Golden-Road.net
Studio 33 - Price is Right Discussion => The TALK Is Right => Topic started by: jlgarfield on January 23, 2020, 11:07:25 PM
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Look, I'm sorry I rubbed a few people the wrong way with my repetitive rants. I'm done with that now. With that said..... this is a thread to post your personal confessions about TPiR. :D
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I refer to any spinoff in the Showcase Showdown as overtime. If it goes to more than one spinoff, then it becomes "double overtime", "triple overtime", like in football, ice hockey and basketball.
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Here's one that will probably be big...the Showcase is my least favorite part of the show. I know that's what the entire episode
has been building up to, and I will admit that it can be exciting sometimes, especially with DSWs. Most of the time however, I watch simply because I've invested so much time into the episode, that I think I might as well finish it.
I've had this feeling for a while now, and I'll admit that they were more interesting back in the day, even the loosely themed ones towards the end of Roger's tenure on the show. If I had to rank my favorite elements in any episode, it would go:
Pricing Games->Showcase Showdown->Showcases
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A few short TPiR confessions I have:
The Showcase Showdown is my least favorite part of the show. Hands down. I often take bathroom breaks of put food in the microwave when its on.
Not only did I not miss Bob hosting the the show during Tom Kennedy's nighttime run, there were quite a few times I thought Tom did a better job than Bob.
I liked Clearance Sale more than Eazy az 1 2 3 and was sorry to see it retired.
I thought that the The Price is Right On '70s Halloween show was excellent, despite only one prize won in any pricing game.
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When the values in Punch a Bunch changed, I stole the $50 and Second Chance slips out of the board since they weren't going to be used again.
Wait... that isn't the type of confession you're talking about?
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Same as Alfonzo- Showcase Showdowns are my least favorite part of the show. If I'm watching the whole episode I will try to see the end of each SS to see if any bonus spins are done. For me, it's all about the games!
I hate Time Is Money. The original was "meh" for me, but the new version just appears sloppy. I don't like that contestants can win some random amount of money, but it is neat to see a $20k win!
Also, I suck at bidding on the Showcases. On Day 5 of Dream Car Week I helped a guy I met in line win two cars in Bargain Game. He told the lady who went on to the Showcases to look to me for help. I mouthed "no, no," but she did it anyway. I was clueless. I was trying to steal a bid from someone else to give her. Turns out my guess would have put her over! (She didn't win anyway.) I'm trying to get better at playing along with the Showcases, but I still suck at bidding on them. But just look at my CSS record to see that!
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My first act if I somehow became EP would be to order a One Away redesign with a Switcheroo-style board so we can ditch the Mighty Sound Effects Lady / "Ladies, do I have..." routine.
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Let's say someone bids, in this case, $800 in Contestants' Row. When the third person bids $801, I gotta cheer when the final person bids $802.
But if I was last and those were the first three bids, I would so bid $803. :-D
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When someone other than the last bidder during the one bid round bids $1, I just shake my head.
Similarly, when the last bidder bids one dollar below the highest bid.
I also say some unkind words to people who do not know the proper strategy when bidding last in Contestants' Row.
This is a really odd confession, but Bonus Game more than any other pricing game reminds me of one of my grandmothers with whom I used to watch the show way back when. She died a long time ago, so long ago that Cliff Hangers debuted a month after she died, just to give you some idea.
As a youth when my parents would watch the night time weekly Price is Right and Dennis James was hosting instead of Barker, I was a bit disappointed. He came across to me like a mean substitute teacher. But now that I am much older and perhaps somewhat wiser, Dennis was a sensational host of the show!
The pricing game Hit-Me made me feel nostalgic for Gambit.
When Bob would make a really "old" reference like "This Is Your Life" or "Queen For A Day", I would cringe. I also cringed the way a person might when fingernails are scratched on a chalkboard every time he would say "fellers"...ugh.
I too feel "meh" about the Showcase Showdown as well as the Showcase round at the end of the program. Long ago the showcases were better, as they had more prizes and much more time to describe the prizes as well.
This last confession is really more my Mom's than my own, may she rest in peace. She detested when Bob would require female contestants to reach into his $100 pocket for a perfect bid.
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I used to think they selected contestants based on "how well they cheered" as they went into commercial. I envisioned the producers looking at the monitors, finding someone whose enthusiasm they liked, and deciding that was the person who'd be the next contestant. I just figured they had some way of knowing who everybody was, in order to be able to call their name; I didn't think about the logistics of it. (Nor did I give any thought to how the first four contestants were chosen.)
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I love both Swap Meet and Step Up, especially Step Up. Those two seem to be kind of unpopular here.
I too also prefer the pricing games over the Showcase Showdown. Sometimes on the DVR I'd skip right through them.
Concerning One Away, I also like the "oh mighty sound effects lady" rather than the "gentlemen / ladies." The sound effects lady bit can get a little annoying depending on the playing and contestant, but it's more entertaining to me.
Finally, I'd prefer to play Double Prices or even Pay the Rent much, much more than Plinko.
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Golden Road is overrated. (http://www.golden-road.net/index.php/topic,1104.msg469212.html#msg469212)
I don’t think I could bring myself to bid $1 over somebody else as the fourth bidder. I’d give them a $20 cushion or so, unless they did it to me first.
I’m not a fan “special” shows where one prize overshadows everything else. Case in point: the most recent primetime special played That’s Too Much for a BMW and Cliff Hangers for $6,500 cash in the same half.
Rich Fields’ “cartoonish” announcing wasn’t as bad as everyone says it is.
I don’t get why everyone hated Joker. It wasn’t a top 10 game or anything, but it was fine.
Finally, I'd prefer to play Double Prices or even Pay the Rent much, much more than Plinko.
