- 4 hours ago
Dirty.Rotten.Scandals.S01E06
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:03remember this name you're going to be hearing a lot about him in our industry there are one
00:08of a kind here he is ladies and gentlemen and there'll never be another bob barker
00:13america thinks he's santa claus
00:18but backstage whole different thing there was sexual harassment discrimination and they
00:26were just getting away with it and then bob started having sex with diane to add that extra dynamic
00:34was like adding fuel to a fire when bob found out about diane having slept with black men
00:42the shit hit the thing and diane goes up the stairs and says i have sucked his too many times
00:51to start kissing his ass now that was the end of diane parkinson on the price is right
01:00she said i'm gonna get my attorney he was sexually harassing me that's when things got even worse
01:07once diane filed that lawsuit everything changed i was being fired and i would not be coming back
01:16she said hell no holly's legal battle was epic holly she's in the ring fighting this death match with
01:27him
01:30you already hear some shit
01:33i knew bob was the enemy they were only allowed to have two black contestants on the show at a
01:39time
01:39the guts that it took to defend her name against one of the most powerful men in the entertainment
01:48business they really were the unsung warriors of me too
02:07the quiz show sex scandal that is rocking hollywood parkinson alleges sexual harassment but barker claims
02:15she's a liar when diane parkinson sues him for sexual harassment that was significant because it was
02:22the first time that someone really was taking a stand then you also have a willingness of bob barker
02:29to use the media he just went on a full frontal attack to shame her it has been suggested that
02:38since i
02:38terminated this relationship that it might be a bit of the old woman scorn all you hear left and right
02:47was
02:48you know sexual harassment sexual lawsuits and it got to the point where the whole thing turned sour backstage
02:57every time you went to the studio you had to sit with lawyers and all they wanted to hear was
03:04all the bad stuff about diane and how bob could not have possibly sexually harassed diane
03:14i wanted nothing to do with it
03:17i was the only one that was asked to give a deposition that did not i didn't want to commit
03:23felony
03:24perjury which is exactly what it would have been if i'd given testimony
03:29the fact that holly did not want to testify i think that was a bad choice because if you weren't
03:36on team bob look out
03:43the situation between bob and holly was one in which he wanted her support in his legal troubles he wanted
03:50her to back him up and when she didn't do that she was punished
03:55that is when bob barker versus holly hallstrom starts
04:02so bob and one of the producers come into my dressing room i was in shock because bob would
04:10never come into my dressing room and bob told me that my weight was a problem and i explained that
04:19that i was on a prescription medication but that my doctor assured me that once
04:26my hormones had balanced out the weight gain would end bob said well just do whatever it takes to lose
04:34the weight i said well that would require me going off the medication do you want me to go off
04:39the
04:40medication he said i just want you to do whatever it takes to lose the weight just lose the weight
04:46and then bob told the director i want you to shoot holly differently now only from the head up and
04:55only
04:56when absolutely necessary and i was cut out of at least 50 of the show we thought it was kind
05:04of odd
05:05we knew it wasn't just about the weight they couldn't use the well she refused to lie for me
05:13excuse to get rid of me so they said it was because of my weight that's when i knew i
05:19was being set up to
05:20be fired right in the middle of the drama that was happening between bob and holly diane dropped her
05:27lawsuit and again he was making appearances on talk shows the fact that she's dismissed the lawsuit
05:34is total vindication for me when diane parkinson dropped her lawsuit against bob barker i wasn't surprised
05:45because the powerhouse that she was up against their pockets were endless and she stepped away
05:56the last day anyone on that set saw diane was the last day she shot prices right thank you thank
06:06you i love
06:09after that i have never talked to diane again i have no idea where she is i don't know but
06:17it's entirely
06:18possible that she signed a non-disclosure so she cannot speak so she just disappeared forever
06:40so after diane dropped the lawsuit holly lost the weight but you could feel that barker was pissed off
06:50that holly did not give a deposition and he never forgot that after we had wrapped it was late at
07:00night
07:00and barker and one of the other producers had come into my dressing room again and said my weight was
07:07still a problem and i was going to be taking early retirement when i didn't agree that's when the whole
07:17thing blew up and then the lawyers called me and started negotiating terms of my retirement and i'm
