CBS honored the late Bob Barker last night with the special The Price Is Right: A Tribute to Bob Barker hosted by Drew Carey. The special took viewers on a journey through Barker's life and career.
Barker hosted The Price Is Right from 1972 until his retirement in 2007; he passed away on August 26 at the age of 99. Carey took over hosting duties in 2007 and continues to this day.
Kyle Moss at Yahoo! Entertainment reports about the reverence Carey showed for his predecessor, whom Carey describes as a “legend.” Said Carey, “While that word gets thrown around all too much these days, it couldn’t be more appropriate when you think about Bob’s time on The Price Is Right.”
Drew Carey and Bob Barker Supported Animal Rights
In 1982, Barker started signing off each episode of The Price Is Right by saying, “This is Bob Barker reminding you to help control the pet population – have your pets spayed or neutered.” Carey, pictured above at a Mercy for Animals event, continues the tradition of Barker's closing line about spaying and neutering pets.
The Price Is Right: A Tribute to Bob Barker reminds viewers that Barker was already a TV fixture pre-Price Is Right with his hosting gig on the game show Truth or Consequences. Before that, Barker worked as a radio host and served as a naval aviator during World War II.
Last night's special featured a montage of clips from Barker's tenure on The Price Is Right, including ones showing how well he handled mishaps and excited winners who ran off the stage and disappeared into the crowd. “Bob’s skills were second nature to him, he was a master of the game,” said Carey. “But he also knew who the real stars of the show were: the contestants.”
Carey continued:
“Thanks to Bob, The Price Is Right became a part of the American fabric. A multigenerational legacy of viewers who loved him, along with the shared experience of watching the show with their grandparents, kids or when they were home sick from school. A bond that lasts to this very day.”
Carey ends the tribute special by saying, “On behalf of all people and animals everywhere, thank you Bob Barker.”
An encore presentation of The Price Is Right: A Tribute to Bob Barker airs on Labor Day on CBS at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. It is also available to stream on Paramount+.