Bob Barker was the epitome of ‘game show cool’.

Television ⁣Lost a Legend: Remembering Bob Barker

Television lost one of its leading lights over the⁣ weekend when legendary game show host Bob‍ Barker died Saturday, less than four months short of his 100th birthday. (At least one pundit on Twitter‌ wryly observed that,⁤ in true Showcase Showdown fashion, Barker⁤ apparently tried to come as⁢ close to 100 as possible — without going over.)

The former “The Price Is⁣ Right” emcee stood as one‍ of the last living members of his generation of⁤ TV hosts (not⁣ to mention one of the last of the Greatest Generation). For that reason, he cut ​a different profile than many ​current hosts, including his successor at “The Price Is⁢ Right.”

Professional Game Show Host

At the time of the cancer diagnosis that would ultimately take his life, these pages ⁤ called Alex Trebek the ⁤last true game show host still active in television. Because the genre declined in popularity in recent ‍years, most⁤ game ‍shows need to find emcees from other forms of entertainment, often including ⁣stand-up comedy (Steve Harvey,⁣ Howie Mandel) or talk shows (Regis Philbin, ‌Michael Strahan).

By contrast, people ⁢like Barker and Trebek ⁣made a living by hosting⁢ a variety of game shows; when ‍one failed and was canceled, they would find work hosting another. For ⁣instance, ​Bill Cullen ​hosted 23 different game shows on television and radio, in addition to appearing ⁣as a panelist on ⁤several others.‍ Cullen, ⁤who hosted the original version of “The Price Is Right” from 1956 to ​1965, joked that network executives invariably gave hosting ​duties to him by default⁤ when production companies pitched the networks on new shows.

With more than half ⁤a⁢ century hosting game shows, Barker falls into this category‌ as a professional host. Few remember it now, but for nearly 20 years Barker also hosted the television show ​“Truth or Consequences,” which was ⁢so popular in its heyday that ⁤a⁢ city in New ‍Mexico ⁣renamed ‍itself in 1950 after the radio⁣ version of the program. Barker also appeared as a panelist on other game shows, including ⁤“Tattletales” and “Match ‌Game,”⁣ in the 1970s.

Put another way, the elements of his game⁤ show biography that most people have forgotten about Barker are greater ‍than those of virtually ‌all current‍ television⁣ emcees. That doesn’t ​begin to cover the 35-year stint as host ⁤of “The Price Is ​Right”‍ that made him a legend to multiple generations of ⁣Americans.

Different Hosting Style

Because he hosted game shows for so long, and because he came ⁢from an⁤ earlier generation, Barker exhibited a different on-camera persona than most modern‍ hosts. The comparison with his successor as host of “The Price Is Right” demonstrates the contrast.

Watching the modern “Price” during pandemic-era‍ lockdowns, one could readily observe Drew Carey’s earnestness toward the game and the contestants. His enthusiasm might seem off-putting to more reserved​ members of an‍ older ⁢generation:‌ “You won the car! ​ You won the car!!!”

By contrast, Barker often appeared⁣ to be playing ‌the ⁤part of a game show⁣ host. Heck, he looked ⁤ the part ‍of a stereotypical game show host. When Galoob released ‌a “Mr. Game Show Host” electronic game in the 1980s, the toy’s title character ⁤echoed a mash-up of Barker ​and‍ Wink Martindale, the sole difference being that ⁤Barker stopped dyeing his hair and ⁣let it go ⁤gray ⁤around that time.

While gliding effortlessly through the mechanics of hosting an episode, Barker often showed a level of detachment not found in⁤ Carey.‍ He⁢ seemed bemused by all the crazy things people would do on the show, ⁢particularly after winning. His demeanor suggested, “Don’t get too close to me — this suit is rented,” and he only seemed half-concerned when Samoans ​(always the ⁢Samoans) picked him up and carried him around.

While on stage, Barker’s pretensions were both calculated and in good fun. He often insisted on silence from the roaring studio⁤ audience — “Just a moment. ⁣ Just a moment!!!” — only to deliver‌ some deadpan wisecrack. He delighted ‌in ⁢ playing up the drama of a prize reveal, often stopping to banter ⁢with⁢ the contestants, “Isn’t this exciting! What will you do ⁣if you win the​ car?” He heightened the suspense while also drawing big laughs. And his Inspiration⁤ Putt prior to the start of the game “Hole in One (or Two)” took on a ⁢life⁣ of its own, as viewers dissected the strength of Barker’s putting game.

It seemed no surprise that‌ Barker⁣ could cut his legendary fight scene in “Happy Gilmore”, or deliver a Top Ten list on “The ⁢Late Show” with pitch-perfect ​timing. In both cases, the gigs seemed entirely consistent with ​his personality.

Though born six decades earlier, Barker in some ways seems to epitomize Generation X‍ culture: not trying too hard, with a wry smile and wink that let the audience at home in ‌on the joke, but without ‌insulting or mocking the contestants in the studio.⁢ For this reason, ⁤millions of fans of‍ my generation⁣ loved ‍school holidays or sick days (real⁣ or imagined), when we could stay home and watch ⁤Barker on daytime TV.

Icon for Generations

Of course, Barker had a life outside the studio that now bears his name. He served in the Navy Reserve during World War ⁢II and proved a passionate lover of​ animals, such that Carey still uses Barker’s famous sign-off: “Help control the pet population — have your pets spayed or neutered!” On a less ⁣flattering note, the sexual‍ harassment alleged by one “The Price Is Right” model during their affair proved damaging to Barker’s reputation and legacy.

I went to ⁣a taping‌ of “The⁢ Price Is Right” two decades ago and kept my price tag for a reason,‌ which has everything to do with ​how Barker’s combination of warmth and wit endeared ​himself to generations of viewers. We value that ​legacy as much as we miss his presence.