At the turn of the 21st century, fans of The Price Is Right received some startling news via an announcement that longtime show model Janice Pennington no longer going to be appearing on the program. Janice had been a staple on the program for nearly three decades, with her having debuted on the series upon it’s 1972 premiere. Sadly, the story of Janice’s removal from the series is merely the tip of the iceberg that reveals a damning history of wrongful terminations that have apparently plagued The Price Is Right for a long time. Join Facts Verse as we explore the REAL reason Janice Pennington left The Price Is Right.
Janice Pennington Fired from The Price Is Right
In the year 2000, fans of The Price Is Right shocked to learn that longtime model Janice Pennington no longer going to appearing on the classic game show. The announcement came as just as much of a surprise to the model herself. Janice had been on the show for 28 years, and had filmed well over 6,000 episodes of the series. Audiences had come to associate Janice with the program just as much as host Bob Barker himself. And many fans outraged at the model’s sudden departure.
Janice Pennington’s departure made the biggest waves. She’s not the only beloved member of The Price Is Right’s team to be let go at the time. Alongside Janice, another one of the show’s models, as well as several members of it’s creative staff let go. The other model was Kathleen Bradley. Though she hadn’t been a member of the show’s team for quite as long as Janice. Because of this, her departure from the series didn’t make as many waves.
Though Janice Pennington not the only one being booted off the program. Her departure was the one that the audience had the hardest time dealing with. Angry letters came pouring into The Price Is Right’s offices. Though the powers that be were firm in their stance that there was no longer room for Janice or any of the other fired employees on the successful game show. Despite this, no clear reason ever given for Janice or any of the others being let go.
Janice and Kathleen Knew the Real Reason They Fired from The Price Is Right
There may have been no reason given for Janice Pennington and Kathleen Bradley being fired from The Price Is Right. But it wasn’t too hard for the two models to figure out the reason on their own. In the years leading up to their firing, both Janice and Kathleen had refused to defend host Bob Barker. And the show in a wrongful termination lawsuit that had come about after the firing of Holly Hallstrom.
Holly Hallstrom had dismissed from The Price Is Right in 1995. However, unlike with Janice and Kathleen, there a clear reason given for the termination of Holly. Still, that reason not determined by much of the public to be a very good one. As it turns out, Holly fired from The Price Is Right as a result of a minor amount of weight that she had gained since taking up her tenure on the series. Of course, Holly not too happy about let go from the series for such a superficial reason.
When Holly sued Bob Barker and The Price Is Right for what she felt was her wrongful termination. The show’s staff members asked remaining models such as Janice Pennington and Kathleen Bradley to testify against the former game-show model in court in an effort to prove that there was no negativity or discrimination going on in the hiring and firing of the show’s beautiful ladies. And which have often colloquially referred to as Barker’s Beauties.
Never Take the Stand Against a Fellow Model
For whatever reason, both Janice and Kathleen flat-out refused to testify in defense of Bob Barker and The Price Is Right. It may have been that the two models agreed with the point that their former peer was trying to make with her wrongful termination lawsuit. Janice and Kathleen may not have been able to find it in themselves to defend Bob and the show. Or they may have simply not wanted to get up on the stand. And start attacking Holly given the fact that she used to be one of them. Either way, Janice and Kathleen refused to testify, and they likely lost their jobs because of it.
Janice Pennington and Kathleen Bradley booted off The Price Is Right. There was no episode paying respects to the two longtime models. There wasn’t even so much as a farewell. The duties of the two models were simply passed over to remaining model Nikki Ziering with little fanfare. And Nikki retained her duties for the next several years. It was likely an intentional move on the part of The Price Is Right’s creative team. And not to mention the departure of Janice or Kathleen on the series because they didn’t want to stir the pot. The reaction to the models fired had bad enough without drawing attention to it on the show.
Not long after being fired, both Janice and Kathleen joined the ranks of former peer Holly Hallstrom by suing The Price Is Right for wrongful termination. If you’re enjoying this video so far, be sure to hit the like button to show your support! Also, subscribe to the channel if you’d like to be among the first to know when more Facts Verse videos are on their way!
