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Despite his initial doubts, Carey ultimately accepted the role and debuted as host in the fall of 2007. Now, nearly two decades later, The Price Is Right has hit an incredible milestone—10,000 episodes. Carey himself has hosted more than 3,000 episodes since taking over, proving that the show is still going strong under his leadership.
“They told me it was my 3,317th episode,” Carey said. “Sometimes I feel like it’s not that long, and sometimes I feel like I’ve always been there.”
Even after all these years, Carey still sees himself as the new guy compared to Barker’s tenure. “Bob Barker is two-thirds. I’m still the new guy!” he laughed.
While the pressure of filling Barker’s shoes was immense, Carey made it clear that he never intended to copy his predecessor. “I don’t need to walk in his shoes; I brought my own shoes,” he said, emphasizing his goal of honoring the show’s legacy while bringing his own style to the role.
One of Carey’s biggest concerns was making sure he didn’t ruin the show. “The goal was to not be responsible for ruining it or killing it,” he explained.
Though he made subtle changes, Carey largely stuck to the show’s winning formula. One thing he kept was Barker’s famous closing line: “Help control the pet population, have your pets spayed or neutered.” Barker, a passionate animal rights advocate, made that phrase a signature part of the show. Carey continues the tradition out of respect. “I want to honor the show—certainly—and not forget about the importance of him and the path that he blazed,” he said. “It’s very important to keep the memory of Bob alive. I’m not replacing anybody. I’m just doing a show that he used to do.”
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Carey did, however, make one key change to The Price Is Right’s introduction. Under Barker, the announcer introduced him as “the star of the show.” Carey opted to be referred to as the “host” instead.
“I am not the star of the show; the contestants are the star,” Carey said. “I’m not downplaying my role on the show, but people tune in to see the interaction of the contestants, and they want somebody there to interact with them in a good way—because they’re the stars.”
The success of The Price Is Right under both Barker and Carey proves that it remains one of the most enduring and beloved game shows on television. Despite his fears, Carey has continued the show’s legacy, keeping it entertaining for a new generation of fans while respecting the work of the legend who came before him.
