The Price Is Right became a daytime fixture during Bob Barker’s long run, with contestants playing for prizes while the Barker’s Beauties helped present them. Barker hosted from 1972 to 2007, and for many viewers, he was the show.
However, some of the women who worked on set say the reality behind the scenes was anything but ideal. Now, those stories are being revisited on E!’s Dirty Rotten Scandals.
E!’s docuseries Dirty Rotten Scandals delves into The Price Is Right
In a clip highlighted by PEOPLE, former Barker’s Beauty Kathleen Bradley, who appeared on the show in the 1990s, says the tone on set changed over time. “When I initially started the show, everybody was pretty cool, really friendly, especially the crew. But over time, I noticed the guys talking, looking, gawking at the girls. I found out this is more commonplace than I thought.”
Producer Barbara Hunter alleges, “One time, I was in the elevator and one of the men just stuck their hands right on my boobs. I had to push him away, I didn’t say anything. It became instinct to know how to handle it.”
Kathleen recalled one crew member crossing the line. “One guy in particular. He was a little friendly, too friendly. He would rub up against us, joking around. It’s totally inappropriate.”
However, she says reporting it didn’t help. “When I reported this guy to the producers? To my surprise, no action was taken. I was really taken aback. This was sexual harassment. So I took matters into my own hands.”
She handled it herself. “So I let him get behind me. And I said, uh. I backed up and accidentally hit him right in the groin — accidentally on purpose, that was.”
Similarly, another Barker’s Beauty, Holly Hallstrom, says complaints didn’t go far, claiming the host “would have told her to get over it or look for a new job.” However, CBS’s “10-Second Rule,” meant to limit how long men could openly stare at the models, didn’t help.
“There was no one monitoring how long the guys were staring at the models,” she said. “It was a joke. It was an appeasement. They did things that made it look like they were taking action, so you will stop complaining and go away.”
She added, “It took a toll. There was fighting on the sets, yelling, and it was massive. And it ultimately, I think, destroyed The Price Is Right.”
After Bob’s retirement, Drew Carey took over hosting duties.
Dirty Rotten Scandals premieres March 18 on E!.
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