Basically he told a little story about his days as a model. One day someone suggested that he go into porn. Giddy with delight, Meredith Vieira said "so you were thisclose to a career in pornography." Barker laughed and said "well, more like this___close." Oh Meredith, you minx.

So there may be an alternate, Sliders-esque dimension somewhere where instead of helping people play Plinko, Barker was doing the, uh, plinking himself. On camera. But in this world, it never happened. Rod Roddy, though? He has a name that sounds like he dabbled in some extreme hardcore pornography in the early/late 80's.

This is the only-in-LA situation brought to our attention by LAist, which has been tracking a celebrity turf war over the LA Zoo's only elephant, Billy. Lily Tomlin thinks the zoo's elephant space is too small! Slash thinks it's perfectly sufficient!

Kevin Nealon opines that "the LA zoo is not a good place for elephants." The LA Zoo is not a good place for anything, except watching children and animals look miserable (and Dippin' Dots!).

Cher compared the zoo to slavery, which is true, if slaves lived on uninspiring plantations built in the 1980s and hid behind rocks all day, inspiring small children to whine, "Mommy! Where are the slaves?!"

Bob Barker was on hand to protest both the elephant quarters and Drew Carey's terminal lack of enthusiasm hosting The Price is Right.

As for Robert Culp? He was just happy to be nominated.

• Cher, Lily Tomlin, Robert Culp, Bob Barker, Kevin Nealon Speak Out Against Elephant Exhibit [LAist]

Of all the pictures of Britney, her post-umbrella carnage rage face is an admittedly charming choice, but we're not as thrilled to see Jack Black making his Holier-And-Far-Wittier-Than-Thou face. As for the Paul Reubens tat, the fan was at least smart enough to use a Pee Wee Herman pic, rather than an image of Paul huddled in a dirty movie theater with hands occupied. And poor, poor Patrick Swayze. While we'll likely never know exactly why or how someone got the idea to tattoo themselves with Patrick Swayze as a centaur, at least we're glad to see him wearing his outfit from the infamous SNL Chippendales skit (although, Chris Rock might have a different opinion).

By far the single most frightening Bob Barker image we've ever seen (shouldn't the text read "Come On Down And Fondle My Cock!" instead?). Maddox is not the worst tattoo idea in the world, but why does his tongue resemble the Devil's? Oprah looks the best we've ever seen her look on one fan's arm, but this sneering Zack Morris image has officially scarred our fond memories of the big blond man on campus for life.

[Photo credits: EW]

• CELEBRITY SKIN: 21 TATTOOS OF FAMOUS FACES [EW]

Though Woody Harrelson, his buns of steel, and the very edible Justin Theroux do bring a bit of heat to the male vegetarian crowd, they hardly make up for the presence of Don Imus and Bob Barker, who would make far more appropriate candidates for the Hottest Sexist Vegetarian list. As much as we love and adore Peter Dinklage, we don't exactly fantasize about sipping tofu shakes with him in bed. Grouped with Serious Method Actor Jared Leto and failed comeback kid Corey Feldman, the full list (in its entirety here) isn't inspiring us to convert to nuts and berries any time soon.

• SEXIEST VEGETARIAN CELEBRITY 2008 [PETA]

[Deborah] Curling, whose job was initially screening contestants for the show, said she was in a "pleasant working environment" for many years. But after she testified in the wrongful termination suit of a former production assistant, she was moved from that job to one working backstage, she claims in her court filing.

That was an "intolerable" work environment in which black employees and black contestants were discriminated against, she said.

"Barker created an atmosphere of terror on the show, as a result of which any employee who complained about the working environment or contradicted Barker was fired," the lawsuit said.

Details of just how exactly Barker enforced a reign of "terror" over his tiny, cost-obsessed fiefdom inside CBS Television City remain sketchy; we suspect the game show host's generally beloved reputation will remain intact until Curling tearfully describes for the jury the time Barker heated his trademark skinny microphone with a butane torch until its bulb glowed an orange-hot, then held it within millimeters of the cheek of a Showcase Showdown set-dresser whom he suspected to be on Alden's witness list.

• Suit claims 'atmosphere of terror' on Price is Right set [cbc.ca]

• Barker: Remarks not a Rosie endorsement [Yahoo News]
• Previously: Bob Barker's Rosie O'Donnell Endorsement Indicates He's Further Gone Than We Realized [Defamer]

Watching the telecast live from home, Rosie answered fan questions in real time on her blog, where she confirmed a backstage comment from best game show host winner (suck on that, Trebek) Bob Barker, who said O'Donnell—his first choice!—would be meeting with The Price is Right producers to discuss the possibility of fulfilling her long-held dream of becoming his Plinko-administrating successor. For O'Donnell, the development is a major coup, and proves kiss-assy full page ads in Variety really do work, but that will do little to console Price purists, who are dreading their visions of contestants' row bidders reaching into her pantsuit pocket to pull out Koosh Balls instead of $100 bills, and Showcase Showdown grand prizes consisting of lesbian family cruises to Antigua.

• Rosie O'Donnell Confirms She Will Meet With "The Price Is Right" This Week [HuffPo]
• Barker Says O'Donnell Could Replace Him [ABCNews.com]
• Previously: Rosie O'Donnell Not Ready To Give Up On Her 'Price Is Right' Dreams [Defamer]

Tonight, CBS will air Bob Barker: A Celebration of 50 Years on Television, a tribute that will finally send the The Price Is Right legend into the gameshow host afterlife, where he will enjoy the attentions of 72 Barker's Beauties in an idyllic environment free of troubling sexual harassment lawsuits as his just reward for 35 years of dedicated service. While the network has yet to name Barker's successor, it seems that Rosie O'Donnell is renewing her public campaign for the job, undeterred by reports that the retiring host would sooner see an entire shelter full of abandoned pets have their neutering magically reversed than allow the skinny mic to be passed to O'Donnell. She's taken out a full-page suck-up ad in the trades today (above) inviting Barker to her Miami compound, where the two can enjoy a lazy day of Plinko (she's got her own full-size board), inverted yoga-swinging, and some casual conversation about her candidacy.

[Ad via DigiVariety]

• Previously: Rosie O'Donnell Long Dreamed Of Ruling Over Contestants' Row With An Iron Fist [Defamer]
• Soon, Bob Barker Will No Longer Have To Pretend That A Busty College Girl Bidding $1 On A Refrigerator Is The Cleverest Strategy He's Ever Heard [Defamer]