Picture of TPiR's new showcase podiums

[Jimmy Owen]

Does it take more than an hour to crank out an hour show?  That's the question.

[chris319]

To sum it up, its not realistic to expect Drew Carey to be Bob Barker or do Bob Barker's show. He has to take TPIR and make it his.

As far as putting his own personality into it, true.

Of the litany of emcees Family Feud has had in the last 10 years, which one came in and demanded that the format be changed or that personnel be replaced or came in and started writing questions? If you paid attention to my post, there are many things a good emcee should be that Drew isn't. He should either hone his skills or be replaced (and he is not irreplaceable). The ratings bear me out on this.

Drew is like a C-list actor who comes in and demands that Hamlet be rewritten.

All of this is my humble opinion.

[dale_grass]

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'225223\' date=\'Sep 7 2009, 09:09 AM\']Drew is like a C-list actor who comes in and demands that Hamlet be rewritten.[/quote]
"Apt" was the first word that came to mind when reading this statement.

[pentellit]

You all keep assuming that it's Drew making all these changes and it's not. It's FREMANTLE.  With a heavy dose of CBS thrown in.

Everyone seems to forget that Barker's TPIR ratings had been declining for years, UNTIL that is, his "retirement" announcement.  After that Barker got ratings like he hadn't seen in ages!  

For years Price had essentially become a cracker factory, cranking out the same old same old, and it was as stale as yesterdays toast.  (Not to mention that Barker had restructured it to become the "All About Bob Show", with anonymous models and invisible announcers, and in doing so Price had lost that TPIR Family Fun appeal that audience, and more importantly, sponsors loved).  TPTB wanted and needed to bring in fresh blood and kick start the old show into the millenium.  They desperately needed to attract a new audience since Barker's "Blue Hairs" demographic were continually dying off.  And getting rid of Barker opened that door.

Don't even bore me with ratings and "The View", because it's cable that's KILLING network.  (You know what they say in The Biz;  "Network TV, television for people who can't afford Cable.").  Price's ratings had been declining for years, in spite of it being in CBS's Golden Hour, meaning you could put a chimpanzee in there to host whatever and it was a win/win situation.  Before cable came along the only competition to the Golden Hour had been for the most part soap operas and local programing.  But then along comes cable... and suddenly America had CHOICES!  And America started choosing the Food Network and The Discovery Channel!

Changes to Price had to be made.  With rare exceptions, network execs (IMO) are not typically the most innovative people in The Biz because they tend to just copy whatever is working for the competition.  And the trend now is to get a hot comedian to host or star in your sitcom/game show/even news.  And for Price, they also needed to get a producer in there who could jump start old stale Price into the daytime game and attract that desirable younger demographic.

Drew Carey is a nice guy, a comedian who, in the simplest terms, loves performing, loves making people laugh and loves giving stuff away.  I have met him, and I know people who worked for him, and they all love him.  I don't believe Drew knew when he started Price what a s*** storm it had become with the politics, the lawsuits and the unpleasant mess and set that Barker left behind.  

It is my understanding that now Drew is simply doing what Drew Carey likes best; trying to give a good show, and he is not at all interested in the politics of firing people, or in rewriting or destroying a television mainstay.

[dazztardly]

[quote name=\'pentellit\' post=\'225235\' date=\'Sep 7 2009, 01:10 PM\']You all keep assuming that it's Drew making all these changes and it's not. It's FREMANTLE.  With a heavy dose of CBS thrown in.

Everyone seems to forget that Barker's TPIR ratings had been declining for years, UNTIL that is, his "retirement" announcement.  After that Barker got ratings like he hadn't seen in ages!  

For years Price had essentially become a cracker factory, cranking out the same old same old, and it was as stale as yesterdays toast.  (Not to mention that Barker had restructured it to become the "All About Bob Show", with anonymous models and invisible announcers, and in doing so Price had lost that TPIR Family Fun appeal that audience, and more importantly, sponsors loved).  TPTB wanted and needed to bring in fresh blood and kick start the old show into the millenium.  They desperately needed to attract a new audience since Barker's "Blue Hairs" demographic were continually dying off.  And getting rid of Barker opened that door.

Don't even bore me with ratings and "The View", because it's cable that's KILLING network.  (You know what they say in The Biz;  "Network TV, television for people who can't afford Cable.").  Price's ratings had been declining for years, in spite of it being in CBS's Golden Hour, meaning you could put a chimpanzee in there to host whatever and it was a win/win situation.  Before cable came along the only competition to the Golden Hour had been for the most part soap operas and local programing.  But then along comes cable... and suddenly America had CHOICES!  And America started choosing the Food Network and The Discovery Channel!

Changes to Price had to be made.  With rare exceptions, network execs (IMO) are not typically the most innovative people in The Biz because they tend to just copy whatever is working for the competition.  And the trend now is to get a hot comedian to host or star in your sitcom/game show/even news.  And for Price, they also needed to get a producer in there who could jump start old stale Price into the daytime game and attract that desirable younger demographic.

