RETROALITY.TV EXCLUSIVE: Barker's Beauty Holly Hallstrom Tells All about Bob Barker and "The Price is Right"

http://www.mediafire.com/?2zj5yyodi4u



For nearly 20 years, Holly Hallstrom caressed, bumbled and tumbled her way into America's heart as a lovably klutzy Barker's Beauty prize model on The Price is Right. From 1977-93, the slapstick-prone redhead shared the stage with two alluring blonde Beauties, the graceful Janice Pennington and the sultry Dian Parkinson.



The charming host-turned-executive producer and his bubbly co-hostesses—including African-American model Kathleen Bradley, who joined the show in 1990—seemed like one big, happy family. That is, until Parkinson sued Barker for sexual harassment in 1994, igniting a series of brutal firings and scandalous lawsuits that continue to haunt the octogenarian to this day. Hallstrom was fired and then sued by Barker in 1995. Ten long years later, the model prevailed in her countersuit against the show and its legendary emcee. She announced her multi-million-dollar settlement in interviews on The Today Show, The View and The Insider in 2005.



Here, in the first of her multi-part interview with Retroality.TV, Hallstrom bares all about her days as a Price is Right co-star—the good, the bad, the beautiful and the out-and-out ugly. In this exclusive audio interview, she talks about Barker's sexual affair with two-time Playboy covergirl Parkinson, his ensuing string of legal and media dramas, and his apparent efforts to erase the most famous Barker's Beauties from Price is Right history. Hallstrom discusses being snubbed in Barker's recent memoir, Priceless Memories, as well as the show's recent "Best of" DVD release and co-producer Stan Blits' official Price book, Come on Down!, published in 2007.



For the first time ever, Hallstrom also responds to Barker calling the models "disgusting" in his 2007 exit interview with USA Today. Among the other subjects she addresses: late, great show announcers Rod Roddy and Johnny Olsen, legendary series owner Mark Goodson, Price producers Jay Wolpert and Barbara Hunter, Barker's alleged feud with fellow animal lover and TV icon Betty White, and the 19-time Emmy-winning emcee's recent appearance on GSN's Game Show Awards. The network honored Barker with a "Legend Award" in its June 6 telecast. Last month, Access Hollywood aired an outtake from an award show skit in which Barker implied that Price's models got their jobs by sleeping with the silver-haired star. Hallstrom addresses this diss and also reveals why she thinks GSN can no longer air Price reruns.

A direct URL link to part one of Hallstrom's interview will be available next week. For now, the 16 MB mp3 file is available for download here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?2zj5yyodi4u

Also, for more information about Barker's Price dramas, check out Retroality editor Chris Mann's 2007 Radar magazine article:
http://web.archive.org/web/20071011015623/http://www.radaronline.com/features/2007/06/bob_barker_the_price_is_right_dian_parkinson_1.php



This story broke news of Barker's latest litigation four months before former Price staff member Deborah Curling—a CBS employee—filed suit against the host, the network and Price's production company in Los Angeles Superior Court. Last August, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Malcom Mackey dismissed Curling's claim of wrongful termination against Barker, ruling that the emcee-executive producer was not her employer. "We're very pleased because we don't think the claims should have been brought at all," Barker's attorney, Patty Glaser, told Reuters at the time. Countered Curling's lawyer, Nick Alden, "Bob Barker is not the main target on this lawsuit—CBS is."

Hallstrom talks about Curling's pending suit—including its remaining claims against Barker and Price—in a future segment of her multi-part chat with Retroality.TV. New portions of this interview will be posted here and at http://www.Retroality.TV in coming weeks this summer.

Olympic diving champ-turned-gay icon Greg Louganis: California's Prop 8 "Kind of Kills Me"

As the nation awaited the California Supreme Court’s ruling on the constitutionality of Proposition 8—which successfully moved to ban gay marriage in the state—Olympic diving champion Greg Louganis worried about the measure’s anti-gay fallout.

“(T)he thing that kind of kills me with Proposition 8 was that the big concern was teaching kids about gay marriage. So what?” the openly gay sports icon said in a recent interview for Muscle & Body magazine . “If you’re teaching kids about gay people, at least maybe you might be saving a life ... I tried committing suicide (as a teenager) because I felt I was a freak.”

