Bob Barker is retiring in June. This is a serious turning point in pop culture. And, honestly, I hope they end the show after he retires rather than bringing on Louie Anderson to take his place.
(No, they’re not planning it. I was just imagining a worst-case scenerio.)
I’d venture to say that any one under 35 or 40 remembers the joy of staying home sick from school and getting to watch The Price is Right right before a lunch of chicken noodle soup and half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Shoot, even now on those rare weekdays I’m home instead of at work, I’ll take time to flip on CBS at 11am. There are few, if any, shows that can claim the longevity and consistency of TPIR. Barker’s been on TV for 50 years and working as host of TPIR for 35 years. Let’s all bow our head and eat a PB&J in honor of Mr. Barker’s contribution to our lives.
As a side note, boos to every lazy headline writer, with duds like “The Price is No Longer Right” and “Time is ‘Right’ for Barker to quit.”
Posted in Television, Movies, and Music
jk November 1, 2006, 4:03 pm
I still cry when little old ladies win big prizes.
Adam November 1, 2006, 4:27 pm
“Come on down”, “showcase showdown”, and “help control the pet population; have your pets spade or neutered” are permanent parts of our TV memories. Mention any of those and anyone would know exactly what you’re talking about.
It’s the show that taught us if you can’t figure out your own bid, just bid a dollar and hope everyone else overbid. Or, in an even cheaper move, pick the best bid from the other contestants and bid one dollar more.
Greg November 1, 2006, 7:46 pm
The Ping should organize an outting and we could all be part of the studio audience.
Ryan November 1, 2006, 7:52 pm
That’d be sweet. If we got enough people, ONE of us would wind up on contestant’s row.
But with our luck, Fresh show up out of nowhere and win a car.
Adam November 1, 2006, 8:02 pm
Still laugh when I think about his appearance on Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore. “The price is wrong, b!tch.”
jk November 1, 2006, 8:09 pm
I always wondered if I am strong enough to spin the big wheel.
Steve A November 1, 2006, 9:59 pm
There was a lady who worked in this little one-horse-town who was a Big Showcase winner. She definitely had the pricing qualifications for those games, she did all the ordering for the local grocery store.
See Ya, Bob; now leave the TPIR girls heinie’s alone.
Ciao,
Dave Walls November 1, 2006, 10:09 pm
I definitely think we should do a Ping convention at TPiR. If the group is large enough, we can reserve seats…For any gameshow fan, it’s a must-do trip at least once in your life, and time is running out. It’s done the way gameshows were meant to be done, live to tape, no editing.
As for Bob, to put it in perspective, it would be an accomplishment if he just had the Price is Right for 35 years. But just before that he completed nearly 20 years of “Truth or Consequences” on TV. Most performers would kill to have that kind of longevity on one show, Barker has had it on two.
A legend for sure.
Matt November 4, 2006, 2:18 pm
Heck, I even remember the joy of watching The Price is Right while at school. We would watch it occassionally in eighth grade study hall.