Lawsuit against Barker, ’Price is Right’ tossed

Lawsuit against Barker, ’Price is Right’ tossed

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge on Friday threw out a wrongful termination lawsuit filed by a former “The Price is Right” employee against CBS and former host Bob Barker.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Malcolm Mackey dismissed the case after finding there were no issues for a trial to resolve, attorneys handling the case said.

Deborah Curling sued Barker and the network in October 2007, alleging she was improperly fired from the show and forced to endure a hostile work environment.

Several claims against Barker were thrown out last year, leaving only a “hostile work environment” allegation against the show’s longtime host.

Curling claimed she was dismissed because she testified in a former co-worker’s wrongful termination case. She also accused Barker of making racist and anti-Semitic jokes, but Mackey determined she hadn’t proven that claim.

Curling’s attorney, Nick Alden, vowed to appeal the ruling. He said he didn’t receive necessary information from CBS or other attorneys so he could properly argue why the case should be allowed to continue.

Barker’s attorney, Patty Glaser, said the judge made the correct ruling.

“This is a case that should not have been brought,” Glaser said. “There aren’t even any contacts she alleges with Mr. Barker.

“It was a shame it was brought and it’s hopefully over,” Glaser said.

Barker retired in 2007 after hosting “The Price is Right” for 35 years.

Today’s birthdays

Actor Larry Hagman is 78. Poet-songwriter Leonard Cohen is 75. Author-comedian Fanny Flagg is 65. Author Stephen King is 62. Guitarist Don Felder of The Eagles is 62. Actor Bill Murray is 59. Writer-producer Ethan Coen is 52. Actor-comedian Dave Coulier (“Full House”) is 50. Actor David James Elliott (“JAG”) is 49. Actress Nancy Travis (“Becker,” “Almost Perfect”) is 48. Actor Rob Morrow (“Numb3rs,” “Northern Exposure”) is 47. Actress Cheryl Hines (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) is 44. Country singer Faith Hill is 42. Drummer Tyler Stewart of Barenaked Ladies is 42. Actress-talk-show host Ricki Lake is 41. Rapper Dave (formerly Trugoy the Dove) of De La Soul is 41. Actor Alfonso Ribeiro (“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “In the House”) is 38. Actor Luke Wilson is 38. Actor Paulo Costanzo (“Joey”) is 31. TV personality Nicole Richie (“The Simple Life”) is 28. Actress Maggie Grace (“Lost”) is 26. Actor Joseph Mazzello (“Simon Birch”) is 26. Actors Nikolas and Lorenzo Brino (”7th Heaven”) are 11.