New 'The Price is Right' host named

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/07/23/ap3943052.html

'Price Is Right' for Drew Carey

By DAVID BAUDER 07.23.07, 6:54 PM ET

NEW YORK - 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 (nyse: CBS - news - people ) 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." While he doesn't know Barker, Carey said he's comfortable that his predecessor will be accepting.

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."

[ACCBiggz]

I hate that decision, he doesn't fit at all, but as known, whoever takes over won't last anyway it'll take time to find a true lasting replacement (if the show remains).

Edited July 24, 2007 by ACCBiggz

[ROC]

At first it sounded like a weird choice. But then I thought, "Ah, what the hell" and think it at least fits. Maybe he'll get high enough into the CBS network echelon that another sketch show could happen (maybe?).

[TheRyno]

I hate that decision, he doesn't fit at all, but as known, whoever takes over won't last anyway it'll take time to find a true lasting replacement (if the show remains).

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

I hate that decision, he doesn't fit at all, but as known, whoever takes over won't last anyway it'll take time to find a true lasting replacement (if the show remains).

[Rashid]

As a fan of the Drew Carey Show and the American "Whose Line..." , I'm with love with the idea. With him as host, I may watch the show on a regular basis. As long as I get to see more of Drew Carey on television, I'm a happy person.

[ACCBiggz]

I hate that decision, he doesn't fit at all, but as known, whoever takes over won't last anyway it'll take time to find a true lasting replacement (if the show remains).

Unless you know his stand-up work, you don't know that he doesn't fit. Most people only know him as the guy from DCS and WLIIA.

[zero]

Drew Carey is a great choice. He's funny and likable, I'm sure people will enjoy it. The only person I could have imagined would be John O'Hurley. Thank Christ we didn't get anyone like Rosie.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

I hate that decision, he doesn't fit at all, but as known, whoever takes over won't last anyway it'll take time to find a true lasting replacement (if the show remains).

Unless you know his stand-up work, you don't know that he doesn't fit. Most people only know him as the guy from DCS and WLIIA.

[ACCBiggz]

I don't know, to be honest I would have prefered someone unknown. I just think he doesn't fit the PiR bill, simple as that. It's not a case of not knowing his stand-up work (which I still don't understand what effect that has on anything) or being an intelligent host. Don't understand why you are getting so defensive that I simply don't agree with his hiring.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

I wouldn't say defensive, just wondered if there was more to your thinking than "I don't think he fits". Apparently not (and that's not necessarily a bad thing), I just disagree.

[ROC]

Drew Carey is a great choice. He's funny and likable, I'm sure people will enjoy it. The only person I could have imagined would be John O'Hurley. Thank Christ we didn't get anyone like Rosie.

Edited July 24, 2007 by ROC

[B-Rad]

I think this is really funny, because a few weeks ago me and my youngest brother were naming the people we thought could replace Barker, and one of us jokingly said Drew Carey. We went on, for the next hour, making jokes about how he would do.

We actually were figuring that he would bring Ryan Stiles or Wayne Brady on the show, and we were making jokes about how he would bring them out. We also were saying one of the models who shows the stuff should definitely be Mimi.

Well, it doesn't seem as funny now, but you had to be there, I guess...

[Clawson]

I think this is really funny, because a few weeks ago me and my youngest brother were naming the people we thought could replace Barker, and one of us jokingly said Drew Carey. We went on, for the next hour, making jokes about how he would do.

We actually were figuring that he would bring Ryan Stiles or Wayne Brady on the show, and we were making jokes about how he would bring them out. We also were saying one of the models who shows the stuff should definitely be Mimi.

Well, it doesn't seem as funny now, but you had to be there, I guess...

[apsham]

Collin is the Canadian. <_>

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

I think Ryan was actually born in BC but raised in the US.

[apsham]

I thought Colin was the one that was teased on the show for being Canadian though?

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

Well, yeah, he was. And Wiki tells me I was wrong, Ryan was born in Seattle but RAISED in BC by his Canadian-born parents. He actually went straight from Second City and Vancouver-area gigs to the British WLIIA.

[Ananas]

They're both foreign born Canadians. Colin Mochrie was born in Scotland.

[paulbd]

I think that CBS should of gone with my idea of having a different host everyday.