07:28like i don't want to retire there's no need for me to retire but there really was no choice
07:35barker wanted me gone i was being fired and i would not be coming back
07:41after close to 20 years on the show it devastated all the fans
07:51people who you know really loved me and you can feel that
08:01that's that's one of the best things about being a celebrity is you can give people
08:10excitement and and make make a moment special you know
08:17and i miss that oh yeah we gotta stop i'm gonna go on into the can ugly cry
08:32i hate that man
08:41i was young when holly had her last episode of the price is right
08:47but i think that the people who saw what was going on knew that she was getting screwed
08:54keep in mind that this is one of the most popular people on that show and so the audience is
08:59wondering
09:00what's happening the network put out press releases why holly was no longer on the show and just said
09:08that she elected to leave on her own and took her early retirement when holly heard about that she said
09:16hell no that is not the truth
09:23cbs ran bob barker's pr campaign and they were the only people being heard so i said i'm going to
09:34tell
09:34somebody the truth i didn't retire i didn't leave and i didn't quit they kicked me out
09:41so holly holstrom decides to go on hard copy and tell me exclusively what life was really like
09:49behind those big doors at the price is right and it sounded pretty damn harrowing
09:55after i had gone on hard copy and told everyone the truth i knew he would come after me
10:04and the next thing you know my lawyers called and said bob barker just filed a lawsuit against you for
10:12slander libel and defamation and after that no one spoke to me no one returned my calls
10:22they were just gone poof it was all gone
10:27it was very clear that loyalty was expected and if you didn't provide it you would be fired
10:33because despite all this that was happening barker is on top of the world this is a guy who was
10:39a
10:39national icon bob barker come on down he's still so beloved you know all american game shows looking
10:52out for animals giving everybody a chance and giving them cars it's barker that's right big bad barker
10:59big bad barker
11:04that whole world that he lives in just kisses his behind
11:11and now i am so alone gosh so alone and going through the court process by myself it was the
11:22worst
11:22thing in my whole life because with barker it was just like fighting a giant machine
11:32was overwhelming
11:35it stayed that way for a couple years
11:40and then one day linda regert she was a production assistant she called me up and she said holly
11:48i can't stand it anymore and i'm going to tell somebody the truth because i was there
11:55i heard what was said and i know he is lying
12:02so the real bob barker was really not a nice man
12:06barker wanted her to take early retirement
12:08it wasn't a conversation it was a command she was pushed out my name is linda regert and i worked
12:17on the
12:17prices right from 1993 to 2000.
12:25i started work there when i was about 40 41.
12:33that was a dream job for me
12:40barker always came to me for pretty much everything
12:44he always was really good to me until i overheard those conversations and then everything changed
12:53i would sit in my office it was right next door to holly's and the walls are very thin
12:59i overheard the very last conversation between them barker said that wanted her to take early
13:06retirement that she was going to be leaving the show and she said that she had lost most of the
13:10weight
13:11and she didn't want to take early retirement and he said well that's too bad you're going to
13:15you i couldn't believe what i was hearing nobody knew that i was in there and now i had a
13:24problem
13:24because i heard everything
13:31eventually barker found out that i had overheard these conversations and my life became hell on that
13:37stage anything that i did and if it was the slightest bit off he would call me over to the
13:44center of the
13:44stage and reprimand me one time he called me a dumb but nobody ever heard it because he would drop
13:52the mic
13:54he would just look into me like he was trying to burn my soul up it was just awful
14:03i was so proud to testify for holly but i had no idea that it would change my whole life
14:12once again the horns came out anyone who would speak out against them would lose just about
14:21everything and no one was safe
14:35at this time we'd already seen diane go and now holly
14:42but then barker had the nerve to sue holly for defamation of character
14:49it really was a dark period of time on the show he was just most interested in himself and his
14:57reputation so bob was just trying to clear house and you know save face
15:07his hope persona changed
15:09his hope persona changed everyone felt it we were all really walking on eggshells
15:18because we love holly me janice everybody that was there like team holly but bob's our boss
15:26and little did we know he was gunning for us wow i'm really here and here is my dressing room
15:41i spent a lot of time right here sitting in this chair doing my hair
