A 'Price is Right' contestant nearly made Drew Carey's head explode -- 'cause one of his bids came within a single dollar of the actual value ... and now, he's telling us how he did it.
Patrice Masse bid $39,500 for a prize package valued at $39,501 on Friday's show -- and his near-perfect guess made him a double showcase winner -- with a grand total of $83,068 in prizes. Past players have guessed within a few dollars -- but never this close ... it's a first.
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DC was stunned while PM and his wife were going berserk with joy over his major score ... which included a brand-new Kia K5 GT-Line, luxury trips and designer apparel. On the heels of his epic performance ... Masse talked to us to explain how he landed on the right number.
Bob Barker's historic estate was listed for $2.9 million -- but whoever snapped it up ended up spending even more to buy it ... going well over asking.
Real estate sources tell TMZ ... interior designer Julia Dempster sealed the deal Thursday by plunking down a whopping $3,788,000 on the 6-bedroom, 6-bath Spanish Colonial Revival-style Hollywood Hills estate, this just a month after it hit the market.
We're told the estate had a staggering 250 showings, so it was clearly in high demand ... hence why Julia had to dig deep into her pockets to snag it. Now, she gets to sit back, relax and enjoy her new home, which is a true slice of L.A. history.
Bob Barker's iconic estate is hitting the market ... giving one lucky buyer the chance to own a slice of L.A. history -- that is, if they have close to a few million to plunk down.
The late "Price Is Right" icon -- who died in August last year at 99 -- owned the 6-bedroom, 6-bath Spanish Colonial Revival-style estate in the Hollywood Hills for a whopping 50 years ... and it's now up for grabs at a cool $2,988,000.
Bob's pad here has a major legacy behind it -- as it's considered one of the first (if not THE first) houses in Hollywood ... and it's been dubbed the Original "Outpost." General Harrison Grey Otis -- the founder of the L.A. Times -- had it to himself back in the 1880s.
Drew Carey says he attempted to end his life on two occasions when he was young -- and even now ... apparently has some very dark thoughts about death.
"The Price Is Right" host got real about his struggles with depression and mental health during a recent chat with Chris Wallace -- where Drew revealed he'd attempted suicide twice before ... once when he was 18, and another time in his 20s.
The first time he tried this was during a frat party, which Drew describes this way ... "I was so mad that everybody was having a good time. I remember that. I remember walking down the stairs and everybody’s drinking and I was like, 'What the hell are they so happy about?'"
He goes on to say he found himself angry that people there were so happy and decided he was tired of life, going on to wonder to himself ... "Who's gonna miss me?"
Even now, DC admits ... he still fights off those sad thoughts every now and then.
Drew explains ... "I have a lot of that still. Like, the who's-gonna-miss-me type of thing. A lot of times I think to myself. Like, if I die, I'm just gonna have my body cremated. No funeral and anything associated with, like, all my mementos and stuff. You can just burn them and give them away. Like, who cares?" We should note ... he says he's in a better place lately.
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Still, it sounds like Drew continues to find the balance -- and he's very honest about it.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
Bob Barker's cause of death has been revealed as a result of Alzheimer's disease, TMZ has learned.
According to his death certificate, obtained by TMZ, the 99-year-old 'Price Is Right' icon suffered from Alzheimer's, something he's never addressed publicly before. It's unclear exactly how long Bob battled the disease, but the docs say his death came "years" after his Alzheimer's began.
You'll recall, Bob also suffered multiple falls over the years -- he had minor battles with skin cancer, and took 2 trips to the hospital for issues with his back in 2018.
For those unaware, Bob -- who has been a vegetarian for over 4 decades -- teamed up with PETA back in 2013 to highlight the benefits of the diet, saying giving up meat can help prevent the onset of the brain disorder.
TMZ broke the story, Bob's rep told us he died peacefully at his Los Angeles home on August 26 ... and his passing has been met with an outpour of love across the globe.
CBS thanked Bob for "making countless people's dreams come true" for decades on "The Price Is Right" ... and PETA said his longtime involvement with the org cemented him as "a national animal rights treasure."
A majority of Bob's estate is to be divvied up and donated to over 40 different animal rights organizations and military nonprofits -- still giving back to the community, even in death.
Bob Barker's animal rights legacy is something PETA wants to honor with a street name change on the most iconic boulevard in L.A. ... which could actually happen!