OTOH, I would LOVE to play Pay the Rent. It’s the easiest $10,000 you can make!
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When the show ditched the SCSD split-screen arrow back in 1996, I felt a little sad, because it gave a better idea as to who was spinning the Wheel. I never liked the way they shot just the front of the Wheel, with a cut to the contestant or two coming before it. As nice as it was to have a new split-screen back in 2007, it pales in comparison to the iconic arrow, which I'm glad is being used once again.
A lot of people bash Doug Davidson's syndicated version for many different reasons, but I enjoyed it, even more so than the daytime show. It provided a fun experiment with its unique take on the One-Bid, called The Price Was Right. Plus the Range Game-inspired Showcase round was pretty cool too.
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Plinko is overplayed. I personally wish they would play it just a tier below the big 3.
I don’t get why everyone hated Joker. It wasn’t a top 10 game or anything, but it was fine.
It was Shell Game *and* Bonus Game with a way to lose while pricing everything perfectly, super redundant.
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I don't like the complaint that when you price items perfectly you should automatically win the game (Half-Off for example seems to get more complaints about it). There needs to be some sort of luck factor in certain games, otherwise it turns the win into an anti-climax.
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The Showcases have always been my least favorite part of the show; and the format of the Showcases in the past decade haven't increased my enthusiasm.
Bob's last two or three seasons represent a very nostalgic period of the show for me... but looking back 15 years later, this seems like a pretty bland era. The Showcases in particular seemed to lack the excitement and spontaneity of the previous two decades. There was always three prizes, no more or less, and the skits were corny (or at least cornier than usual) and predictable.
I've never had a beef with Rich Fields' announcing and really don't understand how some fans absolutely can't stand him.
Cliff Hangers is overrated. I never had this opinion during Bob's era though... it's just been the recent regime that's played it to death.
I don't like the complaint that when you price items perfectly you should automatically win the game (Half-Off for example seems to get more complaints about it). There needs to be some sort of luck factor in certain games, otherwise it turns the win into an anti-climax.
I agree with this. When the bonus rule was introduced to Half-Off in season 36, I thought it was the oddest rule change I had ever seen. It's a better format now though with the flat $1,000.
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Bob's last two or three seasons represent a very nostalgic period of the show for me... but looking back 15 years later, this seems like a pretty bland era. The Showcases in particular seemed to lack the excitement and spontaneity of the previous two decades. There was always three prizes, no more or less, and the skits were corny (or at least cornier than usual) and predictable.
For me it goes back a bit further than even that. I really started watching/recording the show regularly in Season 30 as a high school freshman, and I lived and breathed the show back then. I talked about it even in school often and became known for it, to the point that one teacher had a party for Bob's 80th birthday for me, complete with decorations and all and getting to watch his 80th bday daytime show in class that day, and getting a framed picture of Bob that all my teachers signed when I graduated in 05. So I was pretty much a lifer for the show and Bob at the time. Would been a dream of a lifetime for me to get on the show and meet him then, I'm sure some that knew me expected I might at one point even.
But when I look back at it now? Knowing what I know about how Bob was off camera, and just how the show overall was at that time as a result of that, I view it very differently. I actually tend to be more likely to watch older years of the show (particularly the Olson era, specifically in the late 70's/early 80's) than I am some of those just because of the different feel the show had, not to mention more time to actually let shows breath and let Bob talk vs. rushing through one segment to get to the next cause you basically had to.
That time will always hold some significance to me just cause it was a part of my teenage years, but....there is definitely some rose colored glasses around that to be sure. I still tend to like Drew a bit more as a host than Bob for that reason actually, because even if he's not as polished, I feel he cares more about the contestants and staff for that matter than Bob did, particularly in those final 6 years. Kinda brought back an atmosphere that was missing for a long time once he had settled into his own, and it needed it.
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For me, the pre-grey hair Bob Barker episodes don't have the same feeling as do the ones after he went grey. I don't know if its because I'm a child of the 90s but it feels like a heap of difference in how the show feels. Same goes with when the turntable carpet went from lime green to red.
I also prefer repeating Showcase themes such as Train Depot, Rod-ercise, Barker's Factory, etc over the 'Brandi goes to the Supermarket' type Showcases more towards the end of Bob's tenure.
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I've never liked Three Strikes. I'm not against having some degree of luck in pricing games, but a 2/3 chance of losing an all or nothing game from the get-go that only goes up as your pricing knowledge decreases is a bit too much for me. Yes, it is great to see it won and it is exciting when it gets down to two
chips balls in the bag, but it seldom gets to that point and more often than not my frustration when I see it come up still feels justified by the end of the game.
When someone other than the last bidder during the one bid round bids $1, I just shake my head.
I root so hard for the actual last bidder to bid $2 in those situations. :oldlol:
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Well. Here goes. Early 90s-end of career Bob is my least favorite TPIR host/era.
1. Carey/70s-80s Barker
2. James
3. Kennedy
4. Davidson
5. 90s-00s Barker.
Why? That era, Bob seemed mean. Shoving and grabbing contestants, rushing through descriptions, zero connection with other cast on stage, it was all about Barker it nobody. The show seemed bland and boring. Where today, the show is fresh and, while still somewhat predictable can deliver something fun every time. There’s chemistry on set, a host that cares, and a new energy.
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Oh. And I typically tune out the SCSD and Showcases as well. I’d prefer seeing a Price was Right showdown and either a one-player Range-Finder style Showcase or a two-player BullseyeI bid-off on one larger souped-up showcase.
