My favorite part of the Price is Right, spinning the wheel....
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By Kevin Williams
I'm embarrassed that I have valuable brain cells stuffed with such useless memories. Well, they are comforting old memories and comfort isn't useless but, still...As I said in my newsletter, whenever I stayed home from school sick as a child, the Price is Right was appointment TV. The show's formula hasn't changed much through the years, I don't think. I plead guilty to never watching it anymore. To me, when Bob Barker left, it just wasn't the same. Yet that's sort of an idiotic comment for me to make when I've barely watched 15 minutes of it since Drew Carey took over. How can I judge if I haven't watched it? So, what do you think of Drew Carey's hosting chops? What is crazy is that he has been hosting the show since 2007, 10 years. Bob Barker hosted it for 35 years so Drew Carey is approaching the one-third mark to match Bob Barker. I guess part of the show's appeal is that it never changes. So if I am feeling sick again one of these days perhaps I'll just turn it on again and if so perhaps I'll see one of these games. Anyone who watches it, are these games that I remember from my childhood still a part of the Price is Right? Here are my five favorite, I may not have the names of the games correct but anyone who ever watched it or watches it will probably know which ones I am talking about.
YODELING GAME: A yodeling man inches up an incline in the Swiss Alps and the contestant's job is to pin down prices before he topples over the top. Something like that. I just found this clip of it online, it is called "Cliff Hangers" and here it is. Man, that is some good yodeling, very Amish sounding.
RANGE GAME: You trying to guess prices correctly within a certain range. And if the red range indicator stops over the correct spot you win a car!
PIGGY BANK: This was a game where you could win a car or a piggy bank filled with just a little money. I'm not describing this very well, but I am sure regulars will remember. There was another game that I liked where you punch your hand into these little paper-covered cubbyholes and inside were prizes.
SAFECRACKER: I can't remember exactly how this one worked, but you had to guess the prices correctly to unlock a "safe" and in the safe maybe there'd be a new car or something else?
PLINKO: Ah, the best of the best. We were at a school festival over the summer with Aster and they had a homemade version of Plinko at a game booth and Aster gave it a try. She stepped up on a ladder behind the Plinko board, released her chipped, and it clattered down, hitting all the right spots before landing in a prize berth.
And, finally, the wheel and the showcase. Who wouldn't want at least one crack spinning that wheel in life? And the Showcase. Always pass on the first showcase, it seemed like the second ones were always better. And why do people always bid $1 if they think the other person has overbid? Why not $4 or $10? Okay, I am spending too much time thinking about this. Have you - or anyone you know - ever been on the Price is Right?
Nana
My Price is Right memories go back to the original concept of the mid-fifties when the game was much simpler. The host was Bill Cullen and the guests sat behind a large console. There were no "games" or wheel to spin. It was strictly an item presented and nothing grandiose. Things like a set of luggage, a piece of jewelry, or a fur stole . The contestants bid verbally and it was displayed as a number. It went down the line and when the bidder thought they were close to being correct ---they froze their bid which was indicated with a snowflake symbol. As it is still, the winner was the closest without having gone over. All those shows were in black and white.
Kevin
Wow, you do go way back on PIR memories, what do you think of Drew Carey as a host?