http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090326/ap_on_...v_barker_s_back

Apparently, he's taking part in the Showcases, NOT the Showcase Showdowns.

The article spoils one entire showcase, so read if you wish.

Jason A. called it.

I like the third paragraph...

"As he walked the halls of the studio, old co-workers greeted Barker with broad smiles, seemingly as happy to have him back as he was to be there."

Key word there is "seemingly"..

One wonders how many times the word "douchenozzle" was used on the set that day.

Mainly in the discussions for small prizes in that day's games, when they sent Sandler to Bed, Bath & Beyond to buy one.

Good to see the author found it fitting to use "broad" in that story somewhere. I also wonder what said "old co-workers" were saying *under* said smiles (i.e. Chris' suggestion of "douchenozzle" (use as directed)).

From what I've read on the grapevine we call the Internet, the staff is so demoralized by the current regime and fearful for their jobs that they have been hoping Barker would stay and "make everything better again", so the above statement makes sense. Of course anyone who still works on the show and has been there for a few years survived the Barker era and wasn't given the heave-ho by Mr. B. That is to say, the likes of Janice Pennington, Holly Hallstrom, Sherrell Paris, Sharon Friem, Paul Alter et. al. no longer roam studio 33 and would not have come face-to-face with the man with broad smiles or otherwise.

Not to mention how many times he actually respond by saying "Thank You."

Wonder how Barker felt to barge into the control room and not find Bart there.

I doubt he has ever set foot in the control room.

Has anyone ever suggested that many of the problems on the set of TPiR could have been solved had Bob, himself, been spayed or neutered?

From what I've heard, probably not as angry as when he found out they were firing Roger.

It knocks on the door of irony.