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I almost always FF over the showcase showdowns. I was never the biggest fan of this part of the show, but I did like it better during the Barker era. The irritating "do you want to say hi to anyone" shoutouts, which actually take focus off the spinning of the wheel, ruined this part of the show for me to the point where I now skip over it entirely. And I did like this part of the show more during the Barker years, even then it tended to feel same old same old, in sharp contrast to vast variety of different pricing games and the variety of prizes offered during contestants row. So I FF over both showcase showdowns about 99% of the time.
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Pay The Rent may be a top 10 pricing game for me.
Also, I think people are willing to overlook some of Roger Dobkowitz's flaws as a Price is Right producer (in my opinion, an inability to change and adapt, and his own problems with hard set-ups) purely out of nostalgia.
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Also, I think people are willing to overlook some of Roger Dobkowitz's flaws as a Price is Right producer (in my opinion, an inability to change and adapt, and his own problems with hard set-ups) purely out of nostalgia.
To a point, I agree. But by the same token, I remain amazed at how much people were willing to overlook, from day one, the sub-par post-Barker years and continue to act as if Drew Carey is the greatest emcee of all time. It's almost as if some people are afraid they'll have to give up their LFaT card if they criticize anything at all. For some of us, that is just as annoying.
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Pay the Rent is my favorite game on the show, because there’s another game within the game. In addition to knowing the prices, you also have to know how to arrange them, and as we all know, it’s not as intuitive as it looks.
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FF
What does "FF" mean? Is typing whole words that difficult?
Back on subject... I always found Barker's false reveals annoying and I much prefer how Drew just gets down to business.
I miss the Drewcases... not because they were good, because they weren't, but because they were at least trying to be creative, unlike today in which every showcase is just three prizes loosely tied around a central theme, with little variance in presentation.
Rich Fields is probably the worst permanent announcer the show has had.
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FF stands for fast forward.
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I guess I'm the opposite, I liked Bob's teasers on games like Temptation.
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If the show enjoys playing non-car games for cars so much, they should consider playing car games for non-car prizes.
Play Cover Up for a bathroom.
Play 3 Strikes for a trip.
Have some fun with it, you cowards.
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I'd be up for that.
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FF stands for fast forward.
Then just type "fast forward". Posts are easier to read when you use whole words.
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George Gray is a wonderful human being. As a support for Drew, warm-up guy, comedic sidekick, fill-in model, professional audience wrangler, he's 10/10. He adds a ton to making an enjoyable taping atmosphere.
But his announcing voice just doesn't click with me at all and I'm annoyed by the way he adds a high intonation on things like "In-CLEW-did!"
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Rich Fields is probably definitely the worst permanent announcer the show has had.
FTFY.
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Rich Fields is probably the worst permanent announcer the show has had.
The thing is, when Rich started, he sounded great. But over time, he seemed to become more and more over the top. And I have to wonder if he was actually ENCOURAGED to announce that way. Because even if he somehow couldn't have heard how over the top he was, surely the producers did and would have said something if they weren't happy with him.
I don't know why he was removed from the show. After all they put him through in those "Drewcases," I think he deserved better.
But speaking of over the top...now we have someone who's even more so!
George Gray is a wonderful human being. As a support for Drew, warm-up guy, comedic sidekick, fill-in model, professional audience wrangler, he's 10/10. He adds a ton to making an enjoyable taping atmosphere.
But his announcing voice just doesn't click with me at all and I'm annoyed by the way he adds a high intonation on things like "In-CLEW-did!"
THAT. Right there. And I'm so glad someone else said it!!!
George has a great voice and his on-camera personality is very positive.
But his announcing has become horrendous. Gamesurf is dead-on with the "in-CLEW-did" thing. It's at times as if George is trying to sing through his copy.
And I'll say this about the calldowns: think about it...telling someone on that show to "Come on Down" is potentially giving them life-changing news! It's a GREAT thing.
But listen to George's first four calldowns on any show. And try this little exercise: make a mental note of the pitch and tone he uses for each of the first four "come on down" calldowns. And in your head, substitute the words, "You got the job!" (Essentially, you're on a casting call...so if you impress the producer, you get cast in the show.)
His first and fourth calldowns, when you substitute "You got the job!" with the same tone and pitch he uses, makes it sound depressing. On the word "down," he's using a DOWNWARD pitch. But if it's good news, you'd use an UPWARD pitch because it IS good news. Instead, they come off sounding like they're being said by someone who's a bit too interested in hearing his own voice!
His second "come on down" almost passes. His third is the worst...it almost comes off like a question instead of a statement.
And he does those first four calldowns the exact same way every single show. Pick any show and sub "Come on Down" in your head for "You got the job!" You'll hear it.
Am I overthinking it? Maybe. But then again some of us of a certain age grew up with shows actually run by Mark Goodson who thought things out to this degree to get into the psychology of the game. If you're old enough to have been immersed in Goodson's vision of how game shows should work, today's shows -- not just picking on 'Price' here, but ALL of them now -- fall short because it appears that there's not nearly as much thought going into things.
I took a broadcast announcing class and back then, they were still teaching us to mark up your copy the way we know Johnny Olson did. We were encouraged to read the scripts, study them, look for meaning and think about what we were trying to convey.
It just doesn't feel like that's happening anymore, and unfortunately, on a show like 'Price' where the announcer has SO MUCH TIME in the show, it's harder to enjoy.
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If the show enjoys playing non-car games for cars so much, they should consider playing car games for non-car prizes.
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Have some fun with it, you cowards.
I'm potentially on board for this but what does it have to do with insulting the courage of the production staff?
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The Showcases are my least favorite portion of the show, especially nowadays when they seem so slapped together.
But then again, everything was better back when the whole classic cast was together (Bob, Johnny, Dian, Janice and Holly) and Marc Breslow was directing.
