"The Price is Right" - May 31
"Bob, I hope to do you proud."
Those were the first words uttered by Ricki Lake before lacing up her running
shoes to take off for Episode 1 of the Marathon, a "tribute to the most
exciting, time tested shows on TV."
At the beginning of the hour, we had a quick history lesson about our first
game, "The Price is Right," the show that "turned spending into a sport."
Included in the montage was a mention and a clip of Bill Cullen's "Price" from
the 1950's, and some contestants that became famous (Vanna White) and infamous
(Yolanda Bowsley). Now that History class is over...
HERE IT COMES...FROM TELEVISION CITY IN HOLLYWOOD!
Your first four contestants for the evening:
PAIGE DAVIS, playing for Donate Life
KATHY NAJIMY, playing for Girls Best Friend
TIM MEADOWS, playing for The Chris Farley Foundation
LANCE BASS, playing for Habitat For Humanity's Katrina Relief
T-MAC NOTE: During the audience pans, certain other celebrities were seen in the
audience: Betty White, George Foreman, Adam Carolla, Bruce Vilance, and Kathy
Griffin. More to come on Adam later...
Then, they opened the GSM set to show us the recreated "Price" set, and Ricki
walking thru the Big Doors.
T-MAC NOTE: Fearing for the worst upon Ricki's introduction, Rich said what I
fully expected. As we all know, Bob is introduced as "the STAR of The Price is
Right." Ricki? She's the "HOST." Thank you writers and Rich.
Now, onto game play. Our first item up for bids tonight is a Funtek USA
Spaceball Trampoline game (shown by Rachel and Shane, both in Catholic School
Girl outfits). The Bids:
PAIGE |
KATHY |
TIM |
LANCE |
800 |
1500 |
1100 |
1201 |
Actual Retail Price: $2695, and Kathy is our
first on-stage contestant of the night! Her prize that she gets to play for now:
A $77,295 Cadillac XLR Convertible (that someone at home may win as well). Her
game? Right after this break.
Upon return from break, Ricki holds out a golf ball, asking Kathy, "Does this
ball look familiar?" Well, to the audience it did, because they called the
game...HOLE IN ONE! The products in the game tonight: Tide liquid detergent, a
roll of Life Savers, Citracal, Thera-Gesic pain reliever, Santa Fe salsa, and
Simple Green all-purpose cleaner. Kathy's order:
Candy, Salsa, Cleaner, Detergent, Pain Reliever, Supplement.
This order netted her a putt from the fourth line (Thera-Gesic @ $3.99 should
have gone third). With NO Inspiration Putt from Ricki, Kathy tapped the ball,
and it just pushed right of the hole. And, with no 2nd putt, she walks off stage
and awaits the wheel.
T-MAC NOTE: According to GSNN reporter in the field Joe Van Ginkel, Kathy DID
get a second putt, which she also missed. Unfortunately, that 2nd try didn't
make it to air.
Before we get into the second game, here's the play-at-home text message
question of the night: "What was the price of this Camaro on 'The Price is
Right' in 1972?" Your choices: $3,621 - $5,295 - $6,750. The answers will be
posted Thursday on CBS.com, along with the winner.
Also, we get a quick explanation of the point of the Marathon from Ricki. The
winner of each of the first four games of the Marathon earn a spot in
"Finalists' Row" and an automatic berth into the semi-finals.
Now, onto the second game, and a new contestant...
BRANDE RODERICK, playing for City of Hope.
The next item up for bids is a Ridgeway 221 Baker Street Grandfather clock. The
bids:
PAIGE |
BRANDE |
TIM |
LANCE |
4000 |
3000 |
3500 |
3800 |
ARP on the clock: $4725, and Paige makes it out
of the Row to plant a kiss on Ricki's cheek and to get some good news. She is
going to play $100,000 PLiNKO tonight! Given the free chip, she earns three more
by winning a basketball slow cooker ($12), a Poker chip set ($50) and a Dell DJ
Diddy MP3 Player ($99). Also, everyone in the audience got one of the MP3
players due to Paige winning that chip. Paige's chips, however, weren't so
lucky. She snagged both $500 spots, the left $100, and the right $1000,
completely missing the $20K slot. 0/2 thus far.
T-MAC NOTE: In an interview with Lake on TVGameshows.net, she mentioned that she
actually had to use the Plinko Stick to free up a dropped chip. This, like the
2nd putt, landed on the cutting room floor.
With a third game comes a new contestant...
LESLIE NIELSEN, playing for "a society in Phoenix for blind children."
The item up for bid this time is brought down from the skylights. A
highbrowfurniture.com Bubble Chair. The bids:
LESLIE |
BRANDE |
TIM |
LANCE |
500 |
2600 |
1500 |
501 |
Actual Retail Price: $2795, and Brande takes to
the stage to play Race Game for a wonderful array of prizes. They include: a
Roland digital piano, a Broyhill sofa, a cotton candy cart, and a Bowflex
Treadclimber. Her tags: $1125, $1408, $2999, $6495. With only 45 seconds and her
wits (and the audience) to guide her, she put together only three combinations
of prices, winning only the $6495 Piano, and the $1408 cotton candy cart. The
sofa was $1125, and the Treadclimber was $2999.
T-MAC NOTE: During the pan for Leslie, the camera came back to Adam Carolla, who
whispered something to the woman next to him in the audience, and walked out!
For the Showdown, the rules are a little different. The top TWO scorers advance
to the Showcases. Kathy managed 55¢ in two spins (30 + 25). Paige couldn't top
that, hitting the nickel twice and being eliminated. Brande's spin netted her a
tie, and a berth into the Showcases... where we go next without a commercial!
Brande is the Top Winner, Kathy the Runner-Up. Showcase #1 is about what's in
and what's out. The prizes: an O.W. Lee heated patio set, a Bull power barbecue
island, a Jacuzzi hot tub, a Sea-Doo Sportster boat with trailer, and a trip to
Sydney, Australia thanks to lastminutetravel.com. Brande is a little confused...
thinking she had to take the boat to Australia. Nevertheless, she bid $25,000 on
it.
Showcase #2 put Kathy in a Time Machine. In the 1950's we pick up a Wurlitzer
jukebox. Zooming ahead to the 80's, we find a Ms. Pac Man/Galaga combo arcade
cabinet. Zipping along to 1966, we encounter a MINT CONDITION 1966 Ford Mustang
Convertible (including 8-track player). Returning to present day, we get a NEW
Mustang GT Coupe Premium. Kathy, looking worn out and slumping over the podium,
bids $81,000.
Brande's Showcase: $43,668 for a difference of $18,668.
Kathy's Showcase: $62,160 and over she goes.
Brande advances to Finalists' Row with $54,336 in prizes, and one lucky home
viewer who knows the answer to tonight's trivia question will pick up all
$54,336 in prizes that Brande picked up.
In true Barker style, Ricki ended the show, "Help control the pet population.
Have your pet spayed or neutered."
STATS: 0/3; $64,047 |