Models who are able to present prizes have been a favorite part of this event. The price is right over the years, but their popularity hasn’t kept them free from the occasional scandal. In fact, the show has seen many scandals over its long history. The current host has not been involved in any of these scandals. Drew CareyHis predecessor was the subject of serious allegations Bob Barker.
‘Price Is Right’Models who endorsed the Show
Modeling is a popular career choice for many young women and men. The price is rightIt was a dream come true. Many of the models today work on the show grew up seeing it and idolizing the gorgeous models who showcased the prizes. Although the job may seem idyllic, there were a few scandals in past years. Price is RightModels made accusations against Bob Barker and a producer of the show.
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Dian Parkinson joined The Price is RightAfter appearing on the show’s sporadically, she became a permanent fixture in 1975. After 18 years of working on the show, she sued Barker for allegedly forcing her to sleep with Barker and threatened to fire her if he refused.
Bob Barker at the Center of Several Allegations
Barker denied the allegations, saying that the two were together from 1989 to 1990. Parkinson further claimed that she developed a bleeding ulcer as a result of the stress caused by Barker’s alleged sexual demands which kept her from working. She dropped the suit due to the adverse effects it had on her health. However, she continues to stand by her allegations.
Parkinson wasn’t the only member of Barker’s Beauties to sue the show. Holly Hallstrom was a model who first started on the show as a 1977. Then she was forced to quit in 1995. She filed a suit against the show based on allegations of wrongful termination.
Holly Hallstrom’s Wrongful Termination Suit
Hallstrom claimed she was fired because she gained weight from medication she was taking. Barker, who was also named alongside producers of the show in the suit, denied the allegations. He countered with a suit for slandering and libel. He insisted that Hallstrom wasn’t fired over her weight, but rather because of budget cutbacks. He told the truth at the time. Entertainment Tonight, via The New York Times, “If the company were going to terminate her for a weight problem, Holly would have been gone years and years ago.”
He added that her dress size had fluctuated between 8 and 14 over the years, seemingly poking a hole in Hallstrom’s claim that her premenopausal medication was the reason for the weight gain. Hallstrom won the lawsuit and received millions as a settlement. Barker dropped his countersuit a few days prior to the trial.
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Brandi Cochran Claims Pregnancy Discrimination
Another model, Brandi Cochran (née Sherwood), began working on the show in 2001 and had no complaints until 2007. She learned she was pregnant and kept it a secret at work because she was afraid she’d lose her job. Cochran had to go into labor because of the stress. Cochran claimed that producers discovered it and said it was okay. “nature’s way of getting rid of a bad baby.”
Cochran was again pregnant in 2008 and determined to have a stress-free baby. She told producers about her pregnancy, and they harassed her at work. Cochran claimed that they would make crude comments such as “Wide load coming through,” or, “You’re packing on a lot of extra weight.”She was reduced in hours and forced to announce her pregnancy via air after she had begun showing. Producers were also apparently angered by Cochran’s news of twins.
Cochran lost one of her children in 2009 before giving birth prematurely to the twins a month later. She was granted disability leave to recuperate. Producers refused to allow her to return to work when she attempted to.
Cochran sued CBS, which is the production company, for damages. Price is RightThe producers and her for discrimination. A jury initially gave her $8.4million, but the ruling was later overturned. Cochran settled for an undisclosed amount outside of court. Many other lawsuits have been filed against Cochran by former models over the years. Hopefully the current batch of models don’t have the same problems as their predecessors.
