I haven’t watched TPIR in quite some time because I’ve usually been in school or working. Since yesterday was the last day of class, I flicked on TPIR this morning to see if Bob Barker was still peddling his wares. What I saw had me shocked and wondering if I had entered some parallel game show universe. Where did Rod Roddy go (the “Come on down” guy)??? They’ve got some half-rate guy doing announcing now. And Barker’s beauties??? Who are these girls? I realize the original ones are probably 80 years old now, but the current ones are nothing to write home about. Personally I think Regis and Millionaire have something to do with this conspiracy…
Rod Roddy passed away. I’m sure someone else will know when.
Not to mention Janice filed sexual harassment and (age?) discrimination lawsuits against Bob. IIRC, she lost. I don’t think the women are called “Barker’s Beauties” anymore, either.
The show is like a strange universe. Its gotten to this point where everyone is wearing a “funny” t-shirt and the entire audience is made uo of groups from colleges or the very elderly.
Two days ago I remember a young large woman being called down by the half rate announcer (Rod Roddy must have died recently since I swear I saw him on it just a few weeks ago.) and her breasts were flailing about and they actually cut to a gray screen until she was firmly at her podium.
And the girls are alright there is one that is a dead ringer for Pamela Anderson-Lee-Rock. Depending on how you feel that is a good or bad thing.
For someone reason the college kids get the most emotional. I saw one guy cry when it was announced he was playing “Blinko” (I think that is right, the one where you drop the disks down the board and it bounces of little pegs and you try to get it to land on a certain dollar amount) this was before he even played it, he was crying. He said that this was always his dream to play this game. He ended up setting the new record for it. So kudos for dreams.
There was a report about a year ago that they were switching to models hired for individual shows, in order to save money.
That is beautiful and touched my very soul. It should be a Hallmark Hall of Fame special with Matt Damon as the weeping college kid. Spielberg directs with bookends of an elderly Matt Damon telling his grandkids about his finest hour. ::wipes away a tear::
BTW, for Rod Roddy purists: He can still be heard on the Price Is Right interactive slot machines. (Look for them at a casino near you!) They even say “Featuring Rod Roddy!”
Okay, I’m sorry. Rod Roddy is not dead. Was thinking of someone else. My error.
I watched the show just yesterday, after a very long period.
It looks like TPIR is slowly morphing into Let’s Make a Deal. Now it’s “wear a silly t-shirt” and get on contestant’s row - next someone wearing antenna will get called and you’ll see half the people in the audience wearing them. Eventually you’ll have hobos and witches on contestant’s row.
Watching the show yesterday, I was reminded why I like it so much. During the final showdown, the first person was a fairly substantial amount under. Bob went to the second person and slo-o-o-wly read out the price. The second person was like 13 dollars over, and you could see the hope building up, until he realized that he had bid just a little too high. Then you could see him mentally banging his head against a wall.
Plinko. The name of the game is Plinko.
The Price is Wrong…Bitch!