I stopped watching the news around the time my daughter was born. My wife and I didn’t want to weigh her down with daily tragedies and petty arguments. What good could it do?
I continued to follow events via outlets like the Washington Post, however. I read the political news voraciously. That lasted through the 2020 US presidential election.
Between the election deniers and COVID-19, I couldn’t take it. I canceled my Post subscription. I still keep tabs on what’s happening – but from a distance. I try not to let it suck my soul into a black hole.
Let’s face it: the world gets ugly at times. It’s not just the news that makes me feel that way. It seems that the entertainment industry is full of darkness and violence. Bad things are everywhere you look.
That’s fine if you like that sort of thing. However, I need an escape from all the heavy stuff happening. Somewhere I don’t have to think about it. Somewhere where everyone is seen as a friend and not an enemy.
I find it daily on The Price is Right. The long-running (50+ years) game show often feels like an oasis from reality.
Hooray for Everyone
I watched the show as a child and the formula hasn’t changed (even though former host Bob Barker has since retired and passed away). Contestants are called to “come on down” from the studio audience. They play to win cash, appliances, cars, and vacations.
It’s the people that make the show work. They express pure joy when being selected or even sitting in the audience. They create silly t-shirts with shout-outs to their favorite games or to celebrate a family milestone. They sometimes treat host Drew Carey like a rock star, with bear hugs and uncontrollable screams.
Indeed, watch the show for several days and you’ll see only small variations in the prizes up for grabs. The cars tend to be from the same handful of brands and models. The vacations go to many of the same destinations.
The unpredictability of the contestants is what makes it fun. Watching them crowdsource answers, nervously fidgeting, and (sometimes) win is a riot.
My daughter and I attended the traveling version of the show, The Price is Right Live. There’s no Drew Carey, but the spirit is the same. It was pure fun from start to finish. And yes, people came dressed for the occasion.
The funny thing is that there is joy even in losing. Win or lose, the crowd cheers on people from all walks of life. It feels like a place where your politics, gender, identity, or color of skin isn’t a concern. Everyone’s there for the same reason and part of the same little cult.
Rooting for others to succeed and supporting them when they fail. How refreshing is that?
A Reminder of Our Shared Humanity
I think the show serves a valuable purpose that goes beyond fun. It reminds us that we have a shared humanity. Maybe we aren’t as different as we think.
I’m a believer that what we consume shapes our view of the world. If we read, watch, or listen to divisive people, we’re setting ourselves up to act that way.
On the other hand, content that paints others in a positive light does the opposite. We no longer look at each other with suspicion. We see another human trying to make their way through this life.
My theory: The Price is Right is one of the few things that still brings people together. Silly as it sounds, perhaps we should create more spaces like this – even if it doesn’t reward us with a brand-new car.