During Louganis' youth, families were always defined as "man, woman and child." He says society's expectations, coupled with ignorance about sexual orientation, made him feel isolated growing up in in the '60s and '70s. "You're born gay; it's not a choice," he says. "Had I had a role model or something to look to (I could've realized), 'You know what, I'm not alone. I'm not the only one.'"

Louganis discusses his storied diving career and his role model status in a "Fitness Icon" feature in the June issue of Muscle & Body magazine. In a two-part series of interview "extras" (beginning today and concluding June 1), the 49-year-old diving legend reflects on his decision to come out in 1994, his post-Olympic careers and his impact since on the gay community.

The bestselling author and actor also shares about his recent role as "a real bastard of a swim coach" in the 2008 indie film Watercolors. The movie has played to strong reviews at film festivals in the U.S., Brazil and South Africa. Louganis is set to appear this Friday during a screening at the Film Out San Diego festival. Watercolors also screens this June at the Seoul LGBT Film Festival in South Korea—the same city where Louganis pulled off a double gold medal victory after hitting his head on a diving board at the 1988 Summer Olympics.



More from the Louganis interview:

Is being involved politically as a gay rights activist part of your mission now?
I've been trying to figure out how that fits into my life. Because I've never really been that politically active. I've always come from that whole mentality in diving (that dictates) that you live by example and to teach by living an honorable life. That's basically where I come from. But a lot of this with Prop 8 ... (it affects) some very good friends of mine. I just went to my first gay wedding. Straight or gay, it's about celebrating a life with someone. A lot of my friends want to be more politically active ... but I've been more focused on other things that take up a lot of energy.

(Louganis often tours the country sharing his story of overcoming adversity—including growing up with learning disabilities, struggling with chronic depression and living with AIDS. A longtime dog trainer and pet therapy advocate, he also recently launched a Positive Pets charity to help HIV-positive patients afford caring for a pet.)


Celebrities perceived as too political can be polarizing. Look at what happened to Ellen DeGeneres after she came out on her sitcom in 1997. I think she walks a fine line now of bringing people together while speaking her mind about Prop 8 and trying to affect change.
It's such an interesting double standard where if Ellen's talking about her relationship (with Portia de Rossi), she's "throwing it in everybody's face," but if Tom Cruise goes jumping up and down on couches on Oprah about his relationship, it's, "Oh, isn't that sweet?" Your life is your life. If I'm not allowed to talk about my partner, okay, then I don't want to hear about your kids.

Watercolors marks your return to the acting arena. What drew you to that film?
It's making the rounds at gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgender film festivals. And it's doing quite well, from what I understand from the director-producer-writer, David Oliveras. It was great because I got to play a real bastard coach. (Laughs.) It's a very real film about a young kid coming to terms with his sexuality while dealing with a broken home, drugs—all that stuff. It's very realistic ... Also, I need to work! I've got to pay the bills! (Laughs.)

Many would assume that an Olympian of your stature would be financially set for life.
I got some endorsements, but there's still a stigma about being an out gay athlete. That's not real cool in corporate America. Even today.

For more of Louganis' exclusive interview, check this blog on Monday.

Bob Barker Snubs "Price Is Right" Models

Tori Spelling on "Mommywood," "g'uncles," poopie diapers and her strained relationship with mother (and fellow bestselling author) Candy

RETROALITY.TV EXCLUSIVE: The Beverly Hills, 90210 and reality TV star tells all about her new book Mommywood in the first of seven clips of her interview on April 25, 2009, at the L.A. Times Festival of Books.

For all of Tori's interview, check out our new You Tube channel page at http://www.YouTube.com/RetroalityTV

Retroality.TV exclusives! Alyssa "Charmed" Milano and Danica "Wonder Years" McKellar exhibit beauty with brains at the L.A. Times Festival of Books

Who's the Boss and Melrose Place hottie Alyssa Milano promoted her new book about being a baseball lover, Safe at Home, while super-smart Danica discussed her new book, Kiss My Math.

In these exclusive Retroality.TV clips, Alyssa tells why she wrote the book, and Danica divulges why we have yet to see The Wonder Years on DVD. TV's Winnie Cooper also ponders the possibility of an Arnold-family TV reunion.

For more video fun, visit our new You Tube channel at http:www.YouTube.com/RetroalityTV