A rep for PETA tells TMZ ... they've made an official request with the City of Los Angeles for an honorary add-on to Sunset Blvd. -- to pay tribute the late 'Price Is Right' host, who just died last weekend.
Don't worry ... this isn't as wacky as it sounds. PETA assures us this would only be a minor change, and it wouldn't even require the removal of an actual "Sunset Blvd." sign hanging from street lights.
Basically what we're talking about is a second sign -- under one of the Sunset Blvd. signs -- that would read "Bob Barker Blvd." The PETA rep says they'd love to have this on their block on Sunset.
There's also this ... PETA tells us they've actually taken steps to make this happen. They've contacted City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, who reps their area. We're told PETA brass and Soto-Martinez's staff are scheduled to meet in the coming weeks.
PETA says they're pushing this because Bob actually made a generous donation way back when that allowed them to open this L.A.-based office, and they wanna return the favor.
As for the councilman ... his office confirms they are indeed meeting PETA soon and will seriously consider its request -- but warns even a small change like this is hard to pull off.
Bob Barker was still a big TV man during his final chapter, and now that he's gone -- his legacy lives on in a massive donation to 501(c)(3)s ... TMZ has learned.
The "Price is Right" host's longtime rep, Roger Neal, tells us Bob spent quite a bit of time checking out the tube in his last days of life ... including a lot of reruns of "Two and a Half Men" -- which, to people around him, reminded them Bob still had his sense of humor.
We're told Bob would also check out new episodes of his old show every now and then, and always thought Drew Carey had done well to carry on the torch after his retirement.
Now, as for what's going to happen to Bob's estate in the wake of his passing ... we're told a majority of it is going to be divvied up and donated to a number of causes he was passionate about, especially as it pertains to animals and vets.
Neal says a bulk of Bob's assets will be dispersed among over 40 different animal rights orgs and military nonprofits -- including the DonkeyLand Rescue in Riverside, CA, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ... as well as a bird conservatory.
Some of the estate's assets are also going toward the United Activists for Animal Rights charity -- which BB's girlfriend, Nancy, leads as President. We're told she did well taking care of him over the past year ... making sure he was attended to round-the-clock.
12:09 PM PT -- CBS just spoke on Bob Barker's passing, saying ... "We lost a beloved member of the CBS family today with the passing of Bob Barker. During his 35 years as host of THE PRICE IS RIGHT, Bob made countless people’s dreams come true and everyone feel like a winner when they were called to ‘come on down.’ In addition to his legendary 50-year career in broadcasting, Bob will be remembered as a dedicated animal rights activist. Daytime television has lost one of its most iconic stars."
10:42 AM PT -- PETA -- with whom Barker had been involved for years in an advocacy role -- just sang his praises in the wake of the tragic news, telling TMZ, "Bob's influence on the entertainment industry is indisputable, but what mattered to him most was using his voice and prominent position to protect animals. Of course, everyone is familiar with his "spay and neuter your pets" sign-off on The Price Is Right—a show where he refused to allow fur prizes—but he was also one of the first stars to go vegetarian, more than 30 years ago.
"He joined PETA in urging families to stay away from SeaWorld, demanded the closure of cruel bear pits masquerading as tourist attractions, implored Hollywood to take action to protect animals used in film and TV, and, as a Navy veteran, called for the end of military medical drills on live animals.
"His generous donation allowed PETA to open its West Coast headquarters, the Bob Barker Building, in 2012, and it stands as a testament to his legacy and profound commitment to making the world a kinder place. To us—and to so many animals around the world—Bob will always be a national animal rights treasure."
Bob Barker, the iconic American game show host and animal rights activist, has died ... TMZ has learned.
Barker died peacefully at his home Saturday morning in L.A. His rep tells TMZ Bob died of natural causes.
The longtime host of "The Price Is Right" actually got his start in game shows after legendary producer Ralph Edwards discovered him while listening to Bob's radio show and hired him for TV.
Barker started off hosting the iconic hit, "Truth or Consequences" back in 1956, on which he starred until 1975. He also hosted a number of other game shows and programs over the years, including "Dream Girl of '67," "Tattletales," 'Miss Universe,' and most famously ... "The Price is Right," which he produced and hosted until 2007.
Drew Carey took over as host, and the show continues to be extremely popular to this day.
