There is no denying that Bob Barker was one of the most famous faces in TV history. It wasn’t just his refreshing attitude, and a long-running stint on “The Price is Right” that’s given him his legendary status in the world. All of his animal-activism has also shown him in a very positive light, which lended to his popularity.
Several contestants and audience members to appear on the show were very vocal about their feelings toward the former host. Many of them couldn’t help but scream things like, “you’re my idol.” And then, of course, there were all of those who couldn’t help but kiss Barker, who once said that he’d “probably had about 7,412 kisses.”
Six Decades on the Air
"The Price is Right" has been on TV longer than any other game show in history. It first aired in 1956, making it 64-years old as of 2020. The show premiered on NBC’s daytime TV in the mid-1950s, hosted by Bill Cullen. In 1963, it moved over to ABC, and shortly after was when Barker took over as host.
The show’s been through a few shifts and different hosts, but it maintained its status as one of America’s favorites for more than six decades. All of the hosts of the show seem to love their jobs, and all stay for years upon years.
Winning the Showcase Showdown
The three contestants who are invited up on stage are then invited to duke it out for a chance to play in "The Price is Right" Showcase. So, to make it to that round, one first needs to beat the inevitable Showcase Showdown, which is impossible to win. Everyone was starting to assume that was exactly the case until 2010, when someone finally guessed the exact value.
60-year old Terry Kiess surprised everyone when he was the first person in 38-years of the show to do so. Producers were so wary of the guess that they paused taping to do some investigating. But the investigation revealed no such thing, and it turns out that Mr. Kiess was just really, really lucky when it came to guessing numbers.
The Studio Can Be Crazy
Those who aren’t much for crowds and loud noises probably wouldn’t be very happy on the set of "The Price is Right." If you’ve ever wondered why it sometimes takes some contestants so long to make it to the stage after their names have been called, it’s because they often can’t hear them being announced over the sound of other audience members screaming.
After realizing this issue, producers decided to take matters into their own hands. By using cue cards, they can alert audience members who’ve been chosen visually, rather than by trying to beat the noise in the room.
Fake It ‘Til You Make It
If you have any hopes of getting into the show’s live studio audience, you pretty much need to have cheerleader-level enthusiasm. When producers scan the lines to fill seats, they’re not looking for someone who’s yawning and looking around like they have zero interest in being there. No, they’re looking for the most fascinating individuals that they can find.
They want people with huge smiles, who are jumping up and down and clapping. Apparently, you need to keep that enthusiasm up throughout the show, or you’ll be tossed out and replaced. One writer who attended the show reported that afterward, “your palms will feel like two hamburger patties.”