Bob Barker, Legendary TV Game Show Host, Dead At 99
Image Source: Yahoo
Before Drew Carrey told contestants to “come on down” and spin the wheel, Bob Barker called contestants to try their luck in showcases on the long-running daytime show The Price Is Right. Bob Barker graced audiences for over thirty years with his presence on the CBS game show. Having lived a well 99 years and dying of natural causes, Barker would have such a profound connection to CBS to such an extent that CBS would release the heartfelt statement:
“We lost a beloved member of the CBS family today with the passing of Bob Barker. During his 35 years as host of The Price Is Right, Bob made countless people’s dreams come true, and everyone feel like a winner when they were called to ‘come on down.’…. Daytime television has lost one of its most iconic stars.”
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Diving deeper into the life of the game show host, Bob Barker was a dedicated animal rights activist and an inspiration to Vanna White of Wheel of Fortune fame. She credits her introduction to the game show world to Barker on her Instagram and wrote how much he will be missed.
A lover of animals, Bob Barker became involved in animal rights during a dispute with the organizers of Miss U.S.A.—declining to host the pageants after organizers refused to remove fur coats from the prize packages received by the winners. In addition, his support of animal rights culminated in his founding of the DJ&T Foundation (named after his wife, Dorothy Jo Gideon, and her mother, Tilly) in 1995, an organization based in Beverly Hills aiming to reduce the overpopulation of domestic animals by providing free or inexpensive sterilization for cats and dogs.
Image Source: abc13.com
Possibly one of the best emcees, Bob Barker’s loss will be surely felt. His life and legacy brought with him induction to the Television Hall of Fame, the Daytime Emmy Award for Lifetime Achievement, and the future careers of Vanna White and predecessor Drew Carrey. Barker will be buried beside his wife Dorothy Jo at Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery and per his family’s request, there will be no funeral service.
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