Dave Price to take over for Bob Barker?

Ever since The Price is Right's Bob Barker announced his retirement, game show fans have been bandying about names of possible replacements. The names most commonly mentioned are Todd Newton, who hosts the TPiR road show, Marc Summers of FoodTV's Unwrapped (and the late, lamented Nick game show Double Dare), and Rich Fields, the show's current announcer. But an unexpected name is coming out of left field, and may be a strong contender: Dave Price.

The Early Show's weatherman and all-around goofball recently signed a new deal with CBS, and according to an article in the New York Daily News, that contract also calls for him to do "entertainment-based projects" for the network. In addition, the story reports that he was at the offices of TPiR producer Fremantle Media doing a mock run-through of the show for a small audience (who responded to a Craigslist ad, for crissakes). CBS is saying that it's too early to even talk about a replacement for Barker.

I must say, Price, as goofy as he can be sometimes, wouldn't be a bad choice. I've been watching him for years, since he was on the morning news on WNYW here in New York before he went to CBS; he's loose and personable, and very capable of getting people to relax around him. Considering how well he deals with the crowds outside the Early Show studio, a hyperventilating contestant who's about to play Plinko probably isn't such a big deal to him. He just has to know the rules of all those games backwards and forwards, which isn't easy.

No matter who hosts, though, will TPiR last long after Bob leaves? Probably not.