It's hard to imagine that anyone would consider TV's sweet-natured grandma Betty White as their "sworn enemy." Except, of course for maybe Mom from Futurama and the bizarro version of Bea Arthur. But apparently that's the label that Price is Right host Bob Barker has bestowed upon the Golden Girl. It turns out the two aren't pals or confidants. Buzzer Blog reported that Barker threatened not to show up to GSN's 2009 Game Show Awards where he accepted a lifetime achievement award along with Mark Goodson and Monty Hall if White was there.
It gets weirder. The whole thing was caused by an elephant. This is starting to sound less like Hollywood gossip and more like a job for Mythbusters.
The two got into a heated debate over Billy, an elephant at the Los Angeles Zoo who had overgrown his enclosure. Barker, a passionate animal rights activist known by anyone who has sat through an entire episode of TPiR, fought to relocate the elephant to a sanctuary in San Andreas. White, also an animal rights activist, fought to keep the animal at the zoo in a bigger enclosure. White's side won the debate and Barker has labeled White as his "sworn enemy" ever since. The only way this fight could get sweeter is if light sabers were somehow involved.
So when Barker learned that White would be attending the awards to deliver a special tribute to Goodson, Barker threatened to drop the awards show from his schedule faster than a Plinko chip.
White agreed to tape her presentation so that Barker would show up to accept his lifetime achievement award. Buzzer Blog called it an "absolute shame" that White chose not to attend and insinuated she either chose not to go or was "strong-armed" to agree to tape her appearance. Yeah, I would have liked to have seen that. White could snap a man's arm with the pressure of a great white shark's jaw.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-30-2009 @ 2:25PM
Bob Jones said...
That is the dullest and most bizarre Celebrity Feud that I have ever heard.
An elephant, its cage, where it lives causing a feud, it's absolutely mad.
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5-30-2009 @ 2:50PM
Arclight said...
I would trade all these types of articles for Op Eds for NCIS.
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5-30-2009 @ 3:07PM
Spiney Norman said...
People are losing their jobs, homes and savings, and King Bob throws a hissy fit over an elephant that's getting a better enclosure. Perhaps the old silver haired buffon needs to be spayed or nutered.
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5-30-2009 @ 3:34PM
Eric H said...
I guess if they weren't angry the entire economy would magically fix itself. I hate people that throw that argument up at everything they don't like. If you care so much cut off your internet and donate that money.
5-30-2009 @ 4:14PM
Pingles said...
There is enough injustice and suffering in this so that everyone can choose their own cause. It's great that you think it's more important that we return to the days when it was less inconvenient to fill your Cadillac with gas but these two celebrities decided to look into an animal that was living it's entire life in a small cage.
Let's try to cover all the bases by picking our own battles.
6-14-2009 @ 9:21PM
Evelyn said...
Spayed is good.....Castration is better.....send him home to his 9 cats with Spanish names
5-30-2009 @ 5:24PM
Maggie said...
Let Bob stay home, who cares. He's a has been who needs to relax and leave people alone. Not everyone has to have his passions in life. We are all different and need t0 be able to have our own passions. What is his problem?????????????????????
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5-30-2009 @ 7:41PM
DapperDan said...
HEY BOB BARKER grow up would ya what a fool
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5-30-2009 @ 10:53PM
Jacob said...
Bob Barker is a dick...
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6-02-2009 @ 12:34AM
patty said...
Bob grow up! How ols are you? You know you all should get along because you don't have a 100 more years to live and neither do I.
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6-02-2009 @ 12:42AM
patty said...
good night!
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5-31-2009 @ 2:45PM
Joyce N. said...
Bob Barker is an a**. Betty should have gone live and Bob should have stayed home and pouted. He must have way too much time on his hands now that he doesn't have his "girls" around to harass anymore.
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5-31-2009 @ 4:52PM
Stone hunter said...
To Mr. Barker: You should of Bit Your Tounge And left your Diffirances at the door Since She was not Coming for You but to Pay Tribute To your Old Boss.
You Can not in All good Conciance deny Betty White's Devotion to animals . Whatever your Individual Views ;
You both care .
