Bye bye, Bob!

After 50 years on television and 35 on "The Price is Right," TV game show great Bob Barker has decided to retire. The 82-year-old Barker began hosting "The Price is Right" in 1972 and has been its host ever since. Now that he's retiring, he plans to spend time working with his foundation, DJ&T, on animal-rights causes. The foundation's objectives are to fund low-cost spay/neuter clinics and voucher programs as a way to help relieve animal overpopulation, which can lead to the cruelty of animals. Fremantle Media, which owns the show, has been looking for his replacement for two to three years and is considering all options.\nDespite all the negativity around his 1993 sexual harassment scandal with "Price is Right" model Dian Parkinson, Barker's image has won the hearts of over one million Americans. His longevity has won him top daytime show ratings, 17 Emmys and a 1999 Lifetime Achievement Award. His contributions to society will be part of the legacy he leaves behind. \nShows like "The Price is Right" have brought millions of families together daily, just as oldtime radio did. It put hope in American hearts that we, too, could win nice cars, appliances, trips and cash. The show also had great diversity in its audience. You could see the Texan college student next to the ladies of the RV club: a true description of the melting pot of American society. Game shows like "The Price is Right" portray the American Dream. After the game show scandals of the 1950s, these dreams slowly faded away. It is shows such as "The Price is Right," "Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune" that connect us to our past. However, as the years go by, these shows lose their momentum.\nTV shows are susceptible to change, but when game show hosts change, it can have a large effect. For example, ratings for "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" declined slowly before host Regis Philbin left the show. However, when it was redistributed in syndication with Meredith Vieira as its host, it was barely on the map. Did the show become less interesting? I don't believe it did, but America's love for Philbin could have had a big affect on the decline. In comparison, will "The Price is Right" be the same way? Who can honestly fill the empty void in the hearts of Americans that Bob Barker has created? \nI can remember as a little girl, staying at home when I was sick and watching the show with my lovely, late grandmother every morning. There was not a single show she missed and not a single moment that didn't fill her life with joy. She would constantly yell at the television that the contestant bid too high or too low and that the first showcase was better than the other. It is these fond memories that will live on forever in the hearts of millions of Americans.