Innovation in TV programming from the folks who brought you whammies and zonks

As our two Presidential hopefuls go toe to toe, most recently touting their own pro-female credentials, another gender-inequality barrier has been smashed, and none too soon:

The Price is Right has hired a male model.

Come on down, Rob Wilson, you’re the first male model on the Price is Right!

Three finalists were put through their paces, including showing their excitement as they were each called to "come on down," and experiencing the frantic pace of a costume change.

After the dust cleared and America voted, Mr. Wilson had defeated the other two finalists, Clint Brink and Nick Denbeigh (yes, that’s their real (stage) names), to win the right to snuggle up to Drew Carey and show off the latest in refrigerators and speedboats.

In a world where men are increasingly moving into traditionally female jobs, I applaud this bold move.    

Nowhere in the history of civilization could people like Chuck Woolery, Bert Convy, Gene Rayburn, and of course, Alex Trebek have become household names if not for game shows.  For decades, game shows were part of the fabric of our culture, and to see shows like Password and The $10,000 Pyramid decrease in number and relevance since their heyday has been crushing for anyone who grew up watching them in the ‘70’s. 

So it’s good news to see some fresh thinking from the folks who brought us whammies, zonks, and "The Password is..."

The bad news is, he’s only on the show for this week only.  Friday’s his last day heroically clapping for a contestant to spin the Showcase Showdown wheel and speechlessly displaying the finest products American ingenuity has to offer.  So tune in now or you’ll miss him.

I’m not sure Bob Barker would approve.  But I’d bet he’d like to see such fresh thinking on the Price is Right

Let’s hear it for innovative ideas in the world of aging dinosaurs.