Malcomson

My wife and I had an enjoyable visit to the Calgary Stampede several years ago, and am surprised to learn that former celebrity host for “The Price is Right” Bob Barker is opposed to the event on humane grounds. He has gone as far as to criticize present host Drew Carey for offering it as one of the featured prices behind one of two doors. At the expense of being cynical, I guess it didn’t measure up to his artificial notion of an exotic destination holiday spot: too much steer crap on the sidewalks; not enough fine hotels; no good-looking babes to hang out with; and no sandy beaches. On the matter of animal cruelty, he may be more concerned about the potentially poor optics such a prize would have for his wretched gong show that panders to greed, consumerism, materialism, and environmental irresponsibility, but nobody is suggesting that they run his old show out of town. As to those wonderful creatures that Bob is alluding to, the whole issue of better treatment for them has been investigated by the Alberta government and the SPCA, and improvements continue to be made to ensure the horses’ safety in events like the chuck-wagon races. While Barker has a right, like anyone else, to express his feelings on this sensitive matter, I would suggest that he look to cleaning up his own backyard before turning his attention to other sites. Until he takes measures to speak out against the unbridled avarice encouraged on his old show, I won’t take his concerns about the health of horses at the Stampede too seriously. Methinks Bob is being a little too hypocritical for his own good.