Janice and Kathleen Settled Out of Court
Shortly into Janice Pennington and Kathleen Bradley’s respective wrongful termination lawsuits against The Price Is Right. The two former models ended up settling out of court for an undisclosed sum of money. Janice’s settlement came complete with a hush clause that prevented her from disparaging Bob Barker. And while Kathleen’s settlement included no such clause. Because of this, Kathleen has been the much more outspoken of the two when it comes to her negative feelings about the situation in the wake of the settlement. Both models claimed that it wasn’t Bob Barker who had fired them personally, but instead the network.
While Janice Pennington and Kathleen Bradley were willing to settle out of court, this wasn’t the case with Holly Hallstrom. Holly sued Bob Barker and The Price Is Right for wrongful termination. It resulted in a ten-year legal battle in which the former game-show model didn’t let up for a second. Holly had fired from The Price Is Right in the aforementioned year of 1995. As compared to Janice and Kathleen’s firings, a clear reason given for the firing of Holly. And she also fired directly by Bob Barker himself. As established, the reason for Holly fired from the program the fact that she had put on a few pounds.
Following her firing from The Price Is Right. Holly would recall how the show’s creative team would often hide her behind large objects so that the audience couldn’t make out her figure. When this was happening, Holly didn’t think all that much about it. However, in retrospect, the star came to realize that the show’s staff was trying to hide her miniscule weight gain. Holly understandably offended by the notion that she needed to let go from the series just because she had put on some barely noticeable weight.
However, there also the fact of the matter that Holly didn’t fully believe that her weight gain was the real reason for her being let go. Instead, Holly believed that the real reason she let go from the beloved game show because she’s like Janice Pennington and Kathleen Bradley. It is after she refused to testify on Bob Barker’s behalf.
Janice and Kathleen’s Story Mirrored Holly Hallstrom’s
Just as Janice and Kathleen would asked to do against her many years later. Holly asked during what would end up being her final years on The Price Is Right to testify against one of her former peers in order to defend her employer. While Holly herself who Janice and Kathleen would later asked to testify against. Holly asked to testify against a model by the name of Dian Parkinson. Dian exited The Price Is Right for undisclosed reasons in 1993 before coming out of the woodwork shortly afterwards with a sexual harassment lawsuit against Bob.
It revealed that Dian Parkinson going to be suing Bob Barker for sexual harassment. Bob asked Holly to do some press events and tell the world that Dian wasn’t telling the truth about the sexual harassment. Not wanting to involved, Holly refused. Following her refusal, Holly thought she’s in the clear until she fired for weight gain. Of course, it’s not hard to connect the dots and assume that there definitely could’ve been an ulterior motive for Holly’s firing. If this is truly the case, then it seems that Dian’s sexual harassment lawsuit had a snowball effect that ended up costing The Price Is Right a whole lot of money.
Holly Hallstrom did not take her removal from The Price Is Right lying down. And subsequently brought about her aforementioned wrongful termination lawsuit. Bob actually tried to sue Holly for slander. And claiming that she was lying about him in the wake of her firing. This lawsuit thrown out. And Bob forced to pay Holly’s legal fees for it. As far as the wrongful termination lawsuit. It ended up taking a whopping 10 years for Holly to get justice in the courts for her firing from the series. The whole debacle likely could’ve been over much faster if Holly had taken an out-of-court settlement. But the ex-model truly wanted justice.
Holly Hallstrom Found Justice in the Courts
Holly ended up using all of her money in her battle against The Price Is Right. And to the point where she said to be living out of her car towards the end of it. Holly’s perseverance ended up paying off. However, as she would emerge from the legal battle as it’s victor in 2005, with many millions of dollars to her name as a result. As one might imagine, the ex-model no longer has to sleep out of her car!
While the removal of longtime model Janice Pennington from The Price Is Right understandably angered fans of the series. And her wrongful termination was just one of several wrongful terminations that the show. As well as host Bob Barker, have had to answer for over the years. Now it’s time to hear from you: did you know that several ex-models from The Price Is Right have sued the show for wrongful termination. And that one ex-model also claimed to have sexually harassed by host Bob Barker? As always, like this video to show your support. And subscribe and hit the notification bell if you’d like to be among the first to know when more Facts Verse videos are on their way!
