First off to WLA Lady -
If the "TPIR" worker you are talking about is Linda Reigert/Dunphy, I know exactly who you are talking about, as I am a friend of hers from finding out about her from eBay, and from what you said, it sounds EXACTLY what she has told me over the past year about the Barker mess.
Now this message is for Chris Mann...
I know you through reading your book about "Three's Company" (to which I have a copy), and from reading it, I believe you to be a credible and thourough writer. I also know that you are writing a book about the behind the scenes mess that Barker made on "TPIR" via Linda Reigert/Dunphy, who is a close e-mail friend of mine, and whom I support on her side of the story.
I tried writing to Steve Beverly (who runs the website tvgameshows.net), and unfortunately, he was siding with Rich Fields and Randy West (both whom are probably Barker 'yes men') in saying that the newest lawsuit filed against Barker and company was 'without merit' to which I told him "what else were they going to say - they didn't want to kill a ratings cash cow while it was hot, now would they?" The same can be said of Roger Dobkowitz, who I loved when he was on "Match Game", but now, I see that his loyalty is now to Barker, and to no one else.
I remember watching the first episode of "TPIR" on Sept. 4th, 1972, and up till 2000, I had always respected Bob Barker, and everytime he was introduced, I always thought in my mind 'the man, the legend, the a-hole (just kidding)' - after Janice and Kathleen were let go in 2000, I left out the 'just kidding' part, as it sounds like Barker was behaving like an a-hole (and then some!) to my favorite ladies on the show. At first, I believed him when he was talking about his problems with his 'relationship' with Dian Parkinson, and that their relationship was 'consentual' - but now from reading the piece from your article, I'm kind of wondering if that was actually so, and maybe that Janice and Holly didn't actually know the whole story behind their 'relationship' after all, even though Kathleen was still friends with her at that time. I also never bought the BS that Barker tried to dish out that model Holly Hallstrom was fat - I watched the show until she was fired (more or less) in 1995, and I NEVER noticed one iota that she was EVER fat in the least! Barker also said that she wasn't 'easy to get along' compared with the other ladies - if that were the case, then how come Janice, Kathleen, and Linda all testified in her behalf when her trial came to be? They just wouldn't have done it for the hell of it to risk their jobs for nothing! Finally, Janice got the most raw end of this deal, as she stuck through the show through thick and thin, through losing her first husband, surviving a dehabilitating shoulder injury by a camera at CBS Studios, and all of the BS with the litigations, and what does she get - not one damn thing from CBS, Pearson Television, or Bob Barker himself - not even a chance to tell her loyal fans goodbye on the show, and to me, that's just plain 'dirty pool.' I couldn't watch the show after Janice and Kathleen were terminated, as it just wasn't the same without Janice handing the microphone to Barker, or her being the cashier on 'Grocery Game.' Both Janice and Kathleen still 'had the looks' before they left in 2000, so to say that they should have been fired because they were older is just a bunch of BS on the "TPIR" front.
Even though a lot of people disagree with me about the classic ladies of the show on the GSN links, and Steve Beverly doesn't buy into all that happened, let me tell you something Chris - I am in yours (and the ladies) corner 100% now, so if you would like any insight on the show from a person who used to be a big fan of "TPIR" (and still is a friend and a BIG fan to the ladies of "TPIR"), I'd be glad to help you out with your book in anyway that I can.
Linda Reigert/Dunphy told me that she interviewed you for your book, and that she trusted you - I also remember that if you were able to coax Joyce DeWitt out of obscurity, as well as Anitra Ford (who hasn't been heard from since 1976 on "TPIR"), you must be doing something right, so don't hesitate to contact me if you need any help whatsoever - the truth needs to be told!
(By the way, "TPIR" was one of my favorite game shows, before I 'rediscovered' my most favorite game show "Match Game", via repeats on the old Game Show Network - and I just LOVED it when Brett and Charles got after Barker on his later guest celebrity appearances on the show!)
Stay in the fight Chris - me and the ladies of the show salute and support you 100%!
