It’s a sad day in television today, with the death of the legendary Bob Barker, who passed at the age of 99. Barker was the longtime host of The Price is Right and an animal rights activist. But to a certain generation, his legacy will all be tied back to one moment.
Remembering Adam Sandler & Bob Barker's iconic moment in "Happy Gilmore."
In 1996, Adam Sandler cast Bob Barker in his new film Happy Gilmore. The film followed Gilmore as an amateur hockey player who becomes a professional golfer. And let’s just say he doesn’t leave his aggression in the hockey rink. Part of the film’s appeal is how he brings some of the same energy he had in hockey to the more-tame game of golf. He has many memorable outbursts on the green, but perhaps none are more iconic than his beef with Bob Barker.
Barker and Gilmore are paired up as part of a charity game where a golfer is teamed up with a celebrity. Gilmore is having an off-day, which leads to some taunting by Barker. One thing leads to another, and they come to blows right in the middle of the game. This gave birth to the now immortal line, “The price is wrong, bitch.” For the record, Barker totally kicked his ass.
Given the cult status of the film, the brief cameo allowed audiences to see a different side of Barker, as he got to demonstrate some of his comedic chops. Just the fact that they got Bob Barker to fight and say “bitch” on camera is enough for us!
But Bob Barker wasn’t actually the first choice. Originally, Sandler wanted Ed McMahon for the role. McMahon turned it down, as he was busy at the time. So they took a shot in the dark and asked Barker. What they didn’t know is that Barker actually used to spar with his neighbor, Chuck Norris. So it made for a perfect match.
Like any perfect match, a rematch had to be in order. And in 2015, we got just that. Sandler and Barker teamed up again for a video for Night of Too Many Stars on Comedy Central. As a result, fans got what they spent years waiting for: Round 2!
Sandler paid tribute to Bob Barker on Twitter (or X) this morning, writing “The man. The myth. The best. Such a sweet funny guy to hang out with. Loved talking to him. Loved laughing with him. Loved him kicking the crap out of me. He will be missed by everyone I know! Heartbreaking day. Love to Bob always and his family! Thanks for all you gave us!”
