Biggest Bombshells from “The Price Is Right ”Documentary Revealed, from N-Word Use to Dressing Room Sex with Bob Barker

Angela AndaloroWed, March 18, 2026 at 5:24 PM UTC

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Dian Parkinson, Bob Barker and Janice PenningtonCredit: Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty -

The Price Is Right's complicated history is dissected on E!'s Dirty Rotten Scandals: The Price Is Right

The beloved game show had several scandals behind the scenes from the mid 1970s through the early 2000s

Members of the show's cast and crew have spoken out about the toxic and chaotic workplace

The Price Is Right has long been beloved as one of America's favorite game shows.

During one era of the game show's long-running history, however, there were darker things going on behind the scene. In the third installment of E!'s docuseries, Dirty Rotten Scandals, former members of the talent and production teams detail the environment behind the scenes and the shift that happened from the mid 70s through the early 2000s, when Bob Barker was at the helm.

Former "Barker's Beauties" Holly Hallstrom, Kathleen Bradley and Claudia Jordan appear in the two-part episode of the docuseries, as well as producer Barbara Hunter, detailing a toxic work environment that became unbearable. Below are the biggest bombshells from the Price Is Right episodes of the series.

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Kathleen Bradley and Claudia Jordan experienced racism on set

Kathleen Bradley was "the first permanent Black model" to work on The Price Is Right, joining the show in 1990, but she knew from early on that there were mixed feelings about her joining the show.

"As time went on, at some point it got back to me that some of the fans were writing negative things about me being on the show, as a Black model," she shared in the documentary.

"[It was] just not a good feeling... And one of the members of the production team brought to my attention that, inside a production meeting, when models weren't in there, they would use the N word," Bradley revealed.

A decade later, Claudia Jordan joined the show and had her own experiences with racism, sharing in the documentary, "Other comments that [producer Phil Wayne] would make carried on that old spirit of racism, [such as] 'Let's make a reverse Oreo, Claudia, you get in the middle of the two white models,' or tell me I'm the ass model because stereotypically, Black women have a larger behind. And I guess that's why he wanted to grab and feel it," she added.

Jordan says the racism extended to vetting the studio audience, revealing "a darker side to the show." She claims to have learned, "They would go through potential audience members in the line, looking for contestants. It was stereotypes that were definitely pushed on the show, negative stereotypes of Black people like the overweight Black woman, or the extra loud, ridiculous person."

"And then I started to hear that they were only allowed to have two Black contestants on the show at a time, and that was a direct order from Bob Barker, and to let Barker know the race of the contestant that's about to come on down," Jordan continued. "They would have a letter B written on the card... It was pretty sad. A Black contestant may try to hug Bob Barker and he'd kind of shrink away from them."

Dian Parkinson's affair with Bob Barker was an open secret among the cast and crew

Dian Parkinson, Bob Barker and Janice PenningtonCredit: Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Dian Parkinson and Bob Barker had an affair that started as a secret but became well known by everyone at The Price Is Right, the documentary claims. Holly Hallstrom explained, "Janice [Pennington] and I first realized long before the rest of the set knew that Dian and Bob were having sex."

"Dian confided in me," Kathleen Bradley recalled. "I was really kind of surprised because Bob also had a girlfriend. As time went on, people were noticing... the audience, and the viewers at home, from how close Bob and Dian were hugging and looking at each other, playing around and all of that, so it didn't really stay private very long. She would go downstairs during the breaks and go into his dressing room, and that's when some hanky panky was going on."

It changed the dynamic on set because, as Hallstrom noted, "Everyone was basically kissing her behind because she may potentially be the new Mrs. Barker."

"The next thing you know, I get a call from Bob's girlfriend and everyone knew Bob was cheating on her with Dian. And she said, 'I know Bob is sleeping with Dian,' " she recalled. The two talked about Dian and how she'd "date celebrities," and Hallstrom shared some names, "including several Black men," which became a point of contention between the two.

"She said, 'Oh my gosh, Bob has no idea that he's had sex with a woman who has had sex with Black men. Bob has always said that Black men are the most diseased people on Earth," Hallstrom continued, noting the racism in the situation didn't surprise her because of Barker's status as a white man of a certain age.

The revelation led to a blow-up argument between Barker and Parkinson on set. "The whole set was dead silent, listening, and Dian comes out of Bob's dressing room and goes up the stairs and Bob's assistant goes running after her saying, 'Dian, you've got to apologize to Bob,' and Dian refused, citing their sexual relationship.

