As I've been reading the news stories surrounding Bob Barker's retirement, I've been noticing that people have been confusing two elements of the The Price is Right that have similar names. In fact, that confusion has been in place for about thirty years, perpetrated by bloggers, columnists and news anchors: the misidentification of TPiR's final round as "the Showcase Showdown."The confusion flummoxes the best of them, including our friends at BestWeekEver.tv, who put together a list of ten reasons why they'll miss Bob (must be an homage to our The Five list of reasons why we'll miss Bob). In item number 3, about Bob losing his patience, writer Michelle Collins states, "Often seen when people have difficulty coming up with a bid during the Showcase Showdown." Um, Michelle... that's not quite right.
See the picture above? That's called "the Showcase," where contestants bid on prize packages. The big wheel with the numbers on it? That is the "the Showcase Showdown," where contestants spin to see who makes the Showcase. Yes, I know, the names are close enough to each other that it really doesn't matter. And, believe me, it's not keeping me up at night or anything. But your local news anchor, or a blogger who writes about the media, should be able to know the difference.
Am I being anal here? Definitely. But pet peeves are pet peeves, and this is one of mine, albeit a small one. Are there any aspects to your favorite shows that announcers and reporters consistently get wrong? Let me know in the comments.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-02-2006 @ 1:15PM
Akbar Fazil said...
You tell em Joel!
How anyone could EVER get the two confused is news to me.
The Showcase Showdown at the wheel determines Who gets to go to the Showcase, right?
Thus the Showdown.
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11-02-2006 @ 1:45PM
Jeff N. said...
Regardless, I'll miss Bob Barker. If there ever was a TV Icon , it's Bob Barker. He's been hosting game shows since mid '50s.
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11-02-2006 @ 4:40PM
Christine said...
My grandpa who doesn't speak a word of English watched Price is Right religiously. Bob Barker transcends, no?
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11-02-2006 @ 5:29PM
Daniel said...
You said it, Joel! This kind of slip-up is nearly as unprofessional as a supposed professional journalist running a rumor of a major executive firing as fact without an iota of supporting evidence!
Oh. Wait.
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11-04-2006 @ 8:32AM
Patrick said...
As a lifelong fan of the show, this is one of my pet peeves as well.
Still, I DO understand how it happens: "Showcase Showdown" sounds BIGGER than "Showcase," so the uninformed might automatically assume that the "Showcase Showdown" must be the big deal at the end.
It takes a pretty dedicated fan to know the difference. It takes what Barker would call a "loyal friend and true" to really get annoyed when someone else makes the slip!
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