Very sad news from the world of entertainment yesterday. Though predicted for years, the announcement of Bob Barker retiring from show business as of next June sent shock waves through the industry nonetheless.
On a personal side, it did not help my day yesterday either; which was filled with more of the usual confusion at work.
The old saying always mentioned there were two certainties in life. I always thought there were three; now I've been forcibly convinced there are only two. Bob Barker and The Price Is Right were as close to that third certainty as you could get -- and in a medium as unstable as television, no less.
Now, I'll admit I've not been a constant viewer since I first spotted the show in1975. There were long periods of inactivity due to being busy with school, work, or hobbies. The feeling was that the show would always be there, the way it was remembered in our youth. It was the perfect antidote for those sick days from school & work that all youngsters look forward to, and all parents shake their heads at. Why sit in bed looking at four walls, when you can guess what the price of something is?
Are people going to feel cheated, as if some prized possession is being taken from them? Absolutely. I will be dialing in on one of the show's top fan sites, goldenroad.net and I can only imagine the outpouring of shock, dismay, and posts mentioning "Now what will I do on my weekday mornings?"
In my recent case, perhaps sleep through them as usual. But sleep will not be the same, knowing that a true American icon has become a memory.
* And I must admit, in defense of his many fans, that a Price Is Right without Bob Barker will show the resilency of soggy bread. This was one true show where the host made it shine. It's not common for viewers to remember game show hosts before remembering what show they're best known for. People would make all sorts of observations about the game play, "hosted by what's-his-face." Will all these 75+ pricing games work with some dork (Todd Newton, Doug Davidson) at the microphone?
The show should simply go when Bob does - in much the same way the comic strip Peanuts was only drawn by Charles Schulz and no one else. It's not worth trying to keep the image alive when you have host candidates who couldn't be Bob's shadow on their best day.
