Fifteen Years Ago (June 6, 2007)

[Combs]

Bob Barker taped his final show of The Price Is Right. It aired nine days later on June 15.

[vnisanian2001]

It was goodbye to both Barker, and the Mark Goodson Productions logo, too.

[PIRfanSince72]

Hard to imagine it's been 15 years already.  To put it in terms we may understand better, 15 years was how long it was before Bob started letting his hair turn white/grey.

[gameshowfan]

Thanks...That was a nice walk down Memory Lane.

That nine-day timeframe between taping and airing seems awfully short.  Is that typical, or were there situations surrounding Bob's last show that made for such a quick turnaround?

[pannoni1]

One of Rich's first shows I hear was even shorter according to a script I saw on his podcast (just three days between taping and airing). I guess with all the big publicity, they didn't want to spoil too much. Then again, it still pales in comparison to the major late night shows with just hours between taping and airing.

But 15 years already? It seemed like Bob was host forever, all the way through college for me, and now it almost seems like half a life ago. I'm also surprised that the opening titles (the final episode in blue) didn't reference Bob with text such as "WE LOVE YOU BOB", "THANKS FOR 35 YEARS", "BARKER FOREVER". And bless him for having a nice retirement like Betty White and Monty Hall.

[JayC]

Hard to believe Bob's last show was 15 years ago already. I remember watching like it was yesterday.

That nine-day timeframe between taping and airing seems awfully short.  Is that typical, or were there situations surrounding Bob's last show that made for such a quick turnaround?

If I recall correctly, it was typical for the turnaround from tape to air to be shorter at the end of the season during the Barker years.

I'm also surprised that the opening titles (the final episode in blue) didn't reference Bob with text such as "WE LOVE YOU BOB", "THANKS FOR 35 YEARS", "BARKER FOREVER". And bless him for having a nice retirement like Betty White and Monty Hall.

I recall reading Bob vetoed having the Showcases center around his retirement, so he likely wouldn't have wanted the opening titles to make reference either.

[Combs]

That nine-day timeframe between taping and airing seems awfully short.  Is that typical, or were there situations surrounding Bob's last show that made for such a quick turnaround?

Typically, at least during the Barker era, the window of time between tape date and air date fluctuated throughout the season, but I've heard that the average was five weeks. As the season grew closer to a close, that window significantly narrowed.

[holein1isawesome]

Seems like only yesterday.

[PIRfanSince72]

Seems like only yesterday.

For me, it seems like only yesterday watching the first episode on our old black & white TV set on Labor Day 1972, along with The Joker's Wild and Gambit.  I was 5 years old then and so enamored by all those shows.  Now I own 2 decks of replica Gambit cards.

[Grammar-Nazi]

Since people have started taking trips down nostalgia lane, does anyone else still expect to hear as the introduction: “The fabulous 60-minute Price is Right”?

[mellongraig]

I remember catching this during the primetime airing leading up to the Daytime Emmy Awards, but seeing Bob's final episode on the air twice that day was a big deal. Hard to believe it's now 15 years ago like it was yesterday...

[COINBOYNYC]

I'm also surprised that the opening titles (the final episode in blue) didn't reference Bob with text such as "WE LOVE YOU BOB", "THANKS FOR 35 YEARS", "BARKER FOREVER".

Bob may not have wanted that.

[Combs]

It was fifteen years ago (June 15, 2007) that we sat down to watch Bob's finale on CBS. It was a little difficult for me to process and accept that his time on the show was over. Amazingly and thankfully, he's still with us today at the age of 98.

[crazypackersfan]

Today was the 15th anniversary of the airing of Bob's final show. That show was bigger than the Super Bowl for me, and I'm a huge football fan. When Bob waved goodbye at the end, it was as if my childhood ended right there. (I graduated college in six months from then.) He will forever be the greatest game show host of all time.

Also, 15 years later, Drew has made the show his own. Are there things he does that annoy me? Occasionally. But he's taken the reins of TPIR and made it successful into its sixth decade. Drew may not be Joe Montana. But he may be Steve Young, and as football fans know, that's Hall of Fame worthy.

[Mr. Weatherman]

Right about this time 15 years ago, my 13-year-old self was preparing my recordable DVD player in my bedroom (I thought I was high tech!) to make damn sure the primetime airing would tape while I watched it.  I connected it by S-Video to my DIRECTV receiver to squeeze out every bit of crisp 480i I could. 

I could have watched the daytime airing but decided to wait until that night and make a personal event out of it.  So many emotions ran through me watching the episode.  I’m pretty sure a few tears came to my eyes during his final sign-off.  What a moment in history that was, at least for me.  Bittersweet memories!