The Priceless Reign on the Price is Right

We all have our favorite game shows. As a child and even into my adulthood, one show has always been one of my favorites. Those magical words, "Come on down!" sparked an exciting sense of euphoria in the "Price is Right" audience. At some point in time we've all sat down to play along with the contestants on the show, screaming at the television telling the, which numbers they should pick. It's hard to believe that after 35 years, "The Price is Right" will not be the same as we know it, since the lovable host, Bob Barker retiring at the age of 83.

Bob Barker is the longest and oldest host on the air. "The Price is Right" averages 5.5 million viewers a day. Although the audience looks much bigger on TV, there are only 325 seats. Out of those 325 seats, only 9 contestants will be picked to play. People have been known to wait outside for close to 20 hours just to get a seat in the audience. Many people might not know that Barker graduated summa cum laude from Drury College with a degree in economics. So knowing the price of soups, baby wipes, pain relievers, ski equipment, and even cars is in his genes. You win by knowing the stuff that matters.

The contestants on the show seem to all work as a team. You hear them cheering each other on and even trying to help each other win the games. All of the audience and those chosen as contestants seem so happy to be there, even when they lose. Just being a contestant on "The Price is Right" seems to be like a badge of honor. People have t-shirts made up with the hopes that they will be able to stand in the contestants spot and show just how much they love the show. Many of the college students tell Bob that they've watched the show all of their lives and for them it's just a great experience being there. Many contestants seem to view Barker as a grandfather figure. Although he never had any children or grandchildren of his own, if you broaden the definition of family to include the millions of viewers and contestants on "The Price is Right," Bob would have millions of grandchildren.

Prior to hosting "The Price is Right," Barker had a good run hosting another game show, "Truth and Consequences." No one would have thought "The Price is Right" would have run for a remarkable 35 years. So how does Barker still have the energy to keep going at the age of 83? "A banana each morning does the trick, followed by some light weights and stretching, and an hour on the elliptical trainer." After his morning routine, followed by some office work, it's off to the land of Plinko, Punch a Bunch, Lucky Seven, and a host of the other 80 games. After all this time, barker knows all of the games by heart and rarely, if ever makes a mistake.

Even for the contestants who don't win, and get half ushered, half pushed off the stage by Barkers hand, there is still hope of winning a place in the Showcase Showdown. It's when they spin the big wheel when the contestants tell Bob how much they love him, how long they've been watching the show, or they take the opportunity to say hello to friends and family in the audience or back home. Whether you win or lose on "The Price is Right," the important thing and the thing that seems to make the most difference to the contestants is that they actually got to play the game. We all know that the show won't be the same without Bob Barker, but it's safe to say that his run will never be forgotten.