By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer Today at 4:35 pm
Genial comic Drew Carey was tapped Monday to replace silver-haired legend Bob Barker on the CBS daytime game show "The Price is Right." The deal was set Monday afternoon shortly before a taping of CBS' "Late Show" with David Letterman, where he confirmed it.
"I realize what a big responsibility this is," he said. "It's only a game show, but it's the longest-running game show in American television and I plan to keep it that way."
The selection attracted more attention than usual for a daytime show because of the prospect of replacing Barker, 83. Barker retired after 35 years in the job last month following taping of his 6,586th episode.
The opening attracted widespread interest, including from comic Rosie O'Donnell after she left "The View."
Carey, 49, spent a decade on his own ABC sitcom and also was host of the improvisational game show "Whose Line is It Anyway?"
He will also be host of a new CBS prime-time game show, "The Power of 10," that will air first next month. He told The Associated Press on Monday that CBS officials first contacted him about "The Price is Right" immediately after he completed a pilot of the other game show this spring.
"My agent called me and said `I was talking to CBS casting today' and in my head I was thinking, `Oh, `CSI' guest star?' And he said what would you think about replacing Bob Barker on `The Price is Right?'"
Asked if he found the prospect of replacing such a TV legend daunting, Carey recalled talking to a friend who knows the game show business who told him, "as long as Bob Barker is cool with it, the fans will be cool with it."
"I'm cool with it," Barker said after hearing Carey's remarks.
Barker said he's not familiar enough with Carey's past performances to offer an opinion on his selection. But, he said, "I understand he ad-libs very well and that he has a very nice, friendly way of working, and I think both of those would be helpful to him on`The Price Is Right.'"
His advice for Carey: "Go out there and do that show the way you think it should be done. Don't imitate me and don't imitate anyone else."
While Carey said doesn't know Barker personally, the younger comedian said he was comfortable that his predecessor would be accepting when he took on the job.
The negotiation process was nerve-racking. While he was talking with CBS about the job, Carey said he got a call from another lawyer in Hollywood who told him one of his clients was offered "The Price is Right" job.
He figured CBS had lined up back-ups if the first choice did not come through.
"If I was going after a second baseman, I wouldn't just talk to one second baseman," the Cleveland Indians fan said. "If I were the general manager, I would be talking to a few second basemen."
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Associated Press Writer Jacob Adelman in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
Genial comic Drew Carey was tapped Monday to replace silver-haired legend Bob Barker on the CBS daytime game show "The Price is Right." The deal was set Monday afternoon shortly before a taping of CBS' "Late Show" with David Letterman, where he confirmed it.
"I realize what a big responsibility this is," he said. "It's only a game show, but it's the longest-running game show in American television and I plan to keep it that way."
The selection attracted more attention than usual for a daytime show because of the prospect of replacing Barker, 83. Barker retired after 35 years in the job last month following taping of his 6,586th episode.
The opening attracted widespread interest, including from comic Rosie O'Donnell after she left "The View."
Carey, 49, spent a decade on his own ABC sitcom and also was host of the improvisational game show "Whose Line is It Anyway?"
He will also be host of a new CBS prime-time game show, "The Power of 10," that will air first next month. He told The Associated Press on Monday that CBS officials first contacted him about "The Price is Right" immediately after he completed a pilot of the other game show this spring.
"My agent called me and said `I was talking to CBS casting today' and in my head I was thinking, `Oh, `CSI' guest star?' And he said what would you think about replacing Bob Barker on `The Price is Right?'"
Asked if he found the prospect of replacing such a TV legend daunting, Carey recalled talking to a friend who knows the game show business who told him, "as long as Bob Barker is cool with it, the fans will be cool with it."
"I'm cool with it," Barker said after hearing Carey's remarks.
Barker said he's not familiar enough with Carey's past performances to offer an opinion on his selection. But, he said, "I understand he ad-libs very well and that he has a very nice, friendly way of working, and I think both of those would be helpful to him on`The Price Is Right.'"
His advice for Carey: "Go out there and do that show the way you think it should be done. Don't imitate me and don't imitate anyone else."
While Carey said doesn't know Barker personally, the younger comedian said he was comfortable that his predecessor would be accepting when he took on the job.
The negotiation process was nerve-racking. While he was talking with CBS about the job, Carey said he got a call from another lawyer in Hollywood who told him one of his clients was offered "The Price is Right" job.
He figured CBS had lined up back-ups if the first choice did not come through.
"If I was going after a second baseman, I wouldn't just talk to one second baseman," the Cleveland Indians fan said. "If I were the general manager, I would be talking to a few second basemen."
___
Associated Press Writer Jacob Adelman in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
I have no problem with this. For many years, while living on the farm and watching one TV station from Springfield, we watched with pride how Bob Barker (Springfield native) became a celebrity for nothing more than doing his job better than anyone else. First, with Truth or Consequences and then on to the "Price Is Right" in 1973. Generations have passed (more than once) since he was not on TV.
"Who's Line Is It Anyway" is an absolute muhfugga in my house and has been for years, still laugh my ass off and wonder how they do it. A show that was appreciated by the whole family for a long time. Drew is a blue collar nerd from Cleveland that has a great talent. I think this will be a great hire by Goodson/Toddman. Now that he has been chosen, I really can't think of anyone who could do it better..or with the most justice.
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