Backstage at The Price Is Right: Memoirs of A Barker Beauty (24 page)

Chapter 38

The Boot

O
n October 9, 2000, the three Barker Beauties, Janice, Nikki, and yours truly, along with our director, production staff, stage managers, and writers were all in attendance for our usual morning production meeting in the Green Room. Alan Sandler, chief financial officer of The Price Is Right Production Company handed me, along with several other employees of The Price Is Right, LLC, a memo, which stated:

Re: Production of
The Price Is Right

It is anticipated that although production will continue hereafter, October 19, 2000, will be the last day that The Price Is Right, LLC, will produce
The Price Is Right
television show. As a result, on October 19, 2000, you will receive your final paycheck from The Price Is Right, LLC. It has been a pleasure to work with you, and we wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Best, Jeremy Shamos

President, The Price Is Right Productions

After we took a brief moment to read the short memo, Alan took the liberty to formally introduce our new producers, Pearson Television, Inc. Everyone felt a little on edge and joked about being let go, but we were reassured by Syd Vinnedge, senior vice president of Pearson Television, that nothing was going to change and everyone would keep their present jobs.

Ten days later, on October 19
th
, immediately after taping the second and final show for the week, as the models prepared to leave the studio, Roger Dobkowitz told us that we were to individually meet in Barker’s dressing room to discuss the new show policies with the new producers, Pearson Television. It seemed a little odd that we were to go in separately, since we were accustomed to meeting as a unit when it came to show policies or changes. We were told to go in according to seniority. Janice went in first and was probably in there no longer than seven or ten minutes. When she came out, I asked, “What did they say, and who was in there?”

She looked dazed and simply replied, “You’ll see,” as she headed toward the elevator for home. Based on Janice’s curt response to my inquiry, I had concerns and reservations about this last-minute meeting with our new producers. Upon entering Barker’s dressing room, I glanced around and was a little surprised that Barker was not there; instead, I was greeted by Syd and his personal assistant. Syd immediately proceeded to tell me that
The Price Is Right
was undergoing a new transformation for the upcoming year, including fresh sets and possibly, the addition of the first male model on
TPIR
.
Yeah, right,
I thought,
Over Barker’s dead body.

Syd further explained, “Pearson Television is considering a new model search television show called
Models, Inc.
We are interested in having you and Janice involved as possible co-hosts or international liaisons. This could be a great opportunity for you both to expand your careers. However,” Syd said solemnly, “You will no longer be a Barker Beauty.”

When I heard those words, my body became flushed with heat, and I thought,
WTF? I can’t believe it!
Syd’s assistant handed me a two-page proposal. I was so taken aback that I actually acknowledged the change and appeared excited to be involved in the new venture. But then it dawned on me that this was nothing more than a well thought out ploy. In reality, it was all designed to pacify Janice and me so the hammer’s blow wouldn’t seem so severe. I had to hand it to Barker, Price Productions, and the new producers for quietly removing Janice and me from
TPIR
and offering us new job opportunities, while essentially, we were being fired.

“Think about the proposal, and after you’ve had a chance to look it over, please get back to me or my assistant,” stated Syd. I was in shock and bewildered. I shook Syd’s hand and thanked him for presenting me with this new opportunity.

All I remember after I left that brief meeting in Barker’s dressing room was taking what seemed like the longest slow motion walk toward the elevator (only forty yards away) with my mouth agape in shock. As the elevator doors opened, I walked in and was too numb and dumbfounded to cry. I didn’t want anyone to see me crying as I left the studio. The elevator doors opened again and several people entered. It wasn’t until then that I realized I hadn’t pushed the button for the lobby. I was still on the same floor, right where I had gotten on. Someone pushed the button for the third floor and asked, “Are you going up?”

“No, I’m going down to the lobby,” I replied. But, it was too late because my new elevator guests had already pushed the button for the third floor. At that point, I really didn’t care which way I was going.