15:52the last time i was in this room i was fired october 19 2000 was by far probably one of
16:05the
16:06worst days of my life
16:10went downstairs and there was the associate producer telling me to go in bob barker's dressing room for a
16:18meeting bob was nowhere around it was the production company who gave us the news
16:26he will no longer be a barker beauty
16:31i was numb i couldn't even think
16:35i really couldn't um i was like did i just hear him say what i think he said
16:43i called janice as soon as i got home and she said you know that bastard fired me as well
16:53janice she was there 29 years me 10 years it was so hurtful to let go so abruptly without cause
17:07without a
17:08goodbye that was the most cowardly thing mr bob barker i think has ever done in his life
17:17in 2000 you had a half a dozen people were let go wasn't just pathlene and janice were fired there
17:26were a lot of people bob barker's long-time executive assistant and their director paul alter had been
17:32working with the company for decades in one fell swoop them and more gone and it seemed to be at
17:38a
17:39time when bob was in a lot of legal trouble and he was looking to the people around him to
17:44support him
17:47blindly and i think that when people around him didn't support him then came the retribution
17:55one by one each one of us were called into a dressing room or something
18:02the atmosphere was so tense
18:06and this lady from hr she said well thank you for your work but you're no longer needed
18:18boy that was tough that was a dream job for me
18:27eventually the truth came out why all six of us were fired
18:32we all refused to lie to save barker's ass
18:42people lost their jobs they lost their homes they lost their careers each of these people
18:48took a stand to do the right thing and a stand that did cause some personal consequence
18:54but even at this time it would take more people to turn the tide more people speaking out
18:59and that's where claudia jordan comes in
19:04my name is claudia jordan and i was a barker's beauty from 2000 to 2003
19:10she alleges that she's been sexually harassed racially discriminated against
19:17it's one thousand percent abuse of power
19:23you're ready to hear some
19:35my name is claudia jordan and i was a barker's beauty from 2000 to 2003
19:42the second black woman in history to be on the show i moved to la with 500 to my name
19:50didn't know
19:51anybody and then finally i auditioned for the price is right and i got the job we have chosen
19:58as permanent barker's beauties claudia jordan and heather kozar we're pleased to have you with us and we
20:08hope you'll be happy with us for years to come
20:12let's just put it out there there's no way i could replace kathleen bradley
20:16i was substituting for her she's a legend so i was honored to step into the role but the more
20:26i
20:26found out about why she lost the job the less positive it was
20:40i'm so glad they were smart and just replaced me with such a beautiful person i could never replace
20:45you but it was an honor because i used to watch you and you already know this you know how
20:49i feel
20:50about you so and i just it was bittersweet i was happy to work there but i hated why because
20:56i
20:56loved you from afar and then i got to know you and i love you from up close
21:00and it just was wrong it really was and we were all done wrong all three of us i know
21:06the price is right was a place that was very much about retaliation oh yeah doing the right
21:13thing will get you kicked out doing the wrong thing get you protected for years look at phil
21:16how long he was there yeah please oh my god how he lasted so long he was a piece of
21:23work phil
21:24wayne was a producer he had been on the show for decades he was a total nepo hire his father
21:31was the
21:31original executive producer and he was just walked on in he had power he had position and he used it
21:41he was also kind of a lech he looked you up and down and knew knew he was undressing whomever
21:49he was
21:49looking at one day he asked me if i would like to have breast implants and he said oh yeah
21:57i'll pay
21:57for that if you'd like to have you know bigger breasts he was always saying things like that
22:06i remember one day i was at the touch-up station before you go on stage where you can like
22:10fix your
22:10makeup and just last looks and i was in the mirror and i was kind of like bent over a
22:16little bit
22:16and phil came right behind me and his face was like right here and i felt a hand on my
22:25butt he
22:26got like cupped my butt cheek and he was like nice ass
22:34and then he just walked off and i was like what like did anyone see that and i looked around
22:41and i
22:42just felt like yuck we all knew that philip was very fresh he liked the women you know very touchy
22:53feely at times he just took advantage of his position and of course bob was okay with it
23:01this area would be where the mirrors were set up this would be the mirror that was set up where
23:06i
23:06was checking my makeup and hair when phil came behind me and grabbed me i was just like this and