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It bothers me (more than it should) that there’s no lower-third “$20,000” graphic for a complete Time is Money win anymore. Same goes for a $10,000 or $100,000 win on Pay the Rent (although I’m pretty sure the huge sign descending from the ceiling would suffice in the latter example).
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I wish they still used the clangs and whoops for wins on It's In the Bag and Triple Play.
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I took a broadcast announcing class and back then, they were still teaching us to mark up your copy the way we know Johnny Olson did. We were encouraged to read the scripts, study them, look for meaning and think about what we were trying to convey.
You know, thinking about that...imagine if Johnny Olson was alive and in his prime as an announcer today, and he tried to eliminate words in the script to suit what he felt sounded better, like he did back then by subbing "Here's" for "Here is" when introducing Bob, and omitting "Which are" in the spiel going into the break after PG #4. If he tried that now? He might well be out of a job, or at least told to not do that again by someone on staff after he did it, especially given how much things tend to be scripted out/are attempted to be now compared to that era and after him. That in itself tells you a lot about how things have changed.
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If he tried that now? He might well be out of a job, or at least told to not do that again by someone on staff after he did it, especially given how much things tend to be scripted out/are attempted to be now compared to that era and after him. That in itself tells you a lot about how things have changed.
Actually, it's just as likely that they'd do a re-take or an audio pickup to make it work, likely without managerial commentary at all. One of the most substantial changes to the show since Johnny's day is that they no longer do it as though it's live-to-tape, and don't shy away from post-production editing (and all the studio rental time that implies) in the slightest. (I call that pretty darn irresponsible, but that's another discussion.)
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The Showcases are my least favorite portion of the show, especially nowadays when they seem so slapped together.
But then again, everything was better back when the whole classic cast was together (Bob, Johnny, Dian, Janice and Holly) and Marc Breslow was directing.
I've been binge watching old episodes on YouTube. What bothers me about the showcases is back then, there was obviously a "great one" and a "not so great one" with really no middle ground on almost every show. I can almost always predict what the first person is going to do when asked whether they want to bid or pass. At least now, the showcases seem to have some parity.
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Actually, it's just as likely that they'd do a re-take or an audio pickup to make it work, likely without managerial commentary at all. One of the most substantial changes to the show since Johnny's day is that they no longer do it as though it's live-to-tape, and don't shy away from post-production editing (and all the studio rental time that implies) in the slightest. (I call that pretty darn irresponsible, but that's another discussion.)
Yeah there's that too, but like say he insisted on keeping it that way? He'd probably not last long. I could be wrong though, but I tend to doubt it.
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Yeah there's that too, but like say he insisted on keeping it that way?
In an ideal world, the announcer would be able to have input on the prize copy, at the very least in the interest of making it easier for them to read. Without knowing for sure, Mike's video addresses to us always presented him like an easygoing type of guy, so I'd like to think he'd have been willing to listen to inputs from talent (especially those with established reputations and credibility in the business). I'd like to think that if Johnny had insisted on reading something in a particular way, as long as there was no outside contractual obligations involved, he'd have been listened to.
He'd probably not last long. I could be wrong though, but I tend to doubt it.
Exactly what makes you think he'd "probably not" last long? What industry knowledge or experience do you have to make you think that? For that matter, what do you know about the inner workings of the show, and the personalities involved, to offer so definitive a conclusion about what would "probably" happen? (If you couldn't tell, it gets on my nerves when people lend their opinions too much weight and draw unsupported conclusions out of thin air.)
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I'm potentially on board for this but what does it have to do with insulting the courage of the production staff?
The show tends to play it safe. Most shows have two car games and three-prize showcases. They won't ever do this.
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Topics like these almost make me feel like I need to place the following disclaimer: “The thoughts and opinions expressed below are mine and mine alone and do not represent the forum as a whole. Disagreement is healthy, as long as it is with taste and doesn’t stray far from the topic at large.”
With that out of the way...
I love George and think he is a great guy, but in my opinion, the announcing gig never should have been given to him, for virtually the same reasons pointed out by others here. He just doesn’t have that announcer ‘sound,’ especially for a show where that particular role is almost as important as the host’s! I do, however, believe he would make an excellent host — and quite frankly, I think he would be better suited for the role than Drew. I’ve felt this way for quite some time and would love to see an episode where he gets to take a stab at it (if such an episode has happened, I was completely out of the loop lol).
Rich Fields wasn’t all that bad, but the job should have gone to Burton Richardson or Randy West. Both had more than proven themselves worthy of the role when subbing for Rod, and if either of them had been given the job, I believe they may very well still be with the show today and would have helped maintain a certain level of consistency through a period when the show needed it most.
I was completely put off by the new set and theme music adjustment with Season 36. Drew’s hosting didn’t bother me so much, but the other changes were so much of a distraction that I about hated it (keep in mind I was only 13 at the time, so what I knew to that point is what I was used to). That initial shock from Day 1 of the Drew era really set the tone for my feelings toward the show for quite a few years thereafter. It really hasn’t been until recently that I’ve grown to accept the show for what it is and began enjoying it again without being totally distracted by changes I (still) disagree with.
It really, really bothered me when Bob was introduced on the 2015 April Fools show as “Drew Carey” by George, and it stills bothers me to this day whenever I play back that clip. Yes, it was an April Fools gag to have him come out, but at least give the man a proper introduction! Especially when that moment was quite likely to be the final time he’ll ever walk through those doors (although I still hold out the tiniest bit of hope for just one more surprise appearance!).
Admittedly, my impressions of Mike Richards when I first joined this site several years back were not fair, but I grew to greatly appreciate his work. Once he got the kinks worked out, he really turned the show back into something special — even if I don’t agree with certain nuances like ditching virtually all of the classic music cues (which may not have even been his doings, at least fully). I wish he was still with the show now!