Alone again on the elevator and after what seemed like forever, I finally descended and reached the lobby. I paused and looked around, knowing that—after ten years—this would be my last walk down the long, narrow hallway, also known as the CBS Wall of Fame. Portraits of cast members from CBS’s top rated daytime and nighttime television shows hung on both sides of the hallway. The portrait of the
TPIR
cast had been taken down in 1996, per Barker’s request. New group photos of Barker, his Beauties, and Rod had to be taken each time a new model arrived on the scene; consequently, the portrait in the hallway had to be updated far too frequently. Barker decided that Rod and the Beauties were insignificant and that his portrait, alone, would be sufficient to represent
TPIR
.

As I continued my long walk down the hallway, I looked at all of the photos of so many of the CBS daytime and nighttime actors who had become my friends over the years. I was saddened to think that I may never see them in person again. I could barely contain myself as I headed for the door on my way to the parking lot. I said goodnight to the guard on duty for the last time. When I got to my car, I sobbed uncontrollably as the reality of what had just happened further sunk in. I must have sat in the parking lot for at least thirty minutes, bawling my eyes out. I finally stopped crying long enough to pull out of the parking lot to head home. I looked back through my rearview mirror with blurred, tear-filled eyes at the CBS Studios building and continued to glance back as the building became smaller and smaller.

When I arrived home, Terrence could see that I had been crying. He asked, “What’s wrong, baby?”

Through the tears and deep, heaving sobs, I somehow managed to give him the rundown of the cold, harsh reality of what had just transpired at work. I showed him the proposal that Syd had given me, and he briefly glanced over it.

Always the optimist, Terrence hesitated, but said encouragingly, “This looks like it might be an excellent opportunity for you to gain greater exposure and open new doors for your career, honey. We’ll have our attorney look it over in a few days and get back to the production company when you can think a little more clearly.” But there would be no
Models, Inc.
show.

After Terrence and I had our discussion regarding this mindboggling occurrence, we called the kids into the living room to give them the disturbing news. They were upset and sad to know that they too would never get a chance to say goodbye to any of their special friends who had literally watched them grow up over ten years backstage. My dismissal came a few days before my trip to New York City. I was scheduled to meet with several movie producers to co-star in an upcoming film and meet with Ford Modeling Agency regarding representation. Prior to my departure, I had asked the public relations department at CBS to help me promote and publicize my ten-year anniversary on
TPIR
by setting up a few morning talk shows in Los Angeles and New York. I had looked forward to sitting and chatting with the hosts of
The Early Show
, Bryant Gumbel, Jane Clayson, Mark McEwen, and Julie Chen, to discuss how rewarding my years on
TPIR
have been. I was also prepared to chat about the numerous opportunities that were presented to me as a result of being the first black model on the show. However, that never happened, as I am sure the public relations department and the executives at CBS had prior knowledge as to what was about to happen to Janice and me.

I couldn’t wait to call Janice and confer with her. When she and I finally spoke on the phone that evening, we were both still in disbelief and were trying to figure out what the hell just happened. Janice admitted that she wanted to prepare me for the news that she had just encountered prior to me going into Barker’s dressing room, but was too stunned upon leaving the room of gloom, and she was speechless. I then understood why she’d said, “You’ll see.”

Janice and I talked in length about how unscrupulous and callous our dismissals were and about the proposal from Pearson Television during their clever meeting. “What did Carlos say about this inappropriate dismissal?” I asked.

“Here, talk to him yourself.”

Her husband, Carlos, was equally shocked to know that his wife had been given the ax after twenty-nine years of dedicated service to Barker and the show. He and I talked for quite a long while and agreed to remain in touch throughout the ordeal. We would see how all of this would play out and pay out.

Later that evening, I got a call from Sherrell, telling me that she, too, had been let go after twenty-three years as Barker’s executive assistant, along with two other longtime employees from the show, Linda Reigert, a production assistant for ten years and Sharon Friem, one of the show’s writers, with twenty-two years of service to her credit. Another big surprise was the termination of our veteran director, Paul Alter. Upon hearing this news, I was absolutely floored.