23:11about to go on stage having a guy that you're not romantically involved in that's not only putting his
23:20hand damn near in your butt crack it was a very powerless position i took matters into my own hands
23:30to file a formal complaints and after that moment it was never the same for me at the price is
23:36right
23:38the retaliation started immediately i would make sure to get to work on time
23:46and no matter what i did
23:50i would be like three minutes late i'm like how is this happening
23:54say the meeting was at 10 30 the clock would be like 10 33 and i'm feeling like i'm going
24:00crazy
24:00right i found out from a security guard that as soon as i walked in the lot that they were
24:06supposed
24:06to report to phil when i arrived and i found out later on the same security guard said i think
24:12he set
24:12the clocks forward so you would look like you're late and it only got worse
24:18one day i get called into bob barker's office it's me phil and bob and i thought it was about
24:29phil
24:30grabbing my behind so i was ready to like talk about it and bob barker with a very stern
24:37tone and very i was very intimidating says now claudia i understand you've been late several times and
24:44that's not acceptable here so if you're late one more time you will be suspended and if you're late
24:52again after that then you will be fired wait what wait that's that's all we're going to talk about is
24:59me being one or two minutes late not your right hand man inappropriately touching me bob cut me off
25:06and he said well he said he was sorry what more do you want claudia
25:13and phil just sat there with a smug look on his face
25:18once that happened i knew bob was the enemy he does not have my back he was going to protect
25:25phil
25:26there's a reason phil was there for 22 years just getting away with everything why did this producer
25:34believe that he could engage in the outrageous behavior that he was alleged to have engaged in well
25:41because bob barker said so
25:46i'm jeannie harrison and i'm a women's rights lawyer i handle sex abuse cases including representing women
25:56against harvey weinstein and the weinstein company i do think that there are parallels between harvey
26:03weinstein's story and bob barker's story it still is hard for people to believe that the beloved bob barker
26:11could have engaged in this kind of abusive behavior but obviously behind the scenes he was willing to
26:21leverage his power and intimidate people from speaking the truth that's when i first learned
26:28the harsh reality of hollywood and my experience price is right was much darker than anyone could imagine
26:35hell right and good seizing so much interconnected keezy caudia jordan's story when it comes to the
26:48price is right is sad she was a victim of that culture of bigotry and harassment there's a lot
26:58of bad behavior at the price is right it's a good old boys club but the one man that caused
27:04me the
27:04most grief and stress and anguish was the producer.
27:12He was abusing me, not only physically, but mentally.
27:16All the comments that Phil would make
27:18carried on that old spirit of racism.
27:21Let's make a reverse Oreo, Claudia,
27:23and you get in the middle of the two white models.
27:29Telling me I'm the ass model, because stereotypically,
27:32black women are known to have a larger behind.
27:35And I guess that's why he wanted to grab it and feel it.
27:43Stuff like that, over the course of three years,
27:45will kind of weigh you down or just like, damn.
27:49Why are you so comfortable to talk to me like that?
27:51It definitely revealed an even darker side of the show
27:56and the racial profiling, even down to the contestants.
28:00What I'm looking for in a contestant
28:02is someone ready to have a good time with us.
28:04They would go through potential audience members
28:06in the line looking for contestants.
28:08I think I'll be chosen because I'm an adorable person.
28:11It was stereotypes that were definitely pushed on the show.
28:17Negative stereotypes of black people.
28:20I know, that's all.
28:23Like the overweight black woman.
28:33And then I started to hear that they were only allowed
28:40to have two black contestants on the show at a time.
28:44And that was a direct instruction from Bob Barker.
28:51And to let Barker know the race of the contestant
28:56that's about to come on down,
28:59they would have the letter B written on the card.
29:04I think he just didn't care to be that close to somebody
29:09that was not white.
29:14It was pretty sad.
29:16A black contestant may try to hug Bob Barker
29:19and he would kind of shrink away from them.
29:35How shitty is that?
29:37That culture of racism started at the top
29:43and trickled down.
29:45I think it's very sad because these are all people
29:47that are looking to live that dream.
29:49And as a fan of the show, it's just super unfortunate.
29:53You know, when you go through something like this
29:55and it's just multiple incidents that happen
29:59on the racism front, on the sexual harassment front,
30:02on the retaliation front,
30:05there's only so much a girl should take.
