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When I was growing up, part of the fun of Christmas vacation was being able to lounge around in my PJs and watch daytime game shows on TV. Dad was home, too, which meant he had supreme and ultimate TV control. And one game show he never missed during his days off was The Price is Right. He claimed it was an educational show, with mathematical games that demonstrated the laws of averages and percentages. I think Mom saw through his façade when she snorted: “Hmph, he’s just checking out the broads.” (By “broads” I believe she actually meant “Barker’s Beauties.”) Or maybe she was referring to the occasional female contestant who added more bounce to the ounce when running towards Contestant Row. In any case, I hope you’ll enjoy these TPIR memories:
1. Wardrobe Malfunction
Yolanda Bowersley had unfortunately chosen to wear a tiny tube top that warm day in 1977 when she sat in the studio audience awaiting that fateful call. When Johnny Olson invited her to “Come on down!” she did that and more. As she bounded down the stairs, she was blissfully unaware that her top had slid down to a precarious level. When Bob Barker eventually took the stage, he suspected that the cheers, hoots and hollers were not necessarily directed towards him.
2. You Should’ve Thought about that before You Left the House
Johnny called out “Patricia Bernard! Come on down! You’re the next contestant on The Price is Right!” As usual, the camera scanned the audience in order to film the lucky person as she ran down the stairs. The only problem was on this day, the cameras panned several times and didn’t see anyone leap up. Finally, a man left his seat and ran towards the back of the studio. Bob Barker, the consummate professional, instantly figured out what was going on:
“This had to happen did it not? Patricia is in the “little girls” room! A man I assume is her husband is out to look for her, and everyone in America is asking, how long can they wait for Patricia!”
3. What are the Odds?
He’d used up practically all of his guesses on a buffet and a set of luggage. One chance left to win a car. Who’d have thunk it? Just one of a few contestants who took home a major prize through sheer dumb luck.
4. This never happened to Carol Merrill
More than once the onstage prizes refused to cooperate with the models. Part of the charm of TPIR is that Barker and the show’s producers rolled with the punches - taking these sort of bloopers in stride.
I know there are folks out there who’ve shouted obscenities at contestants making bad guesses, and those who have strong opinions regarding dark-haired Bob versus au naturel Bob. Now is the time to show some The Price Is Right love! And remember to spay and neuter your pets.
Comments (10)
Comment
Does anyone else remember the video that was floating around for a while of the man who was waaaaay too excited to be on the show? He was like, flailing his arms and jumping in circles and running in place and he was most certainly on something. It was hilarious.
posted by Sarah on 1-2-2008 at 10:11 am
TPIR holds a special place in my heart. It always reminds me of summer days when I would visit my Grandma, Aunt, and Great-Grandma. I would always get to watch TPIR with Great-Grandma while Grandma and my Aunt were at work.
Did anyone remember about 3-4 years ago when TPIR was doing one of those prime time specials? The entire audience were college students. Anyway, they came back from one of the breaks and the audience was loudly chanting “Bob Bob Bob” while a blushing Bob explained that the college students got him to recite his famous line from Happy Gilmore.
That would have been pretty sweet to have been in the studio that day.
posted by Dusty on 1-2-2008 at 10:24 am
Speaking of strong opinions on game shows…why, oh why, do people waste their money on buying vowels on Wheel of Fortune? A, E, I, O, U and sometimes Y. How hard is it to insert one of them and make an educated guess without spending all your money so that the solution is beyond obvious? I do’t get it.
posted by Irene on 1-2-2008 at 10:27 am
Dusty - I went to a taping a few years ago, and I think references to Happy Gilmore during the breaks are common. Someone in our audience asked if he would ever do a movie with Adam Sandler again, and he said something to the effect of “I’d like to, but I don’t think Adam could take another beating like that.”
The things left off the air are so much better than what’s put on.
posted by leah on 1-2-2008 at 11:23 am
Back in the 1970’s one of my mom’s sisters ended up on the show, but wouldn’t tell anyone what she’d won. “Watch the show when it airs & you’ll find out.”
Turned out she did a clean sweep; guessed the exact price on the first prize, winning bonus cash ($100 or $500?). She then went on to win her game, hit $1.00 in the Showcase Showdown, then was within $100 of the price of her Showcase prize package, and won both of them. She ended up with a new car, a camper, two or three trips, some appliances, and a pile of taxes to pay on it all.
posted by Dave on 1-2-2008 at 11:47 am
I developed a ‘cough’ on numerous occasions just to stay home from school and watch TPIR. My mom was a soft touch.
People buy vowels on Wheel of Fortune because it helps to figure out longer puzzles. Like, if you have TH_ and a lot of words with nothing revealed, buying an E might help you figure out the rest of the words.
posted by Sean on 1-2-2008 at 12:46 pm
Search for “price is right flip flop cheater” for a good clip. I won’t describe it because I don’t want to ruin it.
posted by Zach on 1-2-2008 at 1:08 pm
Like many from the younger generations, I spent numerous hours watching TPIR during the summer and on sick days. What made it better was when one of my favorite sitcoms–How I Met Your Mother–did an episode where Barney (the wonderful Neal Patrick Harris) went on TPIR and won everything on the show in a manner similar to what Dave said happened to his aunt. What made it even better was that Barney had been led to believe (since a small child) that his father was good ol’ Bob.
Seriously a genius combination of two great shows.
posted by nutmeag on 1-2-2008 at 1:50 pm
I know a guy who was a contestant on TPIR. He won a Winnebago camper and a couple thousand dollars (I forget how much but it was 5 figures). He had absolutely no use for a Winnebago. He couldn’t take the cash value of it, he had to take ownership of one and sell it on his own. The dealer bought it back but for less than it’s full value. Of course Marc was teased for years with people imitating Rod Roddy(?) announcing, “Marcus *Lastname* come on down, you’re the next contestant…!”
posted by Tdave on 1-3-2008 at 4:27 am
p.s. I checked “Rod Roddy” on IMDB, I could have left out the (?)
posted by Tdave on 1-3-2008 at 5:14 am