Oct 11 2007 Drew Carey is Hilarious as Host of 'Price is Right'

Contuining today's extensive game show coverage, CBS has a clip from the new Price is Right with Drew Carey, complete with a new, thickly-bespectacled logo to remind us that Carey still has the look of a '50s G.I.

If you were worried about the comedian's hosting abilities, his saying, "You gotta get your Plinko before you can go to the bathroom-o," should relieve your fears.

Oct 1 2007 New Price is Right Set Confusing, Ironic

When it was announced that Drew Carey would be taking hold of the reigns of The Price is Right, I worried they might try updating the set of the show to mimic the stark, poorly-lit future world of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Deal or No Deal, and basically every other idiotic game show to come out in the last ten years. (Honestly, does a show called Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader need to look like it's an Orwellian dystopia?)

So, here's the bad news: they did remodel the set.

But here's the strange news: they've remodeled it to somehow look more campy than it originally did.

Yes, as the above slideshow demonstrates, the environment that made the set of Match Game '76 look like a concept showroom has been renovated with a new, barely-noticeable change in logo and scenery. The outdated '60s and '70s-style patterns have been replaced with new '60 and '70s-style inspired patterns for reasons that are still unclear.

But where before the kitschy look rang of nostalgia and heritage, it has now become a desperate wink at the audience that says, "Hey, look how goofy we kept them! We get it!" Whatever executive OK'ed this decision was likely wearing a trucker hat and Members Only jacket and, between swigs of Pabst Blue Ribbon, had just finished explaining how he ironically likes Journey.

Thank Oscar for his telling slideshow of this tragedy.

Jul 24 2007 Drew Carey to Host Price is Right

Last night on The Late Show, Drew Carey announced he will be the new host of The Price is Right, taking over for Bob Barker. Now, I think they could have found a much better or much worse replacement for the recently retired host, but my main issue is just that they're continuing the show at all. I mean, really, what's the point? It's not like PiR is actually some great, revolutionary game show idea. Watching the hour-long show, like a visit to a dying grandpa, was done out of a sense of duty, nostalgia, and mild amusement with the outdated decor. You can't get rid of grandpa and expect me to keep visiting his house, even if he's been replaced with a younger, slightly funnier grandpa with thick glasses.

Question of the day: Will anyone be willing to run up and kiss Drew Carey?*

*including family members.