The Price Is Right's Announcer is Immortalized in Animation

I recently had lunch with Rod Roddy, who, for the last 16 years, has uttered the immortal cry, "Come on down!" on the most popular game show around. We dined at the fabulous Windsor Court Grill Room in New Orleans, while he was in town, compliments of Harrah's Casino, promoting the brand-new video slot machines based on The Price Is Right. It's a tough job, I know. I am willing to make so many sacrifices to bring you a great story--even if that means I must try out the new machines myself (right after I write this). 

Hall of Game Show Fame:  One of the things I love about the slot machine  is your cartoon caricature. It looks just like you!

Rod Roddy:  Isn’t that great? That’s really a wonderful way to be immortalized. 

HGSF: That is the best part of the slot machine. And I’m not just kissing up. It makes the game more exciting, because it's your voice, and your face. It seems more real!

RR:  It really enfranchises the audience. If you’re playing, it’s a virtual experience. It’s like being at The Price Is Right, it really is. And the little old lady who jumps up when you spin the wheel—isn’t she wonderful? I mean, Phil, who designed this machine, is brilliant. He really captured all of the nuances of the show. When we first talked about it, I figured OK, but when I played it, I was just overwhelmed. 

I’m very enthusiastic about the project, I really am. Harrah’s has been terrific. They’ve been wonderful with the kick-offs at all the casinos, they’ve done a great job of promoting it. And every place I’ve been, people have been very enthusiastic and receiving. Most places you can’t get to it to play it. There’s a huge line to play it. When we manufacture enough machines, it will be easier to get to. And another thing, it will be linked into multiples, as I understand. Progressives, they’re called.  When they get enough machines made. 

I think it will probably eclipse the "Wheel of Fortune" before too long, because it’s a more engaging machine. Even the new "Wheel of Fortune" video machine, this is a more engaging machine. And the reason is because of the showcases, and because of the bonus games that they are planning.  The first one is the Cliff Hanger.  Next we’re recording Plinko. Then there’s Punch a Bunch, and there’s a whole bunch more machines coming out with different bonus games.

HGSF:  You recorded all of the voices used in the game?  

RR: I did four hundred voice tracks. I’m about to cut another 300 voice tracks for Plinko. It’s all very cleverly written, too. The guys who put this together have a great time doing it. They really have a feel for it. And they have fun doing it, and it translates to the game. When you’re sitting in front of the game, it translates. It’s fun.

HGSF:  The contestants are all animated, too.

RR:  All those contestants look like the contestants you see on the show. Joe really studied the show. He absolutely was amazing at being so right on with it.

HGSF: So how did all this come about?

RR:  Well, our show was bought by Pearson Television several years ago. Pearson wanted to expand the brand, and do other things with it that the Goodson company hadn’t done. This was an idea that was fostered several years ago, that they started talking about and it never came to fruition, and all of the sudden, it was “We want to do it, and we want to do it now.” 

So in January [of 2001] I was in Las Vegas, and the IGT people came to me, and they said, “Would you like to be the host on the machine?” I thought it would be a kick.  But it turned out to be a lot better than I thought, because they really did a nice job with it. It’s great fun. They got this machine out in three months. It’s usually about a year development time for a game. But they knew they had a winner.  

There have been several articles recently about the machines they’re making now, these video machines, and they’re all franchising the Hollywood shows and things that are familiar. Dick Clark is doing a new machine, he has one now but he’s doing another one. Interactive is the key. The new machines are all interactive and people are used to interactive machines because of the computer games they have at home.  It no longer works to just sit there and pull the machine. They want to do something. This machine was really designed for players who really like to play and like to be engaged in the game.

HGSF: The whole video game generation is coming up, and is old enough to play slot machines.

RR: That’s right.  I think for that reason, it will be a hugely popular machine. I’m proud to be part of it.

HGSF: So, where are you going on your casino tour after this?

RR: I am going back to Los Angeles for two weeks to shoot the show, then I am going to Chicago, in Joliet, and I’m going home and changing clothes and going to Bangkok for two weeks, then I’m coming back and doing Atlantic City, and then Vegas for the IGT trade show.  I’ve never been to Atlantic City!

Look for more from my interview with Rod Roddy in the coming weeks, when I'll talk to him about how he became the ambassador of Chang Mai, Thailand, the possibility of a nighttime The Price Is Right special, and where he gets all those wonderful clothes.

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