Janice, Linda, Paul, Sherrell, and I were terminated following our so-called, damaging testimonies. Sharon Friem was also terminated for other reasons, as part of Barker’s house-cleaning barrage. She’d claimed that she had been the target of many inappropriate sexual remarks and gestures for years. I figured her claims had something to do with her dismissal.

Information received from some crewmembers and a few reliable sources behind the scenes, indicated that Barker had it out for me. Apparently, he was still pissed off over the deposition I’d given in the
Barker vs. Hallstrom
suit, as well as the dreadful confrontation between us in his dressing room, when I had reminded him that I was in Holly’s dressing room during “the weight-loss meeting.”

After we were all banished, nobody held his or her tongue—Barker was fair and open game, and the real truth about his cantankerous ass was about to be revealed. We were all extremely angry and needed to vent, especially Sherrell. She was ready to point the finger and spill the beans.

When Sherrell and I spoke on that dreaded evening, she opened up and said, “Barker wanted me to lie for him and tell his attorneys that you were doing drugs and alcohol on the set. I told him I wasn’t going to tell them that. Of course, he barely spoke to me after that day. I guess it didn’t matter anyway, since we were all doomed and on his shit list.”

Not only was Barker desperately trying to discredit my testimony, but my name and good reputation around the studio as well. He went so far as to ask Doug Quick and Janice the same question about me doing drugs and alcohol on the set.
Really, Bob?!

The media frenzy was back in action after Janice and I were terminated. Barker denied that he had anything to do with the termination of any of his Beauties or the production staff—it was solely in the hands of the new producers, Pearson Television, Inc. (later renamed Fremantel Media North America, Inc.). Hiding under the rubric of new management appeared to be a well-executed plan. But the chosen five were not going down without a fight.

“Bob Barker is not the warm and friendly person he appears to be on
The Price Is Right
. In real life, he’s a cold-hearted cheapskate who stabs his old friends in the back if it serves his interests. He’s egotistical and maniacal, and he’s a miserable human being.” That was one of the statements given by Sherrell Paris in the January 16, 2001 issue of the
National Enquirer
during an exclusive interview shortly after she was terminated. Sherrell also stated in the same interview, “Although Barker tries to duck the blame for bad decisions made on the show, he has
always
called the shots at
The Price Is Right
. When he became executive producer in 1990, it went straight to his head; he has always possessed the power, and anyone who stood up to him was gone! Barker was not a popular guy on the set and not particularly liked. He can be very moody, gruff, and short. People tiptoe around him. They’ve all been burned by him one time or another.” In the June 4, 2002 issue of
Globe Magazine
, Sherrell fumed, “I would have been treated better by Bob Barker if I were a dog.” Ouch! But my feelings mirrored hers. Sherrell just said what most of us were thinking.

“The show is run like a fascist dictatorship,” charged Holly Hallstrom, during an interview in 2002 with
Globe
. Holly was also quoted as saying, “Mr. Barker is a ruthless, vindictive tyrant, who callously sets out to ruin the life of anyone who doesn’t obey his self-serving commands.”

I have found the above quotes to be very accurate descriptions of the man I once thought the world of. By the same token, this was the same kind, thoughtful man who would mail out a “thank you” note for every little gift he received, either for his birthday or during our Christmas gift exchange parties in his dressing room.

Wouldn’t one think that if, in fact, he had nothing to do with our dismissals, he would at least have given us a grand send-off via a farewell party, at best, a token tribute for our many years of loyalty and service, perhaps the proverbial gold watch, or a heads up courtesy notice that we were about to be
Price Is Right
history? That would have been the admirable thing to do.

There were no goodbyes to the cast, the crew, the staff, not even to each other, when we were hit with the harsh reality that we would not be returning to Bob Barker Studio as we were booted out the door one by one.