The game show, The Price is Right, is one of the longest running game shows, in the history of game shows on television. Bob Barker, who was the host of the show for about thirty-five years, just retired last year. The hit show is a favorite of many people, as they watch on a daily basis, Monday through Friday. It is a vicarious thrill, for the television viewers, including yours truly, to try to guess the prices of the different prizes offered to the contestants on the show. The contestants are selected, and called down to bid on prizes on the stage. There are four original contestants, who start the show. The one who comes closest to the price, without going over, will then go up on stage, to play a game, in order to win another, more expensive prize. There are six prizes bid on, for a total of six people, who are then given a chance to spin the big wheel, in two groups of three. The two indivduals, who get the highest amount of money, up to a dollar, are in the final showcase. If they spin and get a dollar, they win a thousand dollars. Get one dollar and they spin again, if they wind up on a dollar the second time, they win twenty-five thousand dollars, if they stop on the five or ten section, they win ten thousand dollars. The two highest winners of the wheel spin, then get to bid on the two showcases at the end of the show. Tthe two final contestants play against one another, trying to guess the total price of their particular showcase, filled with different prizes. The one who is closest to their showcase value, without going over, is the ultimate winner of the day.
During the show, one of the favorite games played is Plinko, where the contestant, guesses the price of items and gets a chip. One chip is given free, after winning as many chips as they can, the contestant walks up the stair, to drop the chips down a board, which has twisting curves down to the bottom of the board, where dollar amounts are listed. If a chip goes into a slot with one-thousand dollars, that amount is won. As many chips as the person has secured, results in the number of times they have, to try to win as much money as possible on the board, which could add up to fifty-thousand dollars.The contestants are offered trips, automobiles, hot tubs, boats, jewelry and many other interesting and expensive prizes, to bid on.
It is a fun show and the new host, Drew Carey is quick witted and funny as he grows into his new position, replacing Bob Barker. The lovely models, all add to the flavor of the show. Long ago, an individual “came on down”, to be a contestant. It was none other than Vanna White. She was spotted and offered the position of co-host on “Wheel of Fortune”,.the rest is history.
A little background, the original “Price is Right” aired from 1956 to 1965. That show was hosted by Bill Cullen. Four people would bid on an item, the same as today, and the closest one, without going over, would win the prize. When the show was over, the contestant with the highest total dollar value, in prizes, would be the winner, and that person would be invited back to the show the next day.
In 1972, the show returned to the air, with two new hosts. Bob Barker hosted the daytime show, while Dennis James, hosted the prime time show. Again, four contestants would bid on a prize, whoever came closest, without going over the actual price would win. They went on to play another game, called pricing games. They would spin the big wheel, with the winner going on to bid on the final showcase with a second contestant. Whichever one of the final two players, came the closest to the price of their showcase, would win for the day. Bob Barker took over, as the full time host in 1977, and earned nineteen emmys along the way. In August, 2007, Drew Carey became the new host of the show, and continues the excellent reputation, of “The Price is Right”, today.
Some information obtained from: www.thepriceisrighthistory.com