To: Ms White: Kudos for your taking the High road. may No one steal Your Crown as "The classiest
BROAD" on tv.
I would be interested as to why You supported the Larger enclosure over the relocation solution .
Peter H.
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5-31-2009 @ 4:27PM
Gene Cowan said...
Sounds to me like Betty, who was to *present* an award, stepped back so that Bob, who was to *receive* a reward, would get his moment.
I prefer to assume that she was a classy lady to do so.
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5-31-2009 @ 11:34PM
rosie said...
This looks funny!
http://www.youtube.com/gameshowawardsfan
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6-03-2009 @ 3:45PM
Jeffrey said...
Yeah, I don't think it's much of a Hollywood secret that Bob Barker is an a**hole and a perv. I don't know which side of the argument I would take because I don't know all the details. But Bob Barker refusing to show up if Betty White made an appearance, that's the most childish, unprofessional thing I've ever heard. After he's done raping prostitutes, he probably goes to nursing homes to verbally abuse old women. That seems to be his M.O. Nevermind the dogs and cats; let's neuter Bob Barker!
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6-07-2009 @ 6:47PM
Chris said...
Well, whoop-de-do! Bob Barker WAS at the Game Show Awards!
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6-13-2009 @ 11:33AM
FatCatJRG said...
Bob Barker is a miserable, self-absorbed old fart. Plus, he looks like he's been re-assembled from spare parts with all the creepy plastic work he's had done. Drew Carey is a much better, more "human" host on TPIR. Betty White is old, but she gets the jokes. She's got the talent and the timing. Had it been me? I would've just spilled the beans on what a jerk Barker was being. PS. The "Game Show Awards" was pathetic. Now GSN viewers will be pummeled with "encore presentations" for the next 22 weeks.
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8-10-2009 @ 2:47PM
Bonnie said...
Sorry to all you naysayers, but I have to say kudos to Bob Barker for taking a strong stand for what he believes in. All animal advocates are berated on a daily basis for standing up for the issues we care passionately about. He would rather not receive the award than to be in the same room with someone who fought to keep an elephant in a zoo, when that precious creature deserved to live what was left of his life in a sanctuary, around others of his kind, finally free of the stress of a zoo. It doesn't matter how big they build the enclosure, the bottom line was that confinement of ANY kind in a zoo, living a lonely existence is cruel. It wasn't Ms. White who "won", but the almighty political dollar. It was Billy who lost, and lost in a huge way. Just take a look at either of the sanctuaries, the one who was offering to take Billy, or the one in Tennessee and see for yourself the amazing life these tortured souls finally get to live once out of the captive zoos. Had he been standing up for a human, I'm sure the reactions would have been far different, but because it's "just an elephant", people think it just shouldn't matter. WE stole the elephant's life. WE exploited him for our own entertainment. WE (the zoo) made money off of his misery. WE owe it to him to give him peace in the final years of his life. Bob Barker knew that, and fought hard for it. Good for him! Yes, Ms. White showed a lot of class is stepping back and allowing him his moment of glory. But for him, I'm sure that award meant far less than the ones he has from the Jane Goodall Institute and other animal-related awards.
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8-14-2009 @ 6:55AM
Molly said...
I agree! It's a shame when 2 animal welfare people can't see eye to eye but it does happen. It doesn't make Betty or Bob look like a jerk.
I agree with Bob. The elephant would be better off in a sanctuary instead of a cage in a zoo. Elephants need more room than zoos can provide. Even if they did give them the room they needed, you probably wouldn't be able to see them since the viewing area for people probably wouldn't be where they wanted to hang out.
I think this disagreement is a shame. They both stood their ground for what they believe in and thankfully Betty didn't make it a bigger issue by not wanting to tape her speech.
Also, that sanctuary in Tennessee is awesome! I've seen a tv program about it and hope to visit it one day and to have enough money to donate some to them as well.
You are so right Bonnie when you say it is Billy that loses out. Wow, what a downer.
The naysayers might want to check this site and read one of the recommended books!
http://elephant.elehost.com/Books/Great_Ele-Books/great_ele-books.html