Barker has appeared in a number of other TV shows and films over the years, oftentimes starring as himself. He got into a fight with Adam Sandler in "Happy Gilmore," stood in as Neil Patrick Harris' would-be biological father in "How I Met Your Mother," and played himself in lots of other shows like "Futurama," "Spongebob," "The Nanny," "Martial Law" and many others.
He had several minor bouts of skin cancer over the years, and suffered a nasty fall in in 2015 and 2017 that sent him to the ER. He fell again in 2019, and was treated once more at the hospital. On top of that, he was transported by ambulance twice in 2018 for back issues.
Safe to say, he's had a lot of health scares over the years, especially of late. Of course, when the pandemic hit in 2020 ... we checked in with him to see how we was dealing -- and were pleasantly surprised to learn he was taking it in stride. Self-isolating wasn't a problem.
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We last saw him out in the streets of Hollywood back in 2016, when he was complaining to us about a bad foot he was dealing with. We chopped it up with him about TV, residuals, his basketball-playing days, and ... a potential Sandler rematch. He was such a good sport and a sweet guy.
Bob's wife, Dorothy Jos, died of lung cancer in 1981. They had no children, and he never remarried. Bob does, however, have extended family that have helped care for him in his later years.
Gwendolyn Osborne is applauding Vanna White for holding out for a bigger slice of the TV game show pie ... telling us the "Wheel of Fortune" staple deserves way more money.
The former "Price Is Right" model joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and we asked about Vanna's salary demand -- at least half of the salary Pat Sajak gets -- $7.5M.
Gwendolyn is fully on board, saying Vanna deserves it, and in the process, she's helping lots of other women.
But, then we asked, what if Sony says final offer -- $4.5M -- should Vanna take it or walk? Watch the wheels turn in Gwendolyn's head.
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TMZ broke the story ... Vanna has made $3 million a year for the last 18 years, without a single raise, and wants a big payday when Ryan Seacrest comes aboard as the new host.
Jared Jeffries' made over $40 million in the NBA, but proving everyone loves something for free ... the retired NBA vet won a brand new compact car on "The Price Is Right," and his reaction was priceless!!
The former #11 overall pick and Washington Wizards forward appeared on the famous game show (it aired Monday morning) where he was a contestant in the "One Away" game -- the goal being to correctly identify the cost of a car.
You can clearly see Jeffries was anxious before the last two numbers were revealed ... but when he realized he won, he went nuts!
"What a good win!" comedian and host Drew Carey said, "What a good win to start the show! Way to go!"
JJ hilariously gallops over to his car -- which looks to be a new 2023 Toyota -- and he's ecstatic.
"Yes!' Jeffries cheered with the crowd.
Of course, Jeffries certainly has a car or two ... since the 41-year-old made a fortune during his 11 seasons in the NBA. In addition to his time in D.C., JJ also played for the Knicks, Rockets and Blazers. Jared scored over 3,000 points and grabbed over 2,500 rebounds.
But, we do have one question ... how does a 6'11" person fit in a tiny Toyota?!
Mike Richards has one incredibly influential celeb in his corner despite leaving "Jeopardy!" amid a shroud of controversy ... and it's his old pal Drew Carey.
We got Mike and Drew Thursday in L.A. after they wrapped up a power breakfast of sorts -- we're told they broke bread for 2 hours at Swingers on Beverly Blvd.
The old pals obviously have lots to catch up about after Mike got the boot -- first as "Jeopardy!" host, and then as its executive producer -- and they presented a very united front as they walked to their cars.
First, we asked Mike himself if he felt like he'd gotten a raw deal. Remember, he was fired over 8-year-old comments -- things he'd said to his female co-host on their podcast. Watch ... he took the high road, and refused to say anything disparaging about his former employers at Sony.
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As for Drew ... we also asked him about Mike's ouster, and he pled the Fifth. However, he'd already said plenty just by being out in public with Richards.
The duo has history together ... Mike used to be Drew's EP on "The Price is Right," and it's very clear from this video, he's standing by his friend during this rough patch.
George Gray, the longtime announcer for "The Price Is Right" is in the hospital after suffering not one, not 2 but 3 massive heart attacks ... TMZ has learned.