30:10They really did me dirty.
30:12I wasn't going to sit around and just let this happen to me
30:14and be a victim.
30:16They messed with the wrong one.
30:19I remember the day.
30:21I came to work and at the end of every show,
30:25a model goes out and has the microphone
30:27and gets to like say hello to the audience.
30:30So I got the microphone
30:32and I said, I just want to say something.
30:36Damn, I kept on feeling like this already.
30:39I was like, I can't do this anymore.
30:41The stuff I have to deal with behind the scenes,
30:43I can't do it anymore.
30:44And I'm going to miss this, but this is my last day.
30:49I found the lawyer that was representing Holly.
30:53Holly's case definitely gave me strength,
30:55and especially since I have the same lawyer.
30:57I felt like I had a great case
30:58and they got hit with their paperwork the next day.
31:01They made my life a living hell,
31:03and I was determined to return the favor.
31:18I was a young girl.
31:20I just had a very honest dream of coming to Hollywood,
31:24being on television and making my family proud.
31:28Then I have to deal with some pervy guy putting his hands on me.
31:32And then I just got to shut up and take it because Bob Barker,
31:36who I grew up admiring watching his show,
31:39did not give a shit.
31:41That's not right.
31:48So I sued the production company in 2004 for sexual harassment,
31:53retaliation, racial discrimination,
31:55and a bunch of other things.
32:02The production company settled with me out of court.
32:06And Phil Wayne loses his job,
32:09but gets sent off with a hefty package.
32:13And that's just how this world goes.
32:16Boy, when I tell you, when I come back on my next life,
32:18I need to be a man.
32:20A mediocre, fat, ugly man
32:23that just gets away with everything.
32:27But I am proud to say that mine was the only case
32:32where the perpetrator actually lost his job.
32:38I heard many people try to get him out before me,
32:40but apparently the show was okay with keeping him around.
32:44Sending the women off.
32:46But I did it.
32:47And I'll always be proud about that.
32:49I feel like I saved some other women.
32:53I've always felt like I was built to kind of fight for justice.
32:58And Holly's case definitely gave me strength.
33:01She never gave up her fight against Bob Barker.
33:09Bob Barker's defamation lawsuit against former model Holly Hallstrom
33:13rages on nearly five years later.
33:16From the very beginning,
33:18I knew that the lawsuit was going to be a long siege.
33:23Bob would never quit until he had played every trick in the book.
33:29It's like a chess game.
33:31It's like a legal maneuvering chess game.
33:34And that went on for years.
33:38Holly Hallstrom's legal battle was epic.
33:41The guts that it took for her to defend her name
33:45against one of the most beloved men in Bob Barker.
33:51Big Bob! Big Bob!
33:54That is incredibly inspiring.
34:01He really wanted to destroy you until you were as low as you could get.
34:09I watched him do it to Diane.
34:12And I was determined he was not going to do that to me.
34:17The whole thing dragged on for five years.
34:22And all of a sudden, he dropped the lawsuit.
34:26After a five-year standoff,
34:28Bob Barker has officially dropped his defamation lawsuit
34:30against former model Holly Hallstrom.
34:33Two, three days before trial
34:35and Bob Barker and The Price is Right
34:38dropped their defamation lawsuit against Holly Hallstrom
34:43reads one way to me.
34:45The last thing they want is a public trial with testimony
34:50by all of the witnesses who are corroborating
34:54Holly Hallstrom's version of events.
34:58But more importantly, she doesn't back down.
35:01She says, I'm going to file a lawsuit against Bob Barker
35:06for malicious prosecution.
35:09Because when somebody sues you,
35:12drags you through court for five years
35:14and then drops it right before it's due to go to trial,
35:17that is called malicious prosecution.
35:21I had a perfect case for malicious prosecution.
35:25Holly really was just pissed.
35:28She's basically in the ring
35:31fighting this death match with him.
35:35They did offer me a settlement.
35:37That would include a non-disclosure agreement,
35:40meaning that I could not speak publicly
35:43about the show.
35:45But I knew that I was not going to sign an NDA
35:49because he is a liar.
35:52He is a shameless, self-promoting liar.
35:57This company has not fired people over the years.
