Come on down, Cleveland...

[ashton]

I guess I'm the only person in the world who finds Drew Carey unfunny and mildly irritating, then?

He's one of only two guys who can steal a british show and make it work. The other one just took his on the road to LA and made it better. Pop Idol sucked... Maybe that's why you hate him. FWIW, I loved Coupling and Teachers before they came over to the states.

[Dave Allen]

For the record, when I said "Cleveland Rocks" I was quoting the lyrics from the theme to the Drew Carey Show.

[David Paleg]

From the TMZ.com In the Zone:

Drew's "Price"-Inflicted Battle Scars
Posted Aug 14th 2007 5:28PM by TMZ Staff

"Drew Carey says he's fine after his on-set accident last week, but dear Lord -- look at his wrist! It looks like he was dog sitting at Michael Vick's house!"

http://www.tmz.com/2007/08/14/drews-pri ... tle-scars/

Good grief! Look what the accident did to his face... Oh wait. He always looks like that.


Never mind.

[David Paleg]

Just ONE more day until the New Drew Price Is Right. Drew Carey takes over as the host on Monday. If you would like to discuss your memories of past hosts Bob Barker, Tom Kennedy, Dennis James, and Bill Cullen here, you are welcome to do so. Or of past Barker Beauties like Janice, Anitra, Holly, Dian, Nikki, and others. Or past announcers like Johnny Olson, Rod Roddy, Gene Wood, Don Pardo, and others. The UK and Australia have had their versions with local cast. Other countries might have had theirs, too.

So, what are we going to call the former Barker Beauties? Drew's Divas? Carey's Cuties? The Host's Hotties? Will Mimi be one of them?

So... COME ON DOWN and post your comments.

[Dr. Whiplash]

From The Plain Dealer, http://www.cleveland.com

Drew Carey starts as host of 'Price Is Right' today
Monday, October 15, 2007
Mark Dawidziak, Plain Dealer Television Critic

"The Price Is Right" feels right to Drew Carey, who makes his debut as the game show's host today. The notion of replacing Bob Barker might seem intimidating, but the bespectacled comedian from Cleveland couldn't feel more at home.

"Totally comfortable," Carey said during a telephone interview. "I feel as relaxed out there as I do in my own living room. This job is nothing but fun." For Carey, 49, the only tough thing about this job was deciding to do this job.

"It took a big change in perception, so making the decision was difficult," he said. "I didn't think of myself as a game-show host. There was a time when 'game-show host' denoted an insincere person. You think to yourself, 'Why would I want to be the insincere jokey guy?' I had to see all the good things about being the host of 'The Price Is Right.' Then, once I realized it was something I would enjoy, it was very easy."

CBS also faced a tough decision when Barker announced last October that he was retiring. Network executives kept spinning the wheel, searching for a replacement. The faces going 'round and 'round in a blur included those of Rosie O'Donnell, George Hamilton, John O'Hurley, Ian Ziering, Mark Steines, Todd Newton and Mario Lopez.

Helping both CBS and Carey make their tough decisions was the comic's winning ways as the host of the prime-time game show, "Power of 10." The summer series features Carey asking contestants to predict the American public's response to poll questions. CBS realized Carey was a natural at this game-show thing, making him the front-runner to replace Barker. And Carey arrived at the same conclusion, making him realize that this was the ideal gig for him.

"When they were courting me to do 'The Price Is Right,' someone asked, What's your favorite thing to do?' " Carey said. "I told them, 'I love leaving big tips.' And I do. I get a big kick out of that -- spreading around the joy. Well, that's what you get to do on 'The Price Is Right.' You get to give away things all day long. So it's the greatest."

There is a long TV tradition of comedians as hosts of hit game shows, from Groucho Marx on "You Bet Your Life" to Richard Dawson on "Family Feud" to Howie Mandel on "Deal or No Deal." They think fast on their feet. They're battle-tested in front of live audiences. They can disarm nervous situations with a well-timed witticism.

"It's weird, isn't it?" Carey said. "It's like everything I've ever done prepared me for doing 'Power of 10' and 'The Price Is Right.' I had no idea I was going to be a good game-show host. And I genuinely love it when they win. The people are the real stars of the show. I figured that out right away, and I love seeing other people succeed.

"I say that at the end of the shows now, because that's sort of my Zen lesson from 'Price Is Right.' Everyone's cheering for the average Americans. And when you're rooting for someone else to do well, you feel better about yourself and your own life. That's the way to treat people. That's the big lesson."

CBS has ordered more episodes of "Power of 10," which will return as a midseason replacement. Carey doesn't prefer one game show to the other.

"They're very different in feel. 'Price Is Right' is so fast-paced -- you know, prize after prize after prize. But 'Power of 10,' you have to take your time and discuss it from all different angles. With 'Power of 10,' the discussion can go on forever, like you want to light a pipe and a fireplace and really hash it out. Whereas 'Price Is Right' is bing-bang-boom, talk to you later. I didn't need the money, so I was really only looking for work that gave me joy. Both of these shows fit the bill."

The one downside to being so busy is that he hasn't been able to get back home for any of his beloved Indians playoff games. Is he following the team?

"Let me put it this way: I'm not sitting around wearing a Yankees cap," Carey said. "I've totally watched every game. They are going to the World Series. If they can go to Yankee Stadium and embarrass the Yankees like that, I have no worries." Carey added that schedule conflicts prevented him from throwing out the first pitch for one of the games against New York.

Between following the Indians and preparing for his new gig, Carey found time to get engaged to Nicole Jaracz, a recent culinary school graduate, said his spokeswoman, Christina Papadopoulos. It's a first marriage for both.

There's now only one thing that concerns Carey about "The Price Is Right."

"I just hope the public at large accepts me as the host," he said. "I wouldn't call that a worry or a fear. It's more like the one unanswered question. It's the one last thing I need to know to put my mind at ease. I hope they do, because it feels like a really good fit."

[Bob Campbell]

Anybody see it?

[David Paleg]

I taped it and watched it later. EVERY contestant that went on stage won the big prize, and one of them won an extra thousand on the big wheel. Drew seemed a little nervous, considering it was his first show other than test trials. It looked like he kept trying to put his hand in his pocket and then thinking he shouldn't.