Discussion on Drew Carey's performance as host of Price

[tpir04]

A comment on another thread prompted me to create this topic, because I believe it merits some discussion and the thread that it was in originally isn't quite the place. The comment in question in full:

Okay, so I started watching TPIR again this week because of obvious reasons. While I love the updated games, like Side by Side, and the new(er) games like Vend-O-Price, I have to say: Drew Carey is hosting like it's 2008. No enthusiasm, mocking the small prizes "who wants a fondue maker?", and the particularly aggravating "well at least you got the jewelry cleaner" after a loss. In addition, every time there's a contestant who just begs for some interaction, he just rushes to the pricing game to get it over with. It's a shame, because so many of the updates to TPIR have improved the show a lot, but the host has regressed.

Now my response:

Okay, so I started watching TPIR again this week because of obvious reasons.

Pardon my idiocy, but what are those reasons? PCH week or something else?

I have to say: Drew Carey is hosting like it's 2008.

Strong disagree here. While it's true that Drew's hosting performance isn't as good as Barker, he has still improved since his early days. He has become less immature and has stopped destroying the grocery products (can't recall if that was a one-time incident but nonetheless that's a HUGE no-no).

mocking the small prizes "who wants a fondue maker?"

I think you picked the worst example out of many. Most times he'll only make comments about the item itself, not deprecating it per se. Especially in games that involve multiple SPs, he'll try to tie them all in somehow, such as "You can use X while doing Y after doing Z." And I don't see anything wrong with that.

and the particularly aggravating "well at least you got the jewelry cleaner" after a loss.

Just trying to console the contestant. That's all it is.

In addition, every time there's a contestant who just begs for some interaction, he just rushes to the pricing game to get it over with.

You really can't blame Drew for this. Stricter demands on timing have forced the show to be that way. Even if the timings aren't fully at fault, that's never been Drew's style anyway. Recall that Bob Barker had sixteen years to refine his style as host of Truth or Consequences before Price. Drew didn't. He only had that one-year (if that) stint as emcee of Power of 10. And before that he starred in The Drew Carey Show, which was pretty much just memorizing lines of a script.

[Hag]

I think Drew has improved tremendously as a host. I have disliked his making fun of the small prizes in games like Switcheroo, but he seems to have stopped that for the most part.

[gamesurf]

Pardon my idiocy, but what are those reasons? PCH week or something else?

Many businesses, schools, universities, etc. are closing for 2-3 weeks or are encouraging people to work remotely from home because of the coronavirus. Most transmission is from sustained close contact, and social distancing is extremely effective in containing the virus.

More are home during the day that might otherwise be working or at school.

[tpiradam]

To me this comes off a little more of a critique on someone's post rather than the beginning of a discussion of Drew's hosting ability. Opinions are fine and dandy but to start an entire thread based on disagreeing with someone's post is another thing.

When Drew started hosting he wasn't really a game show host of any sorts but he grew into the role and the show in it's current production fits very well with Drew. He puts his entire heart into the show and what we see on TV is only half of that. To see him hosting in person you can tell he loves what he does and he does it well.

[tpir04]

To me this comes off a little more of a critique on someone's post rather than the beginning of a discussion of Drew's hosting ability. Opinions are fine and dandy but to start an entire thread based on disagreeing with someone's post is another thing.

Call it a polite debate then. All I'm trying to do is offer my opinions (and crazypackersfan should absolutely have a right to his as well), and again, such debate should not take place in an episode recap. That's why I created this topic. No hard feelings, I hope.

[Archviler]

Drew Carey is a tremendous host with the talent and personality he has to work with.

Bob Barker was likewise a tremendous host with the talent and personality he had to work with.

Does this mean they're equal as hosts? Of course not. Not all talents and personalities are made equal. Moreover, Bob and Drew are from two distinctly different eras and schools of performance. Nonetheless he's grown into the role and grown into it well. He's much better than he was when he started, and while there's parts of his performance I don't think I'll ever care for, he's a good host. I'm grateful Price has been blessed with a second good host after Bob Barker retired.

I'd love to see him in person since I think his talents would be better suited to seeing TPIR live versus taped, I think tpiradam hit it dead on with his comment about that.

[tpiradam]

Call it a polite debate then. All I'm trying to do is offer my opinions (and crazypackersfan should absolutely have a right to his as well), and again, such debate should not take place in an episode recap. That's why I created this topic. No hard feelings, I hope.

None whatsoever My concern was more about where this was stemming from and whether or not the OP had any knowledge of this. Guess I should've researched the origin of the comment first.

[Trevor Tuominen]

I think Drew’s a great host. Even though he isn’t Bob Barker, he’s a worthy successor.

[crazypackersfan]

I didn't even see this topic until now. I'm flattered that you felt the need to make an entire post related to the first post I made in several years. I didn't realize I was that important! I also didn't realize that the coronavirus hadn't hit your neck of the woods yet, but for me being out of work, I have time to watch TPIR.

When I speak to Drew Carey's performance, I don't say this as a major TPIR fan (even though I am). I say it in response to what other casual viewers tell me when they watch the show. I'm echoing their thoughts on him. Apparently he hasn't done enough to win them over. I also go off what I saw when I went to the show in person. He couldn't have gotten off that stage quickly enough. Not sure why it bothers you so much that I (and everyone I talk to) am/are not big fans of the host. But I expect nothing less from the game show community!

[tpir04]

Yeah, this was another one of my stupid posts. (How many does this make...far too many probably.) Please accept my apologies.

[johnnymatch]

Unwatchable.  For a guy who hosted an improv show, he’s got zero skills in that department.
He still doesn’t know how to quickly and concisely explain many games, even after ten years of “rehearsals.”
It’s been a very long time since I’ve watched Drew or visited here, and now that Price is Right is fully on board as an abortion provider, I doubt I shall return or watch ever again. 
But who cares?  What’s one less life—  here, or in the audience,  or in its father’s arms? Who cares?

[pricefan18]

Unwatchable.  For a guy who hosted an improv show, he’s got zero skills in that department.
He still doesn’t know how to quickly and concisely explain many games, even after ten years of “rehearsals.”
It’s been a very long time since I’ve watched Drew or visited here, and now that Price is Right is fully on board as an abortion provider, I doubt I shall return or watch ever again. 
But who cares?  What’s one less life—  here, or in the audience,  or in its father’s arms? Who cares?

Abortion provider? I am not sure I understand.

[SteveGavazzi]

I assume he's mad that Julie Bowen and RuPaul both had Planned Parenthood as their charity when they went on the show.

Personally, I think that makes them heroes, but to each his own.

[Alfonzo]

Before this thread takes a possibly ugly turn, I will point out that celebrities having Planned Parenthood as their charities in game shows is hardly new, Gene Rayburn played for them in the Card Sharks game show host tournament in 1980.

Let's try to stay away from this subject, too politically pointed.

[pricefan18]

Before this thread takes a possibly ugly turn, I will point out that celebrities having Planned Parenthood as their charities in game shows is hardly new, Gene Rayburn played for them in the Card Sharks game show host tournament in 1980.

Let's try to stay away from this subject, too politically pointed.

There's also the fact that....one could argue that Price at least has been open to showcasing those on both sides of the political spectrum during Drew's Tenure, given they had Jenny McCarthy who was/is associated with Autism Speaks on the show many years back now. So they've not gone completely on one side or the other in that way. Personal viewpoints on either could be argued obviously, and that's not something I want to open up here, but definitely can't say they haven't had equal time offered as it were.