36:03I was fired.
36:05I had truth on my side.
36:08There was no justice
36:10if you can win because you have more money.
36:15Over the years, I sold my house,
36:19savings account, portfolio,
36:22all of it was spent just trying to stay in this lawsuit.
36:27I just didn't want him to win.
36:41Throughout the whole 10 years of this legal battle,
36:45I lost everything.
36:48I was totally broke and living out of my car.
36:53I would just stay with friends and family
36:56because the moment I couldn't afford to stay in this lawsuit,
37:02then I would have to settle.
37:05And I was not going to do that.
37:10That's a real testament to Holly.
37:12She waited this out.
37:14She's like, I'm digging in my heels.
37:16I believe in this plan.
37:18I believe he's wrong.
37:19I'm not going to settle with them.
37:21And then all of a sudden,
37:24the lawsuit changed 180 degrees.
37:27The judge had denied the last motion
37:31and ordered it to trial.
37:33And he could never, never let this go to trial.
37:38From that point on, it was over.
37:41He had to pay.
37:42They gave me everything I wanted,
37:46including no NDA.
37:49Holly took a very dramatic public stand
37:53and she really wasn't doing it for recognition.
37:57This was something she did for herself.
37:59She did for those other women.
38:00Very few people had that fortitude.
38:04I was always told to not speak up
38:07against the establishment.
38:09It would hurt my career,
38:11but my life exploded
38:14once I took a stance
38:16and stood up to the powers that be.
38:20I filed my lawsuit in 2001
38:23for wrongful termination.
38:25I never got a million dollar settlement,
38:28but I did have one moment of vindication
38:31at the porch house
38:33as we met in the hallway.
38:36I pointed at him and I said,
38:38Barker, one day,
38:39you're going to go straight to hell.
38:42As I was walking away,
38:44his eyes got very, very big
38:47because nobody talks to him like that.
38:49That was the best moment ever.
38:51And it still is.
38:55I'll show you who's the boss.
38:58Janice and I put in a lawsuit,
39:00wrongful termination.
39:02They did give us a nice little settlement.
39:06By and large,
39:07I wouldn't change a thing.
39:08I am so happy and proud
39:10that I was able to be
39:11the first black model
39:13on The Price is Right.
39:15I love you.
39:16And most importantly,
39:19the real truth did come out.
39:26You know, in 2007,
39:27Barker tapes his last appearance.
39:29I want to thank you very, very much
39:33for inviting me into your home
39:35for the last 50 years.
39:40The way that he's presenting it
39:43is that he's in his 80s
39:45and the time has come.
39:47But, you know,
39:48what also is coming out
39:50is that he was pushed out at this point.
39:55It took the most loyal fan base
39:58of Bob Barker so long
39:59to realize
40:00maybe there is a dark side to this guy.
40:04But his troubles
40:05just kept mounting and mounting.
40:09There was so much legal pressure
40:11on him
40:12that if he had stayed,
40:14I think that the force
40:16would have been strong enough
40:17to not only blow him away
40:18but the whole show.
40:28Tributes are pouring in today
40:29for Price is Right host Bob Barker
40:31who died of natural causes
40:33at age 99
40:34at his Hollywood Hills home.
40:37Definitely,
40:38the fact that he had passed away
40:39I think gave certain people
40:41a sense of permission
40:43to tell this really important untold story
40:46that has tremendous relevance
40:47for right now.
40:49When I look at that show now,
40:51I really think of the women
40:52and I think of the stands
40:53that they took
40:54and what they were dealing with
40:55and how they won the game
40:56in the end of it.
40:59these women
41:01brought some of the earliest
41:04cases
41:05of sexual harassment
41:06discrimination
41:09and retaliation
41:11against one of the most powerful men
41:14in the entertainment business.
41:17They really were the unsung warriors
41:19of Me Too.
41:21looking back now
41:24I can't believe
41:26I made it.
41:28This stuff is still going on
41:30and
41:31you have to make a choice
41:34because if you choose to fight
41:36you're going to be fighting
41:38hard
41:39and for a long time
41:41but if you don't
41:44then you have to
41:45live with the fact
41:46that you have allowed yourself
41:49to be abused
41:52and that
41:52will stay in your soul.
41:54You
Comments