Marc Summers, the former host of Nickelodeon's «Double Dare», says a recent docuseries detailing misconduct allegations against Bob Barker was accurate, and he has hinted that he could share even more uncomfortable stories from his time working with the late game show legend.
Summers, 74, discussed the E! series «Dirty Rotten Scandals» during an appearance on «Nostalgia Tonight with Joe Sibilia» to mark the 40th anniversary of «Double Dare». The docuseries examines accusations that «The Price Is Right», the CBS show Barker hosted for decades, was marked by a hostile work environment, sexual harassment and discrimination.
«I think it's too bad that the man's not around to defend himself», Summers said of Barker, who died in 2023 at age 99. «However, everything on there was true and then some. I could tell you stories off the air that make your hair curl that were true.»
The remarks add to the renewed scrutiny of Barker's reputation following the docuseries. In March, Holly Hallstrom, one of the show's longtime «Barker's Beauties», said on the program that she lost her job on «The Price Is Right» after refusing to publicly defend Barker when fellow model Dian Parkinson accused him of sexual harassment in a 1994 lawsuit.
Summers, who worked with Barker early in his career, said the host's ego was already a problem and became more pronounced after his wife, Dorothy Jo, died. «When Dorothy Jo passed away, he kind of became a different guy, and his ego wouldn't fit in the room», Summers said. «It was all about Bob.» He described himself at the time as a 22-year-old idea man who generally got along with Barker.
According to Summers, Barker used the initials «WGMC», which stood for «World's Greatest MC», on his dressing room door and on his dress shirts. He recalled an incident in which Bob Eubanks, the longtime host of «The Newlywed Game», hid the sign from Barker's dressing room door as a prank while filming a pilot at the studio where «The Price Is Right» was taped. Summers said Barker refused to start taping that Monday until the missing board was found. Eubanks eventually told the crew to look under a couch, where the sign had been placed.
Summers also described a freelance job he took from Barker after CBS made Barker an executive producer and gave him an overall deal when a raise as host was not possible. Barker called Summers at home and asked for 25 questions for a game show he was developing. When Summers asked about payment, Barker told him not to worry and that he would take care of him.
Wanting to impress Barker, Summers wrote 50 questions instead of 25 and expected a check for $400 or $500. Instead, he found a check for $50 in an envelope Barker had left in the mailbox. «So that's the way it was», Summers said.
Hallstrom's account on «Dirty Rotten Scandals» focused on the fallout from Parkinson's lawsuit. She said producers later blamed her 1995 firing on weight gain caused by medication. She recalled being pressured to appear on talk shows and say that Barker was the victim and that Parkinson was lying. After she gave a noncommittal answer on «The Suzanne Somers Show», she said a tabloid falsely quoted her as saying Parkinson was lying. She demanded and received a retraction, but the episode marked the start of a rift with Barker.
Parkinson dropped her lawsuit in 1995. Her attorney at the time said the case had become emotionally and financially draining and had started to affect her physical health. Barker consistently denied wrongdoing and maintained that any relationships were consensual. Hallstrom said she was later told her weight was a problem, and she was off the show.
The renewed attention has highlighted the gap between Barker's public image as America's beloved game show host and the working environment described by those who appeared with him on «The Price Is Right». Barker hosted the show for decades before retiring in 2007, and he remained one of the most recognizable figures in television history until his death at 99.
