“And please spay or neuter your pets.”

Bob Barker announced today that next season of the long-running game show The Price is Right will be his last; he will retire in June 2007.

Barker has hosted TPIR for an amazing 35 years, and will be 83 years young when he calls it a day. The genial, avuncular host still attracts some five million viewers daily, regularly making TPIR one of the top three most-watched daytime TV broadcasts and a favorite among housewives, college students, factory workers, senior citizens, and kids home sick from school. Bob’s ability to remain unflappable despite the many things that can (and have) gone wrong while filming a game show has been demonstrated many times:

• In 1976, Johnny Olsen invited contestant Patricia Bernard to “Come on down!” The camera panned the audience frantically looking for Ms. Bernard, only to spot a man leaving his seat and running towards the back of the studio. Bob kept us updated on the situation: “Patricia has gone to the little girls’ room!… A man, who I assume is her husband, has gone after her … a page has gone after the man … all of America is wondering, ‘How long can they wait for Patricia?!?’”
• Yolanda Bowersley happened to be wearing a tube top that day in 1977 when she ran down to Contestant’s Row, and in her enthusiasm she unknowingly bounced right out of her shirt (on camera). The audience went wild, and Bob (who’d been offstage) was confused and suspicious at the extra applause when he was introduced. “I know you don’t love me that much!”
• The downfalls of college student contestants became evident when a young San Diego State student named Brian was trying to guess the price of an elaborate set of dinnerware during the Clock Game.  The prize had a retail price of $985, and Brian’s first guess was $89. He then went up to $105, and Barker had to stop the clock. “Eighty-nine dollars?!” he asked. “What kind of show do you think this is?” Brian’s final guess was “Eight or nine hundred dollars,” and Bob laughed when he told him, “I think I speak for everyone when I say I’m glad your time is up!”