Fans Fired Up For 'The Price Is Right' Farewell
Blacks, Whites, Latinos, Asians - it doesn't matter. Straight or gay, Democrat or Republican, everyone has crazy love for Bob Barker.
For folks who traveled across the country and slept on the sidewalk outside CBS Television City, this was their day—the day of Barker's last "Price is Right."
Die-hard fans huddled in sleeping bags for days to say goodbye to the always dapper eighty-three year old. Melanie Zepeda Velez, 32, traveled from Alberta, Canada. "I'm here because I need to kiss Bob," she said.
Barker's long run on the show has inspired many traditions. Most female contestants kiss him on the cheek. Members of the military wear their uniforms. Back in the day, Black people would actually call each other and talk at family gatherings whenever a brother or a sistah was the showcase winner.
This was pre Flava Flav and Miss New York, family. Okay now we're showing our age!
Exuberant fans have always been part of "The Price Is Right," which selects about 12 audience members out of 325 seated in each show to play for prizes ranging from a grandfather clock to lavish vacations and car packages.
"He's part of American culture." said Mark Dub, a NASA engineer who flew from Houston. Barker's final show is slated to air on June 15.
The silver-haired icon, who has hosted the game show for 35 years, plans to officially begin his retirement Thursday. His replacement has yet to be announced.
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