Barker rocks WWE

My previous blog about the WWE RAW guest hosts, brought up my views on appearances by Seth Green, ZZ Top and Shaquille O' Neal

Lately, RAW has been hosted by actors Freddie Prinze, Jr., Jeremy Piven and the man who was one of my idols growing up, TV legend Bob Barker.

I was a fan of the Price Is Right ever since I was eight years old, while most kids were watching Sesame Street and other kid's shows, I tuned into game shows like Press Your Luck, Scrabble and The Price Is Right.

The Price Is Right sparked my interest in becoming a game show host, watching Barker's charismatic personality on screen was so fun to watch every morning, Price Is Right hasn't been the same since Barker left the Price Is Right last year.

Last Monday, Barker made his return to TV, as guest host of Monday Night RAW, or as it was called that night "The Price Is RAW."

Like "Price Is Right", the show featured two contestant's row segments involving current wrestlers Chris Jericho, Jillian Hall, Santino Marella, former WWE star IRS and Chicago White Sox catcher AJ Pierzynski.

Also, matches were used as pricing games, if wrestlers who won contestants row won their matches, they would win a car, a hot tub and a trip to Hawaii. Unfortunately, no one won their prizes. Jericho lost a trip to Hawaii in his match with MVP, Marella lost a hot tub in a body slam challenge against the 500 pound Big Show and Chavo Guerrero lost a Chevy Corvette in a match against Evan Bourne.

Chavo would be back at the end of the show to challenge Barker, and Barker took out Chavo with a stiff body shot and chop to Chavo's back. Barker learned karate from Chuck Norris.

Triple H and Shawn Michaels of D-Generation X also cut a segment with Bob, talking about his Barker's cameo in "Happy Gilmore" and spun a computerized version of the Big Wheel, that choose their opponents in the main event.

And of course, with Bob Barker comes Barker's Beauties, Divas Rosa Mendes, Kelly Kelly and The Bella Twins served as Barker's Beauties during the show, while Hall of Fame announcer Howard Finkel played the role of Rod Roddy.

Barker was also on the show to promote his new book "Priceless Memories", a memoir that recalls peak moments of his 50-year career in television.

Quite possibly last Monday, was one of the coolest Monday Night RAW episodes I've seen since its inception back in 1993.

Bob Barker Fast Facts:

* Raised in South Dakota near the Rosebud Indian Reservation.

* Began hosting The Price Is Right -- the longest-running game show ever -- in 1972; hosted Truth or Consequences from 1956-75.

* As of 2006, he has won 14 Daytime Emmys for The Price Is Right, 12 as Outstanding Game Show Host and two as executive producer. He was also honored with a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999.

* A devoted animal-rights activist, he once refused to host the Miss USA Pageant when he learned that fur coats were part of the prize package.

* Was inducted into the TV Academy Hall of Fame in 2004.