Documentary participants have not heard from Dian Parkinson since her lawsuit concluded

Dian ParkinsonCredit: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty

After her blowup argument with Barker, Dian was approached by Playboy to pose. Because they weren't together, she agreed to the shoot, which "did not go over well with Barker," per Bradley.

"Pretty much, that was the end of Dian Parkinson being on The Price Is Right," she noted, adding that "Dian was not happy. She was very bitter. She wanted to get back at him... She said, 'He was sexually harassing me and forcing me to do things to him in the dressing room, where I didn't want to do it. And I'm going to get my attorney, I'm going to file a sexual harassment lawsuit against them."

From then on, Bradley claimed, "Everything changed." Though she fought back against Barker for a while, Parkinson later dropped her lawsuit.

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Hallstrom noted, "The last day anyone on that set saw Dian was the last day she shot The Price Is Right. After that, I have never talked to Dian again."

Bradley agreed, adding, "I have no idea where she is."

E! noted in the written message displayed in the docuseries, "Multiple attempts were made to contact Dian Parkinson for comment, but her whereabouts remain a mystery."

Holly Hallstrom was left living in her car after turning down a settlement contingent on an NDA

Holly Hallstrom on "The Price Is Right"Credit: Courtesy of E! Entertainment

Hallstrom adding,"Every time you went to the studio, you had to sit with lawyers who wanted to hear was all the bad stuff about Dian and how Bob could not have possibly sexually harassed Dian."

"I wanted nothing to do with it," Hallstrom continued. "I was the only one that was asked to give a deposition and did not. I didn't want to commit felony perjury, which is exactly what it would have been if I gave a testimony."

Hallstrom was warned shortly after that by Barker and a producer that her weight was becoming an issue and asked to address it. In the meantime, her camera time was limited. "They couldn't use the 'Well, she refused to lie for me' excuse to get rid of me, so they said it was because of my weight. That's when I knew I was being set up."

Hallstrom ultimately lost some weight but was told it wasn't enough and was informed she'd be "taking an early retirement."

"When I didn't agree, that's when the whole thing blew up. And then lawyers called me and started negotiating the terms of retirement and I said, 'But I don't want to retire. There's no need for me to retire.' But there really was no choice. Barker wanted me gone. I was being fired and I wouldn't be coming back, after nearly 20 years on the show. I was devastated."

After a press release about her departure was shared with the media, which included what Hallstrom said was inaccurate information, she decided to speak out, sharing her story with Hard Copy.

"Next thing you know, my lawyer's called and said, 'Bob Barker just filed a lawsuit against you for defamation,' and after that, no one spoke to me. No one returned my calls. They were gone. It was all gone... And now, I am so alone, God, so alone, and going through the court process by myself. It was the worst thing in my whole life because with Barker, it was like fighting a giant machine. It was overwhelming and it stayed that way for a couple of years. "

It wasn't until 2000, five years after the lawsuit was filed, that Barker dropped the legal action, just days before trial was slated to begin. She, in turn, sued Barker for malicious prosecution.

"They did offer me a settlement that would include a non-disclosure agreement, meaning that I could not speak publicly about the show. But I knew that I was not going to sign an NDA because he is a liar. He is a shameless, self-promoting liar. I was fired. I had the truth on my side. There was no justice in, 'You can win because you have more money. Over the years, I sold my house, savings account, portfolio. All of it was spent just trying to stay in this lawsuit. I just didn't want him to win."

Hallstrom continued, "I lost everything. I was totally broke and living out of my car. I would just stay with friends and family because at the moment, I couldn't afford to stay in this lawsuit and I would have to settle, and I was not going to do that."

Several "Barker's Beauties" ultimately settled after sexual assault legal action

Dian Parkinson, Holly Hallstrom and Janice PenningtonCredit: CBS via Getty

Parkinson and Hallstrom weren't the only women from The Price Is Right to take legal action. Kathleen Bradley and Janice Pennington also sought legal action against Barker. Both women were fired in Oct. 2000 among nearly a dozen longstanding employees of the show.

"I was numb. I couldn't even think. I called Janice and she said, 'You know that bastard fired me as well?' Janice, she was in there 29 years. I was there 18 years. It was so hurtful to let go so abruptly, without cause, without a goodbye. That was the most cowardly thing Mr. Bob Barker, I think, had ever done in his life."

Bradley later revealed, "Eventually, the truth came out why all six of us were fired. We all refused to lie to save Barker's ass."

Later, the women fought back against the injustice. "Janice and I put in a lawsuit for wrongful termination. They did give us a nice little settlement," Bradley said.

Dirty Rotten Scandals: The Price Is Right premieres Wednesday, March 18 at 9:00pm ET/PT on E! with two back-to-back episodes.

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