Drew Carey is a nice guy, a comedian who, in the simplest terms, loves performing, loves making people laugh and loves giving stuff away.  I have met him, and I know people who worked for him, and they all love him.  I don't believe Drew knew when he started Price what a s*** storm it had become with the politics, the lawsuits and the unpleasant mess and set that Barker left behind.  

It is my understanding that now Drew is simply doing what Drew likes best, trying to give a good show, and he is not at all interested in the politics of firing people, or in destroying a television mainstay.[/quote]

I can absolutely vouch for you 110%. The work enviroment has become much more tolerable, for that crew. I respect Drew.

[Joe Mello]

Let's go back, let's go back, let's go way on way back when
[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'224814\' date=\'Sep 3 2009, 01:22 PM\'][quote name=\'NicholasM79\' post=\'224812\' date=\'Sep 3 2009, 10:12 AM\']Plus, like everyone else has said, it just doesn't feel like the same show anymore.[/quote]
Other'n the guy who isn't Barker at the helm, I say to you in all seriousness (and I freely admit that I haven't watched very much lately) that I haven't noticed a difference.[/quote]
I've probably seen as much as Lemon, and I have sort of noticed a difference between Boobo and Droofus.  (If we're calling names, it should be equal time, right?).  With Boobo, there did seem to be an essence of rigid formality.  Droofus' show, and I'm probably going to be lambasted for making this analogy, seems to be a lot like a drive-time radio show.  A whole bunch of style and wacky and stupid fun, and substance is made secondary.  With the magic of television, they can edit out anything that the prods think weigh the show down.  Forget The Price is Right, it's Droofus and The Screamer (ninety-seven point onnnnnne).

And honestly, I don't mind the more lax, party-ish atmosphere.  God forbid a show with bright colors and offers washing machines and Rice-A-Roni be something other than serious business.  My problem is that for every good thing Price has done, they've seemed to have cranked it up to excess.  Relaxed pace is okay, but they're a little too relaxed.  An edit here and there is fine, but after a while, it will become noticable.  Leet swag is always welcome, but do we have to have 2-3 "designer" prizes on every show?  A little tightening here and there and I think you'd get a very good, very watchable show.

As for the Droofus, he comes off as someone who understands that the show is important and he wants to try and continue to keep the show good while making it a different PIR than Boobo's.  Until I'm shown otherwise, I'll believe that he does, at the very least, give a crap.  The problem may be that either he doesn't know why or how the show is important and/or his working schlub everyman persona prevents him from getting that final layer of polish.

It's a whole bunch of conjecture, but as of right now, I'd continue to want to watch Price, but not every day.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Joe Mello\' post=\'225242\' date=\'Sep 7 2009, 12:37 PM\']The problem may be that either he doesn't know why or how the show is important[/quote]
Well, that makes two of us. Important? Ultimately, we're making entertainment television here. To call it "important" makes me question one's priorities.

[chris319]

Sorry pentellit, gotta disagree with you about those ratings. Regardless of whether or not you factor in cable, look at the numbers I posted for the top six markets in February 2009: 2.2 vs. 4.2. No matter how you slice it, The View ate TPIR's lunch with or without taking cable into account. It is a well-known fact that when Barker left, the 18-34 female demo went with him. Yes, TPIR needed a transfusion of new blood but as emcees go, Drew is third-rate in my opinion.

Used to be that a 4.2 rating was considered quite respectable in daytime, and that was before cable. These aren't national numbers, but The View is doing healthy business and you'll see less of Wilford Brimley, Alex Trebek and Mr. Scooter Store on The View than TPIR.

[chris319]

And, for the record for the upteenth hundred time, MIKE RICHARDS is the EP, NOT DREW. Until Drew's name officially shows up in the credits, he's not the EP of the show. End of discussion on that one.

Your comment would have some validity had you ever worked but one day of your career on a show such as TPIR (c.f. Dawson, Richard and Barker, Bob).

Important? Ultimately, we're making entertainment television here. To call it "important" makes me question one's priorities.

See above comment. If your paycheck came from "Price Productions LLC" or whatever the hell they call it now, you'd consider it important. If you were in the executive suite at CBS, you'd consider it important. It all depends where you stand.

[wheelloon]

[quote name=\'dazztardly\' post=\'225236\' date=\'Sep 7 2009, 02:22 PM\'][quote name=\'pentellit\' post=\'225235\' date=\'Sep 7 2009, 01:10 PM\']You all keep assuming that it's Drew making all these changes and it's not. It's FREMANTLE.  With a heavy dose of CBS thrown in.

Everyone seems to forget that Barker's TPIR ratings had been declining for years, UNTIL that is, his "retirement" announcement.  After that Barker got ratings like he hadn't seen in ages!  

