'Price' May be Right for Carey
Drew Carey confirmed he's in talks to replace Bob Barker as the face of "The Price is Right."
Carey came to Summer TV Press Tour 2007 to plug his upcoming primetime reality series/game show "The Power of 10" which, despite the fact Carey insisted "it's not an audition for 'Price,' was just that - Carey admits CBS approached him about taking the place of Barker after seeing the "Power" pilot.
He insists he could handle hosting both shows and would like to, though he also said "I didn't want to do TV ever for the rest of my life" after working on "The Drew Carey Show" and "Whose Line is it Anyway?" for ABC. Not that he had bad experiences on the show -- it was just a lot of work, he explains.
He says he'd been enjoying TV unemployment, having lots of money from his time on the two ABC shows and still being recognized by fans.
"I had all of the benefits of TV but none of the work," quipped Carey, who completely charmed the TV critics in the room.
He only took the phone call asking whether he'd do "Power" because it came from exec producer Michael Davies, who had been head of alternative programming at ABC when "Whose Line" was being developed.
CBS is touting "Power of 10" as "The richest game show in TV history" because contestants can win up to $10 million by predicting more accurately than opponents how the U.S. public responded to questions asking what percentage of the population thinks they're smarter than President Bush, what percentage of the population believes Jesus performed miracles when he was alive, what percentage of American women do not wear underwear -- thank you, Britney, for that one.
Carey says all the right things about the possibility of hosting "Price," so far as critics were concerned.
"That show needs to be treated with a lot of respect, as far as its place in American culture," he tells them, adding "it would be really fun to do, as long as Bob Barker said, 'Hey, this is cool'."
Barker recently retired after more than three decades on the job.
The talks between the two parties is slow but steady, Carey reports.
"One of the things we're having trouble with right now is I want to change the name of the show to 'The Magic Golden Wheel'."
Editor's note: For full coverage of yesterday's Emmy announcements read Lisa's column: 'Sopranos' Mobbed by Emmy Nods and vote in our Emmys poll. For more on the Summer TV Press Tour, see clips from upcoming network shows in our Fall TV Video Preview.
By
Lisa de Moraes
|
July 19, 2007; 11:00 PM ET
Summer TV Press Tour 2007
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Posted by: Thor | July 20, 2007 12:12 PM
This is a shame. Bob wasn't a comedian. He was a game show host. Carey, on his version of a game show, Who's Line, was awkward, not funny and the parts of the show I tivo'd past. Oh well
Spay or neuter your pets!
Posted by: ex cap girl | July 20, 2007 12:14 PM
If not your pets, please spay or neuter Drew Carey!
Posted by: friend of Toto | July 20, 2007 2:01 PM
Isn't Tom Kennedy dead?
Posted by: p.s. | July 20, 2007 2:04 PM
You mean he isn't spayed/neutered (I'm not sure which would be appropriate) already????
Posted by: ex cap @ fot | July 20, 2007 3:54 PM
Tom Kennedy is still alive.
So is his brother, Jack Narz, the original family name.
Comedians have rarely succeeded as game show hosts.
Groucho & Johnny Carson are a couple of the exceptions.
Glibness is required, but I think Drew is too edgy for this.
Richard Dawson would have been perfect, but he's almost as old as Barker.
Posted by: Sock Puppeteer | July 21, 2007 12:47 AM
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I really wish they'd bring back "Split Second", formerly hosted by Tom Kennedy. The priceless expressions on contestants' faces when they'd turn the key in the ignition of the wood-paneled Kingswood Station Wagon or the versatile El Camino...and the engine fired up! Joy.