I absolutely detested cheap Showcases during the Barker years, especially when both ended up being cheap and/or filled with less-than-desirable prizes. You spend the entirety of the show building to this suspenseful segment where a lot of loot can be won, only to offer random trips and a snow mobile as your top prizes. I get rather annoyed today by how basic the Showcase ‘themes’ (or lack-there-of) are today, but at least the prizes have improved leaps and bounds in the average Showcase!
The late 90s set, cues (in use at that time), etc. will forever be the best. Don’t @ me!
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Why? That era, Bob seemed mean. Shoving and grabbing contestants, rushing through descriptions, zero connection with other cast on stage, it was all about Barker it nobody. The show seemed bland and boring.
This is total fantasy and not even remotely true.
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This is total fantasy and not even remotely true.
I'd say for the last 7 seasons or so after Janice and Kathleen were let go, especially with the connection to other cast, it kinda was actually. And I say that again as someone who loved Bob at the time as a high school & then early college student.
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It really, really bothered me when Bob was introduced on the 2015 April Fools show as “Drew Carey” by George, and it stills bothers me to this day whenever I play back that clip. Yes, it was an April Fools gag to have him come out, but at least give the man a proper introduction! Especially when that moment was quite likely to be the final time he’ll ever walk through those doors (although I still hold out the tiniest bit of hope for just one more surprise appearance!).
I would think Bob was okay with it, otherwise he wouldn't have agreed to participate. It's not like they sprung it on him at the very last minute.
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Where today, the show is fresh and, while still somewhat predictable can deliver something fun every time. There’s chemistry on set, a host that cares, and a new energy.
Right on the money-- it's so good now with Drew and George and all the rest, that I have it set on a regular DVR recording, and wouldn't miss it for the world (even if only one or two games are won on any particular show)!
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I would think Bob was okay with it, otherwise he wouldn't have agreed to participate. It's not like they sprung it on him at the very last minute.
You completely missed my point.
Obviously he agreed to it, but I’m of the opinion they never should have chosen to introduce him that way in the first place, unless it was his idea, which I highly doubt. Regardless, it’s simply how I feel. Others may feel differently, and that’s OK. This is a ‘confessions’ thread after all. :P
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I'm not sure this qualifies as a confession, but... I think the arrow on the wheel and the spinner should be on the same side. How that would be designed, I have no idea.
Last Sep, when I took my first spin, the arrow was pressed against the 95 and didn't flip. So, on my second spin, I kept moving toward the front of the wheel thinking if this is going to be another close one, I want to see it. I realize seeing it better doesn't make a difference on what i spin. I kept walking around Drew standing in front of him, so I could see better, he ( I think in an exaggerated manner, knocked himself in the faced with the mike, then he made some joke w the cameraman about it all.
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Also with the wheel, I hate when people spin, and they're so busy "saying hi" to someone, they're not even looking at the wheel. This happens a lot.
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I'm not sure this qualifies as a confession, but... I think the arrow on the wheel and the spinner should be on the same side. How that would be designed, I have no idea.
No matter how it's created, it would interfere and not give the player enough of an arc to put energy into the spin if it was on the player's side.
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You completely missed my point.
Obviously he agreed to it, but I’m of the opinion they never should have chosen to introduce him that way in the first place, unless it was his idea, which I highly doubt. Regardless, it’s simply how I feel. Others may feel differently, and that’s OK. This is a ‘confessions’ thread after all. :P
My own confession of sorts on this....and I know this isn't Bob's fault given his age at the time...is that that opening segment woulda been so much better/satisfying than it was if he had remembered to say "Welcome to the Price is Right!" as he always had for all those years, once he got to the top of the stage. It feels a little strange without that. Awesome moment still of course, but has that little something missing in that way because he didn't.
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- I find the big wheel tedious, and don't like the US showcase format at all, to the point where I usually stop watching after the last pricing game is done. Mind you, this is a bit of a saving grace when watching live at 1am or 2am my time :P
The issue I have with the wheel is similar to the issue I have with the Australian showcase prize reveals - it is a lot of show time taken up by dead air and little gameplay (or in the Aus. showcase instance, no gameplay at all, which makes that even worse).
It is just so boring to watch the wheel go around and around when only the last second or two before it stops are all that really matters. Compare this to another luck-based game like Plinko where the chips drop within seconds and you can follow the chip's path all the way down, so there is more intense anticipation as to where it will land.
- When I first got into US TPIR after the Australian series ended in 2005, I was blown away by how much (and how easily) the US series gave away in the showcases, and this has remained the case particularly as the showcase totals increased while many games seem to have become harder to win. I would much rather see lower showcase values and more forgiving pricing game set ups in general.
The main issues I have with the showcases are the lack of variety both in gameplay and in the prizes, particularly the high amount of trips offered. In recent seasons it feels like once you've seen one showcase segment, you've seen them all, particularly with DSW's harder to come by. Someone winning $25-35k+ worth of prizes should be a big deal, but there always seems to be more excitement in a $10000 Grand Game win or a Let Em Roll or Rat Race win.
- I've got no issue with the shoutouts at the wheel. I recall a few times in Drew's early seasons where contestants would get on stage and launch straight into shoutouts, which would have been hard to edit out yet always interrupted the flow and cut time from the pricing games. It's a lot cleaner just having them all do it at the SCSD.
- Buy Or Sell always confused me as a kid watching TPIR in the 90s, and still confuses me to this day.
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When the values in Punch a Bunch changed, I stole the $50 and Second Chance slips out of the board since they weren't going to be used again.
Wait... that isn't the type of confession you're talking about?
To have something Iconic like the Punch-A-Bunch slips would be a dream of mine
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May be a weird one, but I really dislike games that don't have a sort of reveal mechanism that shows the price. Generally ones where Drew literally asks "Is that the right price?" and immediately followed by a bells or a buzzer and none or very limited visual cues.