For years Price had essentially become a cracker factory, cranking out the same old same old, and it was as stale as yesterdays toast.  (Not to mention that Barker had restructured it to become the "All About Bob Show", with anonymous models and invisible announcers, and in doing so Price had lost that TPIR Family Fun appeal that audience, and more importantly, sponsors loved).  etc.

Don't even bore me with ratings and "The View", because it's cable that's KILLING network.  (You know what they say in The Biz;  "Network TV, television for people who can't afford Cable.").  Price's ratings had been declining for years, in spite of it being in CBS's Golden Hour, meaning you could put a chimpanzee in there to host whatever and it was a win/win situation. etc.

Drew Carey is a nice guy, a comedian who, in the simplest terms, loves performing, loves making people laugh and loves giving stuff away.  I have met him, and I know people who worked for him, and they all love him.  I don't believe Drew knew when he started Price what a s*** storm it had become with the politics, the lawsuits and the unpleasant mess and set that Barker left behind.  

It is my understanding that now Drew is simply doing what Drew likes best, trying to give a good show, and he is not at all interested in the politics of firing people, or in destroying a television mainstay.[/quote]

I can absolutely vouch for you 110%. The work enviroment has become much more tolerable, for that crew. I respect Drew.
[/quote]

Amen.

Lemme also put emphasis in that when I get a chance to watch the show, I enjoy it just as much as I ever did in the past. No matter what argument one could possibly give, that reason alone makes Drew fine in my book, because TPIR with Drew=as enjoyable as TPIR with Bob=>Drew equal to Bob (not even taking into account their backstage mannerisms, which I made clear before which side I'm totally in favor for, and I would think should be a no-brainer here, as none of the current models have complained about being assaulted by both the host's big and little heads, for a change, hmmmm?)

In short: ED=EB=>D=B

I will now let Mr. Klauss explain the theory behind this statement and give you the proof via induction, because I do enough of that on a daily basis and his big head could use the workout...

[CarShark]

[quote name=\'Joe Mello\' post=\'225242\' date=\'Sep 7 2009, 03:37 PM\']Leet swag is always welcome, but do we have to have 2-3 "designer" prizes on every show?[/quote]

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'225245\' date=\'Sep 7 2009, 03:52 PM\']It is a well-known fact that when Barker left, the 18-34 female demo went with him.[/quote]But doesn't that go more to my point, then? All those young females could very well have been "Bob Barker fans" rather than "Price is Right fans" as they would have been in the past. Now that their hunka hunka burnin' geezer love is gone, they've dropped the show like last year's fashions. Speaking of which, the emergence of one has obvious roots in the other. Truthfully, what else is the show to do to seriously attract young females?

[J.R.]

[quote name=\'CarShark\' post=\'225253\' date=\'Sep 7 2009, 04:17 PM\']Now that their hunka hunka burnin' geezer love is gone, they've dropped the show like last year's fashions.[/quote]
What Bob Barker would say to them if he was still on the show: http://i350.photobucket.com/albums/q438/da...ass/hitthat.jpg

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'225247\' date=\'Sep 7 2009, 01:01 PM\']See above comment. If your paycheck came from "Price Productions LLC" or whatever the hell they call it now, you'd consider it important. If you were in the executive suite at CBS, you'd consider it important.[/quote]
...and neither one of those were the context of Joe's comment. At all.

[JasonA1]

[quote name=\'pentellit\' post=\'225235\' date=\'Sep 7 2009, 02:10 PM\']You all keep assuming that it's Drew making all these changes and it's not. It's FREMANTLE.  With a heavy dose of CBS thrown in.[/quote]

On his own blog, Drew talks about having dinner with Mike Richards, where the two shared their grievances with the old way of doing the show. I chose my words carefully, saying it's hard to argue Drew's the catalyst for a lot of the changes. I think it would be mighty smart for Mr. Richards to grant SOME of Drew's wishes at the very least.

Besides that, it's not like all of these changes are wildly unpopular with the fanbase. On this board, Drew's got enough support for what he does. So you needn't work to disassociate Drew with the new direction of the show. I think it's abundantly clear he supports it, regardless if he's directly responsible for their running orders or not. In the same blog post I reference above, Drew's proudly touting extravagant trips over grandfather clocks, and video screens over "old paintings." The basic show's the same, and that's where I think some people are going overboard with the decline in quality. But on the other hand, as Chris brings up, this is a forum with industry professionals and fans acting as armchair producers. I watch the show as much as I did with Bob, but if I had to choose, I'd want the "old paintings" back (for example). And some would like to think a decision like that is hanging on to the past too much.

-Jason

[chris319]

All those young females could very well have been "Bob Barker fans" rather than "Price is Right fans" as they would have been in the past.

What difference does it make? They're gone and the ratings reflect it, particularly when you break out the demos.

...and neither one of those were the context of Joe's comment. At all.

You dismissed the whole thing as just being "entertainment television".