Bob Barker/ Jerry Lewis Done Wrong / "Rebranding"

LizzieMaine said:

"Nobody wants to look at a bunch of old people." Or as the MDA official said, "we need to be relevant to a 140-character world." Sadder words were never spoken.

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Glad I refuse to be part of that world.
I miss Gracie and George more everyday

Every time I find a product I like....the "improve" it.
NOT.
Gone are the days of class....respect....for the most part. Once in awhile I am surprised by a child being respectful...obedient....mindful....but less often by adults. They weren't taught any better...no discipline, no boundaries...its work to be a parent....and a grandparent...but somebody has to teach them so when they grow up they respect their elders. Obviously someone didn't teach those " in charge" to be respecttful of Mr. Barker or Mr. Lewis.

PrettySquareGal said:

I know many talented jerks. I liked his role in the show; I'm not speaking of the man.

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I know, I was merely attempting to show why he was persona non grata with the producers of the show and was not included in the special.

It seems like there are some on the FLounge that prefer to whitewash eras/events/biographies rather than let the rather obvious warts show through. The Golden Era folks that I've known liked to call a spade a spade.

A.C. Lyles said:

I know, I was merely attempting to show why he was persona non grata with the producers of the show and was not included in the special.

It seems like there are some on the FLounge that prefer to whitewash eras/events/biographies rather than let the rather obvious warts show through. The Golden Era folks that I've known liked to call a spade a spade.

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Then please feel free to ignore me if you typecast me as one to whitewash. Besides, my comment was directed at Noir whatever his name is and not you. I have no problem with you posting the video. Anyway, I don't consider myself "golden era folk" but simply myself.

A.C. Lyles said:

I know, I was merely attempting to show why he was persona non grata with the producers of the show and was not included in the special. It seems like there are some on the FLounge that prefer to whitewash eras/events/biographies rather than let the rather obvious warts show through. The Golden Era folks that I've known liked to call a spade a spade.

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A.C. Would you reckon that in all your years in Hollywood, there's been folks that would say the same about you? Would that make you any less of a "great guy"? I think most successful people have imperfect pasts and have their share of detractors whom have worked with and/or for them. If someone's net good appears to outweigh the bad, then they've done OK. My wife's father is a big shot in music circles. He was a huge a**hole in his personal/family life. So what is he - great or a jerk? Depends on who you ask...

For what it's worth, a local-to-me news blog said that Barker's exclusion from the Price is Right anniversary special was because of his animal rights work. Which really makes no sense. I can see the producer's point of view if they chose to exclude him for the various sexual misconduct cases that popped up over the years of his being host of the show. But for being positive about neutering one's pet? What the heck?!

RD

I think it goes without saying to anyone who's either worked in show business or studied it that there's a considerable percentage of jerks in it, to the point where one might be justified in concluding they're *all* jerks until proven otherwise. A profession dominated by ego can't help but have more than its share of this type of person. Arthur Godfrey was the King of All Media in the late forties and early fifties, and you'd be hard pressed to find anyone alive today who worked with him who has anything good to say about the experience. Rudy Vallee was the cheapest man in show business in the thirties, and an incurable womanizer besides, and had an ego so huge it had its own gravitational field. But for people at home by the radio, he *owned* Thursday night for the entire decade.

And yet -- *and yet* -- if one presumed to do a documentary on the transition between radio and television and mentioned Godfrey only in the context of his unpleasant backstage personality, or attempted to discuss the rise of radio variety in the Depression without giving Vallee due recognition, they wouldn't just be unfair, they'd be stupid. I'd throw their book across the room, and snap off their documentary with a derisive snort. *It isn't the backstage persona that matters* in assessing the importance of a performer -- it's what the audience gets, it's what comes out of the speaker, it's what's on screen that counts. And audiences loved Barker, for whatever reason -- and to leave him out of an anniversary show, whether out of personal pique, out of distaste for his backstage behavior, or because they didn't like his politics, is just plain stupid.

Again, beautifully put.

PrettySquareGal said:

Again, beautifully put.

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Agreed!

While I can see a show not inviting a former host back for fear of bad blood after a forced retirement*, I never quite understood why Bob Barker or Lewis were "removed" in the first place. Both of these individuals had questionable things in their past that were tolerated by the networks and organizations they worked for. (For instance, Lewis' long-ago marriage to an underage girl, Barker's sexual harassment charges.) So it can't be that either of these organizations were upset by their actions, but rather were motivated by ageism.

I'm sorry, but I have no respect for an employer who tolerates things and then later decides to use those things as an excuse to remove a person when they get older. Either those things are bad or they aren't, one shouldn't conveniently overlook them for one's own advantage to later use them against a person. It's really kind of repulsive to think about. It's a whole mess of unethical and ist behavior. Yuck.

*If I remember correctly, Bob Barker was forced to retire? If so, I can see them not wanting to invite him back for fear of him not being professional and/or for fear of them realizing they made a casting mistake. Or just plain ageism.