The easiest example is Gridlock. Quite literally anything could have been done other than this - model flips a price tag, correct price immediately displayed on the screen instead of afterwards, traffic like sound effects such as a car crash indicating a loss, or a zoom sound indicating a win.
Ironically, I also think Bonus Game suffers from this. Something about the bonus just magically appearing on the screen instead of say Drew flipping or removing a cover (kind of like flip flop) to make it seem less like the person behind the scene can arbitrarily decide whether the contestant wins or loses (assuming it's not a wipeout or perfection).
2 for 1 is also another example, though I think visually it would look nicer if correct numbers were highlighted in different colors (red for wrong, or green for correct). It isn't as eye catching as a Make Your Move where the entire game board vividly flashes colors for a win. Ideally, I would hope for something along the lines of a Stack-The-Deck where the game name over and displays the price (of which I think is one of the cooler reveals).
They have gotten quite better at this though: Coming or Going, That's Too Much, Line 'em Up now at least have some kind of reveal now.
Also there are games that I think could use better reveals:
Bullseye: Personally I find the hidden bullseye mechanic lame, and I think you should just immediately lose if you miss out with 3 chances to hit the target, but I was hoping for something creative rather than Drew just tapping the touch screen and the result just appearing. Maybe even a small 3 second animation of an arrow hitting or missing a target.
Hi-Lo: Something about the price reveals by flipping over a card seems so outdated and makes the game seem like it's still in the 60s. I was hoping for some kind of barcode scanner or something other than Drew just turning over a card to reveal a price.
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I'd say for the last 7 seasons or so after Janice and Kathleen were let go, especially with the connection to other cast, it kinda was actually. And I say that again as someone who loved Bob at the time as a high school & then early college student.
But that's not what was said.
The poster stated Bob seemed mean. That's a lie.
And, Bob was shoving and grabbing contestants. That's a lie.
And, Bob was rushing through descriptions. That's a lie.
Finally, Bob had zero connection with other cast on stage. Even this is partially untrue. Whether you like Rich or not, Bob had good chemistry with him. It is true though that there was no connection anymore with the models. This was mostly because there were no more permanent models on the show and it became a revolving door. Granted, that was Bob's decision and he deserves blame for that.
The thing is, when Rich started, he sounded great. But over time, he seemed to become more and more over the top. And I have to wonder if he was actually ENCOURAGED to announce that way. Because even if he somehow couldn't have heard how over the top he was, surely the producers did and would have said something if they weren't happy with him.
I don't know why he was removed from the show. After all they put him through in those "Drewcases," I think he deserved better.
He was removed because he was fired for inappropriate behaviour behind the scenes. I've said that before and got accused of lying. It's your choice whether to believe me or not but I am telling the truth.
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Finally, Bob had zero connection with other cast on stage. Even this is partially untrue. Whether you like Rich or not, Bob had good chemistry with him. It is true though that there was no connection anymore with the models. This was mostly because there were no more permanent models on the show and it became a revolving door. Granted, that was Bob's decision and he deserves blame for that.
I remember reading before that they stopped using permanent models so that the models were allowed to take other jobs in addition to being on Price. Personally I never minded that much that the models weren't permanent anymore, I disliked the announcers changing after Rod's illness and passing until Rich became permanent more.
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(Rich) was removed because he was fired for inappropriate behaviour behind the scenes. I've said that before and got accused of lying. It's your choice whether to believe me or not but I am telling the truth.
Well, this is the first time I've heard that...so I suppose I must have missed your previous remarks on that subject.
But don't get so defensive. I didn't accuse you of anything.
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He was removed because he was fired for inappropriate behaviour behind the scenes. I've said that before and got accused of lying. It's your choice whether to believe me or not but I am telling the truth.
FWIW, I don't think you're laying. But I also don't take what you say as fact. People on this site have a definite history of trying to act like experts on things they don't actually know anything about, seemingly just to appear to be an expert or like they have an inside connection.
Therefore I'd like to know where you're getting this, so I (and everyone else) can figure out if it's a legitimate source, or some relative of The National Enquirer.
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He was removed because he was fired for inappropriate behaviour behind the scenes. I've said that before and got accused of lying. It's your choice whether to believe me or not but I am telling the truth.
I'm not sure why you know this, and I'd say his behavior was less "inappropriate" than downright "stupid," but you're definitely correct.
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And, Bob was shoving and grabbing contestants. That's a lie.
Bob most certainly did do that. It was noticeable for many years. He wasn't trying to be mean; it was just his way of getting unprepped contestants onto their marks and then offstage without audible directions. It never bothered me (I thought it was kind of ingenious, actually), but I can see how it might rub some people the wrong way, especially compared to Drew's laissez-faire way of dealing with people.
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I'm not sure why you know this, and I'd say his behavior was less "inappropriate" than downright "stupid," but you're definitely correct.
Considering Rich made an ass out of himself behind the scenes at CBS to the point where he got banned from certain parts of the company, I'd definitely say he was both inappropriate and stupid :-)
I feel like you and I discussed this already but I simply had a source from behind the scenes. That source is long gone though from the company and Rich's termination is the last piece of backstage information I ever got. I know nothing about the behind the scenes of TPIR past 2010.
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Bob most certainly did do that. It was noticeable for many years. He wasn't trying to be mean; it was just his way of getting unprepped contestants onto their marks and then offstage without audible directions. It never bothered me (I thought it was kind of ingenious, actually), but I can see how it might rub some people the wrong way, especially compared to Drew's laissez-faire way of dealing with people.