First off to WLA Lady -
If the "TPIR" worker you are talking about is Linda Reigert/Dunphy, I know exactly who you are talking about, as I am a friend of hers from finding out about her from eBay, and from what you said, it sounds EXACTLY what she has told me over the past year about the Barker mess.
Now this message is for Chris Mann...
I know you through reading your book about "Three's Company" (to which I have a copy), and from reading it, I believe you to be a credible and thourough writer. I also know that you are writing a book about the behind the scenes mess that Barker made on "TPIR" via Linda Reigert/Dunphy, who is a close e-mail friend of mine, and whom I support on her side of the story.
I tried writing to Steve Beverly (who runs the website tvgameshows.net), and unfortunately, he was siding with Rich Fields and Randy West (both whom are probably Barker 'yes men') in saying that the newest lawsuit filed against Barker and company was 'without merit' to which I told him "what else were they going to say - they didn't want to kill a ratings cash cow while it was hot, now would they?" The same can be said of Roger Dobkowitz, who I loved when he was on "Match Game", but now, I see that his loyalty is now to Barker, and to no one else.
I remember watching the first episode of "TPIR" on Sept. 4th, 1972, and up till 2000, I had always respected Bob Barker, and everytime he was introduced, I always thought in my mind 'the man, the legend, the a-hole (just kidding)' - after Janice and Kathleen were let go in 2000, I left out the 'just kidding' part, as it sounds like Barker was behaving like an a-hole (and then some!) to my favorite ladies on the show. At first, I believed him when he was talking about his problems with his 'relationship' with Dian Parkinson, and that their relationship was 'consentual' - but now from reading the piece from your article, I'm kind of wondering if that was actually so, and maybe that Janice and Holly didn't actually know the whole story behind their 'relationship' after all, even though Kathleen was still friends with her at that time. I also never bought the BS that Barker tried to dish out that model Holly Hallstrom was fat - I watched the show until she was fired (more or less) in 1995, and I NEVER noticed one iota that she was EVER fat in the least! Barker also said that she wasn't 'easy to get along' compared with the other ladies - if that were the case, then how come Janice, Kathleen, and Linda all testified in her behalf when her trial came to be? They just wouldn't have done it for the hell of it to risk their jobs for nothing! Finally, Janice got the most raw end of this deal, as she stuck through the show through thick and thin, through losing her first husband, surviving a dehabilitating shoulder injury by a camera at CBS Studios, and all of the BS with the litigations, and what does she get - not one damn thing from CBS, Pearson Television, or Bob Barker himself - not even a chance to tell her loyal fans goodbye on the show, and to me, that's just plain 'dirty pool.' I couldn't watch the show after Janice and Kathleen were terminated, as it just wasn't the same without Janice handing the microphone to Barker, or her being the cashier on 'Grocery Game.' Both Janice and Kathleen still 'had the looks' before they left in 2000, so to say that they should have been fired because they were older is just a bunch of BS on the "TPIR" front.
Even though a lot of people disagree with me about the classic ladies of the show on the GSN links, and Steve Beverly doesn't buy into all that happened, let me tell you something Chris - I am in yours (and the ladies) corner 100% now, so if you would like any insight on the show from a person who used to be a big fan of "TPIR" (and still is a friend and a BIG fan to the ladies of "TPIR"), I'd be glad to help you out with your book in anyway that I can.
Linda Reigert/Dunphy told me that she interviewed you for your book, and that she trusted you - I also remember that if you were able to coax Joyce DeWitt out of obscurity, as well as Anitra Ford (who hasn't been heard from since 1976 on "TPIR"), you must be doing something right, so don't hesitate to contact me if you need any help whatsoever - the truth needs to be told!
(By the way, "TPIR" was one of my favorite game shows, before I 'rediscovered' my most favorite game show "Match Game", via repeats on the old Game Show Network - and I just LOVED it when Brett and Charles got after Barker on his later guest celebrity appearances on the show!)
Stay in the fight Chris - me and the ladies of the show salute and support you 100%!