For TV mainstay Barker, it's all been fun and games.A
more-than-familiar face after some five decades on national
television, including an astounding 35-year stint hosting The Price
Is Right, the author delivers an unfailingly pleasant and breezy
memoir...which is a problem. The supremely affable Barker's account
of his 85 years is mild to the point of nullity. The only dark
notes are the premature death of his father and the loss of his
beloved wife to lung cancer after 36 years of marriage. The author
doesn't mention the controversy and lawsuits (which included claims
of sexual harassment) attending the firings of several glamorous
on-set models for the show, nor his romantic relationship with one
such model, Dian Parkinson, which also ended in legal action.
Barker instead waxes nostalgic about his childhood on a South
Dakota reservation (he is one-eighth Sioux), his training as a
naval aviator in the last days of World War II (peace was declared
before he saw combat) and his epic tenure as host of the
longest-running game show in TV history. Stubbornly upbeat, he
gives no indication that circumstances were ever less than
hunky-dory for his neighbors on the reservation, paints his
military service as a lark-filled romp and rhapsodizes endlessly
about the fun and high spirits of his game-show days. Barker drops
the names of many celebrity acquaintances - bizarrely, he studied
karate with Chuck Norris - but his observations are limited to
bromides like this characterization of fellow tanning enthusiast
Julio Iglesias: "He was a really good guy. He was a lot of fun."
Even on the subject of animal-rights activism, a cause the author
has tirelessly promoted for decades, he musters only generalities
about the issue, along with a few cute stories concerning personal
successes with rescued critters.Hard-core fans will undoubtedly
enjoy their hero's happy reminiscences, but nothing here will
entice less starry-eyed readers. (Kirkus Reviews)
In front of the camera, Bob Barker has been invited into the homes of millions of Americans as host of
The Price is Right, Truth or Consequences, Miss USA, Miss Universe, the Rose Parade, and many other programs and specials. He has been part of the lives of generations of viewers connecting with people of all ages and backgrounds. Now Bob shares stories of favorite contestants, episodes, celebrity encounters, and behind-the-scenes happenings.
Beyond his public persona, Bob opens up about his personal life, sharing a lifetime of fond memories. He recalls his early years spent on a Native American reservation and being raised by a single mother through the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. He writes about training as a fighter pilot in the Navy during World War II and how he met, fell in love with, and married the love of his life, Dorothy Jo. It was with Dorothy Jo's encouragement and insight that he launched his career in the entertainment business, starting in radio and moving to television, where his work has been honored with nineteen Emmys (fourteen as a performer, the most any performer has ever won), induction into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame and the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, the TV Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Pioneer Broadcasters Golden Mike Award, among many other awards.
Bob's support of animal rights has always been a central part of his life. In these pages he delves into stories of how and why he put his personal passion above his career, including his antifur standoff with beauty pageants, and his involvement in cases that exposed animal abuse in movies and television. He shares heartwarming personal stories of the four-legged friends he has adopted and rescued, ranging from dogs and rabbits to elephants. Bob is a complete success at retirement and continues to actively advocate on behalf of animals, including working on successful legislation to control the pet population.
For the innumerable fans who have welcomed Bob into their homes over the last fifty years, this book will be like catching up with a dear and familiar friend who continues to lead a full and endlessly interesting life.
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