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Television Legend Bob Barker’s Best Quotes About Hosting ‘The Price Is Right’ for 35 Years

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Nov 11, 2021 5:37 pm·

By Samantha Agate

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If there is anyone that knows how to keep an audience entertained, it’s former The Price Is Right host Bob Barker. Bob began hosting the CBS game show in 1972. After 35 years, he retired from hosting in 2007 at the age of 83. Still, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest game show hosts of all time.

Even before hosting America’s longest-running game show, Bob hosted NBC’s Truth or Consequences from 1956 to 1975. He hosted both shows simultaneously for three years before Truth or Consequences went off the air. The 14-time Daytime Emmy winner was succeeded by Drew Carey to host The Price Is Right. Bob offered Drew some advice before he stepped into the hosting role.

“I knew I could never be Bob, and I wasn’t going to try to be Bob,” Drew told People in September 2021. “We went out to lunch, and his advice was, ‘Don’t try to copy me. Just make it your own show.’”

Bob’s work on The Price Is Right as both a host and executive producer earned him a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999. He previously held the Guinness World Record for the most television episodes hosted with 6,700. Late Jeopardy! host, Alex Trebek, broke the record in 2014 with 6,829 episodes.

Bob was married to his wife, Dorothy Jo Gideon, for 36 years. She died in 1981 after being diagnosed with lung cancer. Bob told ABC News in 2009 that he “never had any inclination to remarry.” The pair did not have any children together. Families across America welcomed him into their homes for over three decades and that was more than enough for the Washington native. In 2013, Bob shared in an interview what retired life was really like.

“I’m so busy, actually, that I think sometimes about going back into TV to get some rest! I loved what I was doing,” he said. “I did two shows — Truth or Consequences and Price — and I loved them both. I had great fun, and every morning, I got up ready to go. I never got up going ‘I don’t wanna go to work today.’ Anyone who doesn’t enjoy his or her job, I have sympathy for. It’s important to love what you’re doing, and I did.”

Scroll down to see some of Bob’s best quotes about being a legendary game show host.

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Television Legend Bob Barker’s Best Quotes About Hosting ‘The Price Is Right’ For 35 Years

On Why He Enjoyed Hosting ‘The Price Is Right’

After years of inviting thousands of contestants down to the stage to play the game, Bob revealed what one of his favorite parts about hosting The Price Is Right was.

“That game is different with each contestant’s personality, and that is what has made it interesting for me,” he told Reuters in January 2007. “Working with unrehearsed contestants, creating spontaneous entertainment, that’s what I’ve done for all these years, and I’ve enjoyed it.”

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On the Real Reason He Retired

Longtime fans of The Price Is Right were sad to see Bob go, but he had a perfect response to all of their questions.

“The question that I’m hearing most often now is why did I choose to retire just now? And I will explain that to you,” he said in a May 2007 interview. “In December, I became 83 years old, and I want to retire while I’m still young.”

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On How the Show Made People Feel Comfortable

For Bob, the most rewarding part about hosting such an iconic show was putting a smile on people’s faces as much as possible.

“You don’t watch The Price Is Right to solve the problems of the world,” Bob told Deseret News. “What we try to help you do is forget your problems for an hour, and in order to forget your problems, you have to be comfortable. And if you see a host up there who is anything but comfortable, you’re not very comfortable either.”

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On His Favorite Thing About Hosting

With an estimated net worth of $70 million, Bob sure did bring in a lot of cash during his time on The Price Is Right. He joked that it was his favorite part about the show.

“I’m often asked what I loved most about my years with Price, and the first thing that pops to mind is … the money, of course!” he told People in August 2021.
“All kidding aside, there was much to love,” he continued. “I had the pleasure of working with a dedicated and talented cast and crew for 35 great years. Particularly close to my heart was the ability our vast popularity gave me to remind our entire audience daily about the importance of spaying and neutering your pets.”

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On Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of ‘The Price Is Right’

The Price Is Right celebrated its 50th anniversary with a two-hour special in September 2021. Bob shared his thoughts on the historic occasion.

“The show has the most enthusiastic and fun audience that one could ever ask for,” he told Deadline. “They truly were and are the heart and soul of the show. … It was an incredibly memorable ride. Congratulations on 50 historic years. Here’s to 50 more!”

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