Drew Carey to Host The Price Is Right

People ^ | 7-23-07 | Mark Dagostino

[STARWISE]

Drew Carey, come on down! The comedian will replace Bob Barker as the new host of The Price Is Right.

The Cleveland native confirmed his new gig as the host of the CBS game show during a taping of the The Late Show with David Letterman, which is set to air Monday.

Barker retired last month after 35 years of hosting the daytime sensation, drawing a slew of replacement contenders including Rosie O'Donnell, Ian Ziering, George Hamilton and Mario Lopez.

Carey, who will also be host of a new CBS prime-time game show, The Power of 10, told Letterman that he only learned that the deal had been done a few minutes before appearing on stage.

"When do you begin?" asked Letterman, to which Carey, 49, replied: "You got me...All I know is that all the deal points we wanted got settled. And I just found out, honestly."

Last week, Carey told PEOPLE, 'I would really enjoy doing [the show], and I think I'd be good at it."

Carey had a ten-year run on ABC with his sitcom The Drew Carey Show and was host of the improv show Whose Line is It Anyway?

[STARWISE]

'Price is Right' for Drew Carey

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 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."

"I'm cool with it," Barker said after hearing Carey's remarks.

Barker said he's not familiar enough with Carey's past performances to offer an opinion on his selection. But, he said, "I understand he ad-libs very well and that he has a very nice, friendly way of working, and I think both of those would be helpful to him on`The Price Is Right.'"

His advice for Carey: "Go out there and do that show the way you think it should be done. Don't imitate me and don't imitate anyone else."

While Carey said doesn't know Barker personally, the younger comedian said he was comfortable that his predecessor would be accepting when he took on the job.

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."

[RatsDawg]

Thank God it wasn’t Rosie!

[Jet Jaguar]

Good choice.

[Kimmers]

I think he will be a good fit for the show........

[STARWISE]

Right! And Drew's a Marine .. God bless him!

[FReepaholic]

Drew is good. He's got that "everyman" persona.

"Whose Line" was hilarious. My kids and I watch the reruns and die laughing.

[giobruno]

Very smart choice! Drew will have the wide appeal as a mid-western regular guy. He’ll be a big hoot.

[I Drive Too Fast]

Over here for many more replies.

[NordP]

What a cutie! He needs to lose some weight -— I never knew he looked like this! Ah...the Marine Corp WILL bring out the best in a person, huh?

[theDentist]

I still won’t watch it. Nothing against him or Barker. I just consider the show to be a waste of airwaves....

[thefactor]

you must be a blast at parties! it’s the price is right. not everything has to have meaning besides simply existing. it’s personal choice, i know. i’m just funnin ya. i happen to abhor anything on the E! channel.

[Ditto]

Just wait till you see the "new models"

And at the end of the show, he'll remind you to have your teenages fixed! ;~))

[STARWISE]

I do, too .. ;) And I LOVE Wayne Brady .. he needs to find his a good spot to showcase his genius.

[americanophile]

ditto!

[SE Mom]

Excellent choice! Drew Carey is likable and funny, he’ll be a good replacement.

[FormerLib]

Is anyone looking to employ a currently-unemployed Leftist cow?

[NCC-1701]

“...Just wait till you see the “new models”...”

Are they going to be known as “Carey’s Cuties”?

[SunkenCiv]

Drew Carey to replace Barker on ‘Price’ [is Right]
AP | July 23, 2007 | AP
Posted on 07/23/2007 5:51:46 PM EDT by Rastus
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1870450/posts