Barker speaks of personal responsibility at Drury graduation

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Television game show host Bob Barker joked with graduates at Drury University that he plans to take up bodybuilding and run for governor of California when he "graduates" from "The Price is Right."

The 83-year-old Barker, who will retire next month after 35 years hosting the game show and more than 50 years in television, said Saturday that he could empathize with the students.

"We both have new and different futures," he said. "I've decided what I'm going to do ... I'm going into bodybuilding and become the governor of California."

The 1947 Drury graduate was given an honorary doctorate of humane letters.

"If you watch 'The Price Is Right' again, I'll be introduced as Dr. Bob Barker," he quipped.

In a serious vein, Barker told the graduates to do their best every day.

Barker said his long television career began one day in 1956, when Ralph Edwards, creator of "Truth or Consequences" and "This Is Your Life," happened to hear Barker's voice on the car radio.

"Every day can be very important," Barker said.

"You're going to make mistakes, you're going to have failures," he said. Rather than blaming family, co-workers or bosses, "assume personal responsibility for your lives."

Barker also expressed his gratitude to his late wife, Dorothy Jo, who died in 1981. The pair met at age 16 while in high school in Springfield.

"She did everything and anything she could to help me ... I would not be here if Dorothy Jo Gideon had not become Mrs. Bob Barker," he said.

"You should find a girl that's more intelligent than you and marry her," Barker told the male graduates. "Your life will be a whole lot easier."

It was, Jason Swadley declared, "the coolest graduation ever."

"Everybody else can have presidents and prime ministers -- but we have Bob Barker," the 22-year-old Drury University graduate said after the ceremony at Weiser Gym.