Alex Carson
In 2007, the affable comedian and former star of the ABC sitcom, Drew Carey, tap to replace Bob Barker. As host of the long-running CBS daytime game show The Price Is Right.
The news break that Carey reigns of the popular program, he says that he knows how big the opportunity is. The Price Is Right is the record holder for being the longest-running game show on American television. Carey promises that he plans to keep it that way.
The selection of Carey attracts more attention than is typical for a daytime show. The fact that Barker, the 83-year-old man he is replacing, spends the last 35 years of his life hosting it.
The job opening left vacant by Barker initially attracted widespread attention. It looks like Rosie O’Donnel, who leaves The View, is her sights set on the gig.
Carey, 49 at the time, spends a decade on his previous sitcom. As well as hosting the improvisational comedy game show, Whose Line is It Anyway?
CBS officials offer Carey the spot when he completes a standalone episode primetime game show, The Power of 10. He daunts the prospect of replacing such a TV legend. Carey says that as long as Barker and the fans are cool with it, then so is he.
The Cleveland-native has been hosting the Price is Right ever since. It seems as if Bob Barker is ‘cool with’ Carey taking over his show. Recent reports indicate that the 98-year-old’s feelings about Drew take a drastic nosedive.
Join Facts Verse as we explore the clear reason why Bob Barker and Drew Carey are no longer friends. If you’re a fan of the Price is Right, this is one video that you won’t want to miss.
Bob Was “Cool With It”
CBS selects Carey to be the next host of The Price is Right. Bob Barker says that he is totally cool with him taking over his old post. He says that he isn’t that familiar with Carey’s previous performance. It isn’t enough to offer an opinion on his selection. He applauds him for his ability to ad-lib well and that will be a valuable asset when hosting the show. Barker expresses delight in the fact that Carey seems to be a friendly person who will treat contestants with respect.
Before Carey officially took over hosting duties, Barker had one piece of advice for his replacement. He urges him to do the show that he thinks that it’ll finish while not trying to imitate anyone else.
Bob’s Opinion Quickly Soured
Bob Barker seems to be optimistic about Drew Carrey replacing him on the Price is Right, his opinion quickly changes. In an EW Exclusive interview in 2010, Barker insists that while he’ll never criticize Drew. The show, CBS, or FremantleMedia, produces the show because he still receives a royalty check from them every year. He seems annoyed by how Carrey presents the show. He explained that Drew presented the show differently than he did. While he tried to make the show exciting, in his opinion, Carrey did not. The way Barker sees things, Drew simply just presents the games.
It doesn’t take much reading between the lines to understand what Barker was getting at. We already knew that Bob wasn’t watching episodes of Drew’s Price of Right, but now we finally knew why. Bob thinks that Drew’s presentation of the game show is boring.
When asked to clarify his comments, later on, Bob was quick to shower Carey with praise. He said that Drew had been ‘charming and complementary’ and expressed gratitude for the time that Drew brought him on the show to plug his memoir, Priceless Memories, which hit store shelves in 2009.
Barker then joked that from then on he planned to keep his mouth shut whenever he was out walking down the street.
Carey didn’t seem very put off by Barker’s comments. When asks what he thinks about his predecessor’s jab at his hosting skills, Drew says that Bob entitles to think and say whatever he wants. Interestingly, at first Drew didn’t even think that Barker had actually said what he had.
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Barker Was Snubbed By A Price Is Right Special
You would think that if you were in charge of putting together a 40th Anniversary special of a popular game show, you would at least attempt to invite the guy that hosted it for 35 years. Well, in 2012, this is exactly what goes down when the producers of The Price is Right snub, Bob Barker when organizing their anniversary special.
“They chose to ignore me – which is fine.” Bob told TMZ.
When the special finally aired, it featured returning contestants from the previous four decades. Barker shows in several clips, but he isn’t invited to make an appearance on the show or attend its taping.
In the same interview with Entertainment, Barker lamented that they hadn’t even offered him a DVD of the show. When asks why he thinks that he receives the cold shoulder, Barker points to several occasions that are critical of the show’s producers for giving away prizes that he feels are inappropriate.
Barker is a lifelong animal rights activist who sounds off each episode by urging his viewers to help control the pet population by having their pets spayed and neutered.
On one occasion, he complained about the showrunners’ decision to give away tickets to events like the Calgary Stampede and Sea World. Both organizations, according to Bob, are notorious for abusing animals.
During his tenure as host, Barker requested that the show cease giving away leather jackets and fur coats. They happily gave in to his request and ceased the practice.
Barker says that when he was the game show’s host, he and his team were always very careful about what they chose to feature on the show. He went on to say that if he had been the executive producer, nobody would have dared to bring him tickets to something like the Calgary Stampede.
Barker has donated a considerable chunk of his savings to animal-rights organizations and causes since retiring from The Price Is Right. He says that if he invites to the 40th-anniversary special, he repeats his signature show-closing message about having pets spayed and neutered.
Drew Carey Felt Awful About The Barker Situation
In response to reports of Barker’s exclusion from The Price is Right 40th anniversary special, Carey told TMZ that Barker is ‘dead wrong’ for thinking that he excludes. Rather, Drew insists that Barker is simply misinforming.
He told the gossip outlet that nobody at ‘Price” had any sort of animosity or ill feelings toward him. It didn’t occur to anyone to invite him personally to attend the taping since it means to be a salute to past contestants.
Carey reiterates that nobody at the network had anything against Bob Barker and that everybody loved him.
As hurtful as the snub might have been, Bob Barker said that it was actually the ‘best thing that happened to him all week’ as it only gave him publicity and allowed him to do a bunch of interviews.
Bob’s Health Troubles
In 1999, Barker admits to George Washington University Hospital and diagnosed with a partially blocked left carotid artery. Shortly after that, he underwent carotic endarterectomy surgery to remove the life-threatening blockage.
Three years later, shorting after filming the 30th season finale of The Price Is Right, Barker suffers a stroke and stays in the hospital. Later that year, he underwent prostate surgery.
In 2015, two on-duty police officers patrolling Barker’s LA neighborhood witnessed him trip and fall on the sidewalk. They call an ambulance, and he takes to Cedars-Sinai Medical center, where he receives several stitches on his forehead.
Barker fell once again and hit his head at his home in June of 2017. His personal maid drives him to the ER where he receives treatment and is released. His reps confirmed that it had not been a severe fall.
In October and November of 2018, Barker rushes to the hospital on two occasions after experiencing severe back pain.
At 98, just about any kind of slip or fall could seriously injure a man as old as Barker is.
The Price Is Right celebrates its 50th Anniversary with a special that is on September 31, 2021. Once again, Barker did not make an appearance, but the show did air a segment that paid tribute to his 35 years as host. It’s unclear if he was invited to the event.
Do you think that it was shocking that Bob Barker wasn’t invited to the 40th Anniversary of the show that he hosted for more than three decades? And do you agree with Bob’s assessment of Drew Carrey being a ‘boring’ host? Let us know in the comments.
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