Bob Barker managed to charm millions of viewers on one of America’s favorite game shows The Price Is Right.
But behind the cameras, he controlled the employees with a “ruthless iron fist” and allowed racism, secret affairs, and workplace cruelty to run rampant.
“I hate that man,” said Holly Hallstrom, one of the models who worked on the show. He was a “shameless, self-promoting liar,” she added.
Bob Barker managed to charm millions of viewers on one of America’s favorite TV game shows The Price Is Right
Former members of The Price Is Right have shared how the long-running show was not just about spinning the wheel, guessing prices, and winning.
The show’s “Barker’s Beauties,” who were seen as glamorous on-screen assistants, said they faced harassment behind the scenes.
One of them hit a man in his privates with a golf club because of his inappropriate behavior.
After joining the show in 1990 as the “first permanent Black model,” Kathleen Bradley became part of the “Barker’s Beauties” group.
She said one male crew member was “too friendly” with the female models that he would “rub up” against them, she said in an episode of the E!’s docuseries, Dirty Rotten Scandals.
Despite reporting the man to the producers, Kathleen said no action was taken. “I was really taken aback. This was really s*xual harassment,” she said.
One male crew member was “too friendly” with the female models that he would “rub up” against them
Kathleen recalled one show-taping incident where she deliberately swung a golf club at a man’s privates.
“I accidentally hit him right in the groin. Accidentally on purpose that was,” she said. “We were so exhausted and tired of the treatment. You just had to do what you had to do.”
The show’s former producer Barbara Hunter said there were instances where she said, “Hey, stop that,” to predatory men.