I don't think he'd ever say it publicly, but I get the sense Drew's a bit anti-social, however he understands that it comes with the job. As long as he continues enjoying his job as he shows, he deals with it. If someone did that to him on Whose Line, he'd likely be upset.
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But that's not what was said.
The poster stated Bob seemed mean. That's a lie.
And, Bob was shoving and grabbing contestants. That's a lie.
And, Bob was rushing through descriptions. That's a lie.
Finally, Bob had zero connection with other cast on stage.
I’ll defend myself here. Remember the subject of this thread, however. Confessions are opinions. Some might agree some will disagree. I realize I may be in the minority around here.
Bob did seem mean towards the end, and it’s directly related to the next point. And I’ll concede, mean may not be the right word... maybe more grumpy than anything. You could visibly pick out the contestants he didn’t enjoy. Often times if the contestant wasn’t a LFAT, or know game rules right off the bat, they were treated differently. He’d move quickly through explaining the games. Probably more from the growing constraints on timing. Watch how he moved contestants around on the stage. Watch closely. A grab of the upper arm or a gentle “move” off camera when they won or lost. These movements, to me, became more apparent in the 2000s.
Also, I prefer the chemistry on stage since Drew came on board versus the 2000s Barker Price. To me, the cast turnover contributed significantly to this.
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I’ll defend myself here. Remember the subject of this thread, however. Confessions are opinions. Some might agree some will disagree. I realize I may be in the minority around here.
Bob did seem mean towards the end, and it’s directly related to the next point. And I’ll concede, mean may not be the right word... maybe more grumpy than anything. You could visibly pick out the contestants he didn’t enjoy. Often times if the contestant wasn’t a LFAT, or know game rules right off the bat, they were treated differently. He’d move quickly through explaining the games. Probably more from the growing constraints on timing. Watch how he moved contestants around on the stage. Watch closely. A grab of the upper arm or a gentle “move” off camera when they won or lost. These movements, to me, became more apparent in the 2000s.
Also, I prefer the chemistry on stage since Drew came on board versus the 2000s Barker Price. To me, the cast turnover contributed significantly to this.
As do I, can't even imagine Bob ever being ok with singling out his announcer at the top of every show, or the models for that matter, especially towards the end. It creates that more family feel the show was missing for a long time. And I sorta like how Drew doesn't mind sharing the stage with the contestants, as opposed to how Bob kinda was quick to get them out of view after a game.
Also on Bob's visible on camera dislike for a contestant.....I have a memory...and I coulda swore this was from Season 30 (that was the first year I was recording shows and I recall it as being from one) but it mighta been a Season 29 repeat (saying this only because I struggled to find a record of this later in trying to find it in any recaps from 30), where he got EXTREMELY angry with a woman in the Clock Game who was mixing highers and lowers up. He from what I remember shouted at her he was going to kick her in the ankles, and angrily asked what she bid. Does anyone else here have a memory of this and when it woulda happened? I recall it very vividly, and would definitely have been one of his less than positive contestant interactions from his final years.
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As do I, can't even imagine Bob ever being ok with singling out his announcer at the top of every show, or the models for that matter, especially towards the end. It creates that more family feel the show was missing for a long time. And I sorta like how Drew doesn't mind sharing the stage with the contestants, as opposed to how Bob kinda was quick to get them out of view after a game.
Actually, when you lose a game the stage manager, Eric, has a tablet with the word "STAY" written in big red letters that he shows to the contestants to remind them to stay with Drew instead of running off stage. If you win a trip he does the same thing (he did it to me, I stayed with Drew and gave him a thumbs up, and he returned the thumbs up). Also, during George's warm-up he goes over these rules and has the audience to repeat after him, "Stay with Drew!" I think that's interesting because, now that I think about it, Bob would either congratulate the winner or thank the contestant for playing the game, then they would usually walk off camera. Does anyone know when this change exactly? Was it a preference by Drew, the director, or the producers?
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Bob did seem mean towards the end, and it’s directly related to the next point. And I’ll concede, mean may not be the right word... maybe more grumpy than anything. You could visibly pick out the contestants he didn’t enjoy. Often times if the contestant wasn’t a LFAT, or know game rules right off the bat, they were treated differently.
I do recall one playing of Eazy az 1 2 3 in which the contestant made the fatal mistake of admitting to not watching the show regularly. Instead of telling the contestant to place a block one at a time Bob loaded all three blocks in the woman's hands and had her lug them all at the same time, telling the audience "I did that because she admitted she didn't watch the show." I thought that was, at least, a little catty of him.
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As do I, can't even imagine Bob ever being ok with singling out his announcer at the top of every show, or the models for that matter, especially towards the end. It creates that more family feel the show was missing for a long time. And I sorta like how Drew doesn't mind sharing the stage with the contestants, as opposed to how Bob kinda was quick to get them out of view after a game.
Also on Bob's visible on camera dislike for a contestant.....I have a memory...and I coulda swore this was from Season 30 (that was the first year I was recording shows and I recall it as being from one) but it mighta been a Season 29 repeat (saying this only because I struggled to find a record of this later in trying to find it in any recaps from 30), where he got EXTREMELY angry with a woman in the Clock Game who was mixing highers and lowers up. He from what I remember shouted at her he was going to kick her in the ankles, and angrily asked what she bid. Does anyone else here have a memory of this and when it woulda happened? I recall it very vividly, and would definitely have been one of his less than positive contestant interactions from his final years.
I remember this as well. At the time it was the angriest I'd ever seen Bob get, and it appeared to be genuine anger as well. It was the day he got a new microphone....I believe it was March 29th 2002 according to the FAQ. Clock Game was played 3rd that day.
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I think that's interesting because, now that I think about it, Bob would either congratulate the winner or thank the contestant for playing the game, then they would usually walk off camera. Does anyone know when this change exactly? Was it a preference by Drew, the director, or the producers?