We're told George woke up Monday morning at 7 AM with chest pains. At first, he thought it was indigestion, but his condition quickly deteriorated and his wife called 911 and he was rushed to the hospital by ambulance.
We're told he suffered the first massive heart attack in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Doctors took George into surgery, where they put a stent in one of his arteries, but it failed. Doctors then put a second stent in, and it also failed.
George suffered a second major heart attack while taking a walk in the hospital. Doctors then took him back into surgery where they were going to place a third stent in his artery, but while he was on the operating table he suffered a third, massive heart attack.
Surgeons then performed a quadruple bypass. He was taken back to ICU where he was listed in critical condition.
Things are looking up. George's rep tells TMZ he's currently in stable condition and is talking.
As for what George is saying ... it's a cautionary tale. The 53-year-old says he's in the best shape of his life, and his cholesterol is super low. George says it's all genetic.
And, get this ... George says if it weren't for coronavirus he'd be dead ... that's because he and his wife were supposed to celebrate their anniversary this month by taking a trip to the beaches of Thailand. He says if he had the heart attack there he'd almost certainly be a goner.
Bob Barker's life is not in upheaval under the coronavirus quarantine -- like most of us -- because he's already skilled in the art of self-isolation.
Sources connected to Bob tell us the former 'Price is Right' host is doing okay at home as he quarantines in Los Angeles. Fact is, Bob was already steering clear of others for his own health, so the new normal for most folks is just another day for Barker.
Our sources say Bob's isolation is way more strict due to the outbreak though. His family was already barring people with colds from getting close to him -- his immune system is not what it once was -- and now, no one is allowed over to the house aside from those in quarantine with him.
We're told 96-year-old Bob's family is making sure he eats and tends to all his medical needs, but so far it's pretty much business as usual.
There is one major change ... our sources say Bob would normally watch sports at home, but now he's watching a lot of old movies, especially anything related to the military. Remember, Bob was in the Navy and is really into war flicks.
"The Price is Right," one of the most enduring game shows in the history of TV is going dark for 2 weeks with the hope the coronavirus will subside by then ... TMZ has learned.
The show is going the way of so many other entertainment shows ... some are shooting without audiences and some are going down altogether ... at least for the time being.
Production sources tell us they are shutting the shown down for the obvious reasons -- protecting the crew, Drew and the audience from contracting the disease.
As we reported, so many shows are changing the way they do business ... "Jeopardy!," 'Wheel,' "The View," "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," 'Ellen' and 'Live with Kelly and Ryan' are all shooting without audiences.
Various sources at a number of entertainment companies are all telling us the same story ... they are struggling to find a balance between producing content and keeping staff safe.
1:29 PM PT -- Drew just issued this statement, obtained by TMZ, "Amie and I had a love that people are lucky to have once in a lifetime. She was a positive force in the world, a tireless and unapologetic champion for women, and passionate about her work as a therapist. I am overcome with grief. I would like to thank you in advance for giving myself and everyone who loved Amie privacy while we try to work through this tragic situation."
"The Price Is Right" is going on a brief hiatus ... we've learned the game show is not taping this week as part of the fallout from the shocking murder of Drew Carey's former fiancee.
Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... "The Price is Right" won't be shooting any new shows for the entire week. They had episodes scheduled to shoot on Tuesday and Wednesday. Audience members got an email about the cancelation Monday morning.
TMZ broke the story ... cops say Drew's ex-fiancee, Dr. Amie Harwick, was murdered over the weekend after an ex-boyfriend allegedly attacked her and caused her to fall off a third-story balcony in the Hollywood Hills.
Police arrested the ex, Gareth Pursehouse, Saturday and booked him for murder.
Drew and Amie started dating back in 2017 and announced their engagement in early 2018, but less than a year later they split.
As you know ... Drew's hosted "The Price Is Right" since 2007, succeeding longtime host Bob Barker.
No ... this is not the right way to "come on down" to Bob Barker's house.
The legendary 'Price is Right' host's manager tells TMZ ... the crash went down Tuesday outside his Hollywood Hills home. The vehicle slammed into the perimeter wall, but didn't get close to the house -- the 95-year-old former game show host was safely inside.
Law enforcement sources tell us the car was involved in a collision on the street, and the impact sent it flying into Barker's wall.
We're told everyone involved in the crash is okay -- there were no injuries to people, but clearly to vehicles ... and walls.
