.
From the time I started watching “The Price Is Right”, Bob Barker would periodically make some mention of his time hosting another game show called “Truth or Consequences”. I had never actually seen the show, but was familiar with the name because a couple different cousins of mine had the board game.
Wikipedia reveals Barker hosted the show from 1956 to 1975, and the premise of the show was mixing the original quiz show element of game shows with wacky stunts.
It kind of sounds like “Trivial Pursuit” meets “Truth or Dare” to me.
An odd side note. I had this friend Corinne, whose roommate Barry, used to travel a lot. He was in the United States one trip, and sent a post card back to Corinne. It was pretty non-descript except for one thing. The post mark read “Truth or Consequences, New Mexico”. A town in the States had actually re-named itself after the game show. Barry sent the post card, with the post mark as proof.
The Price Is Right
Bob Barker started hosting a revival of the TV game show “The Price Is Right” in 1972 and would continue on until June of 2007.
Bob Barker started hosting a revival of the TV game show “The Price Is Right” in 1972 and would continue on until June of 2007.
Miss America
Bob Barker was also well known for hosting the Miss America pageant from 1967 to 1987. He mentioned it occasionally on “The Price Is Right” but, because it was rarely broadcast on peasant vision, I don’t recall ever seeing him host Miss America.
Bob Barker was also well known for hosting the Miss America pageant from 1967 to 1987. He mentioned it occasionally on “The Price Is Right” but, because it was rarely broadcast on peasant vision, I don’t recall ever seeing him host Miss America.
Taking a stand or several
Bob Barker used his position and stature to make a statement and take a stand on several occasions that I recall.
Bob Barker used his position and stature to make a statement and take a stand on several occasions that I recall.
He was an advocate for animal rights, and Wikipedia revealed he was a vegetarian. In 1982, he began to sign off each episode of “The Price Is Right” with, “This is Bob Barker reminding you help control the pet population – have your pets spayed or neutered.”
I had never heard those words before, much less knew what they meant. I learned from Bob Barker.
In 1987, he requested the removal of fur prizes from the Miss USA pageant. When the organizers refused, he left the show, never to host the pageant again.
That year, he made another statement on “The Price Is Right”. Unlike so many other game show hosts, Bob Barker stopped wearing hair dye. At first the gray hair was shocking, because he looked so different. Not bad just different. It was a good look, and a great statement about just being who you are. Quite frankly, it broke down a bit of the stigma around gray hair, aging, and it being a bad thing.
The dark side
Bob Barker was no angel though. There were dust ups with the models on “The Price Is Right” who, back in the 1980s, were all female and collectively referred to as “Barker’s Beauties”. Two models sued. Dian Parkinson sued for sexual harassment but later dropped the suit, citing its negative effect on her health. Holly Hallstrom sued, and won. She said she was not fired because of a weight gain due to medication she was taking, which is disturbing enough. Instead, she said she was fired because Barker was mad she would not give misinformation to the media about Parkinson’s lawsuit, after he asked her to do so. He counter-sued for slander, but Hallstrom prevailed and won a settlement.
Bob Barker was no angel though. There were dust ups with the models on “The Price Is Right” who, back in the 1980s, were all female and collectively referred to as “Barker’s Beauties”. Two models sued. Dian Parkinson sued for sexual harassment but later dropped the suit, citing its negative effect on her health. Holly Hallstrom sued, and won. She said she was not fired because of a weight gain due to medication she was taking, which is disturbing enough. Instead, she said she was fired because Barker was mad she would not give misinformation to the media about Parkinson’s lawsuit, after he asked her to do so. He counter-sued for slander, but Hallstrom prevailed and won a settlement.
The lighter side
In 1996, Barker appeared as a parody of himself in the movie “Happy Gilmore”, where he gets in a fight with the title character played by Adam Sandler. Barker ends up punching out Sandler.
In 1996, Barker appeared as a parody of himself in the movie “Happy Gilmore”, where he gets in a fight with the title character played by Adam Sandler. Barker ends up punching out Sandler.
A few months later, I happened to be watching “The Price Is Right”, and Barker was explaining the “Hole-In-One” game. At one point he made a comment about putting, and model Janice Pennington said, “I know, I’ve seen that movie.”
Everyone laughed.
Parting thoughts
Bob Barker did some good things in promoting animal rights and taking a stand against the stereotypes of aging. He was a good host in all he took on.
Bob Barker did some good things in promoting animal rights and taking a stand against the stereotypes of aging. He was a good host in all he took on.
Yet Bob Barker was far from perfect. He had his faults, many were aired publicly, and that is not a bad thing.
In the end, justice was served, in the eyes of the law.
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