I'm pretty sure it was Drew's choice. Sometimes when contestants would instinctively walk away early on in his run, Drew would say something like, "Oh... well, there he goes..." And he, of course, strongly encourages winners to "go check out your prize!" I think running to the prize is kind of like contestants giving shout-outs at the Wheel... people used to do it occasionally, but Drew likes it, so he decided everyone should do it.
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Today, when a contestant leaves Drew while he is throwing to commercial, he usually can be seen laughing at the fact that the contestant walked off. Anyone else notice this? It happens when a contestant loses their pricing game or when a contestant wins a prize where there is nothing to check out on stage (trip, cash, etc.).
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Lately, I've been watching older Price clips on YouTube of Bob's run with the show. My mother happened to be in the same room as I while was watching the other day, and she made the comment that she never liked how mean Bob was, so it's definitely a trait he displayed. Whether it was intentional or not, though, that's up for debate. And I think that it especially stands out even more now that Drew is host.
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I feel like the Race Game cue should be the theme song for the 1989 Nickelodeon game show Think Fast. I'd also like to hear the theme to another Nick game show, Make the Grade, as a prize cue as well.
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Lately, I've been watching older Price clips on YouTube of Bob's run with the show. My mother happened to be in the same room as I while was watching the other day, and she made the comment that she never liked how mean Bob was, so it's definitely a trait he displayed. Whether it was intentional or not, though, that's up for debate. And I think that it especially stands out even more now that Drew is host.
Sad but true. When there's a warmth missing from Bob's hosting, it does come across as mean (or smug, or something).
Take this late-'70s clip. The contestant is as friendly & delightful as anyone who ever appeared on the show -- yet Bob doesn't seem crazy about her (to me, anyway):
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Sad but true. When there's a warmth missing from Bob's hosting, it does come across as mean (or smug, or something).
Take this late-'70s clip. The contestant is as friendly & delightful as anyone who ever appeared on the show -- yet Bob doesn't seem crazy about her (to me, anyway):
Maybe it's just you. Honestly, I watched the entire clip and Barker seems perfectly cordial to her. I don't detect meanness or smugness at all.
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Watching that clip, I didn't really see any smugness either. I could see how the "water thing" could be played up to smugness, but I thought it was just Bob poking fun at the contestant.
Here's my hot take: I agree with all of the pricing game renovations over the past few years. Are they making the sets more busy? Yes, they are. However, besides Double Prices, there wasn't a renovation that I hated at first glance. And I've grown to like DP's design, just for the sole fact that it gives it some distinction from 1RP, and the pattern across the back is interesting to look at.
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I haven't kept up with this thread that much, but I'll give a couple of mine.
The "carnival" set of Most Expensive, used for about 25 years, was the worst set the game ever had and its current set, in use for 10 years now, is the best (and this is from a person that loves Five Price Tags). It never looked in place and always made the stage look more barren than it already did. It was just ugly and I never liked seeing the game when I'd watch the show first run or older episodes online.
Bob Barker has slightly ruined the legacy of The Price Is Right. He is a petty man and all of his gerrymandering with not only his version of Price, but the versions hosted by others, has, in my opinion, severely hindered keeping many memories of the show alive. I appreciate his dedication to animal rights, but thinking that wiping all appearances of your association with furs means that it didn't happen is wrong and short-sighted. Nothing is wrong with thinking a different way formerly. So many episodes have never aired since broadcast because of this short-sightedness and there must be some confluence of his influence that's keeping Price off of Buzzr (along with issues perhaps with CBS).
I also think he did the show no favors by kneecapping the types of cars that could be on the show with his foreign ban throughout the last 15 years or so of his tenure. I appreciate the effort/gesture for a time, but there was a point where it should've been lifted so they could spruce up the car rotation. Say what you will about cars now, I appreciate the variety that shows up now.
This post, by the way, was in no ways meant to be a designer accessories on Bob post. I wouldn't say some of this to his face and I'll still praise his hosting, which was top-notch. But the man had an ego and some serious misgivings because of it.
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I appreciate his dedication to animal rights, but thinking that wiping all appearances of your association with furs means that it didn't happen is wrong and short-sighted.
I don't think anyone thinks that's the case. He doesn't want to further promote the fur industry. Longtime fans of the show — and of the pageants he hosted prior to the "fur flap" — all know furs used to be involved. It's not like not airing those shows makes us forget they ever happened.
And there's a comparatively smaller percentage of fans who don't recall furs who still want to see old shows more than the current version.
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I haven't kept up with this thread that much, but I'll give a couple of mine.
The "carnival" set of Most Expensive, used for about 25 years, was the worst set the game ever had and its current set, in use for 10 years now, is the best (and this is from a person that loves Five Price Tags). It never looked in place and always made the stage look more barren than it already did. It was just ugly and I never liked seeing the game when I'd watch the show first run or older episodes online.
Bob Barker has slightly ruined the legacy of The Price Is Right. He is a petty man and all of his gerrymandering with not only his version of Price, but the versions hosted by others, has, in my opinion, severely hindered keeping many memories of the show alive.
The model stuff around this where Janice, Dian and Holly (and maybe Kathleen too?) are concerned is especially bad. It's left so much footage from really the best years of his era of the show unaired for literally 2 decades now, sans the YouTube material which is obviously fan posted. The DVD that came out after he retired should have showcased the very best shows and moments from his entire run as host, but because of his pettiness, all we got was a smattering of early episodes from before it really became what it was/is today, and his final week. It's a shame that's all that was able to be put out as a legacy, it really is. It shoulda been much more than that.
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Randy West was overrated. Don't get me wrong he was a fine announcer just not the best in my opinion.