The loss of Bob Barker at the age of 99 on Aug. 26 sent many celebrities rushing to their social media accounts to post tributes. However, one particular message was so poignant because it was a true game-show moment that many fans never knew about. On June 20, 1980, a stunning Vanna White appeared as a contestant on The Price is Right.
The long-running game show is a staple on CBS Daytime, but nobody knew on that fateful day that a young White with a light blue “Get Serious” T-shirt would one day be an icon herself. The 66-year-old Wheel of Fortune star shared the sweet snapshot of herself smiling broadly with sunglasses resting at the top of her head and eagerly waiting to see if her bid was correct on Contestants’ Row. She wrote in the Instagram caption, “When I moved to LA in 1980, I was on Price Is Right and met Bob Barker. Thank you Bob for introducing me to the game show world! We will miss you.”
During the episode, Barker noted her stunning beauty by cluing her in on what the crew was saying about her. “Backstage, they have monitors where the fellas on the crew can watch and see what’s going on out here,” the game show host shared as he entered the stage. “When Vanna was invited to come on down, one of them read her t-shirt where it said, ‘Get Serious,’ and he said, ‘I am!'”
Barker than mischievously smiled at her and said, “I thought you’d like to know that.”
While she didn’t win anything on the show, she did wind up on a legendary game show herself. Just two years later, she became the world’s most famous letter-turner in the entertainment industry. She and Wheel of Fortune co-host Pat Sajak have continued to be a dynamic duo ever since, but that’s about to change with his upcoming retirement at the end of the 41st season. White is angling for a huge pay raise — and one she’s waited 18 years for — so fans are eagerly awaiting the outcome of her contract negotiations because Wheel of Fortune would be nothing without her.
Before you go, click here to see the best TV shows you should be watching right now.
More Stories from Entertainment
Leave a Comment