You met the three finalists for the next male model search currently underway at CBS’ “The Price is Right,” via their appearance on the Monday, December 1 edition of CBS’ “The Talk,” but what does the game show’s first male model, Robert Scott Wilson (Ben Ridgeway, “Days of our Lives”; ex-Pete Cortlandt, “All My Children”) have to say about another person taking on his former daytime role? The actor recently spoke with Soap Opera Network about his experience on the game show, what it was like helping judge the competition, and responds to comments made about him by “Price is Right” executive producer, Mike Richards.
“I know they’re not just going to put somebody in there who’s not going to be grateful and know the worth of that job,” said Wilson of the ultimate winner of the modeling gig, which was whittled down to the three J’s – Jonathan Morgan, Jay Byars and James O’Halloran. “I had such an amazing experience with that. It opened up doors. What I do as a career is completely different from what I did on ‘The Price is Right,’ it was just an amazing opportunity. I’m really excited for them and Drew [Carey, host of ‘Price’] is one of my very good friends. I love Drew.”
Watch Wilson Judge
When we spoke with EP Mike Richards early on in the competition about what the show was looking for in a male model, he couldn’t comment without first praising Wilson. “Whenever you’re the first of anything, you’re always going to be the tough act to follow. Do we want someone that is as natural and charismatic and good looking as Rob on our show? Yes. Do we want another Rob? Probably not. Because we want someone different. What was so great about Rob was that he was Rob,” said Richards.
Upon hearing the kind words, Wilson said, “Mike Richards is the man. I can’t thank that guy enough. Giving me the opportunity, and just being so supportive with my whole career, he’s just such a good guy. He’s a standup guy.”
As for what they are ultimately looking for as the next male model on “Price is Right,” Richards reveals they should fulfill some of the qualities that Wilson was able to bring to the table, “but we want someone completely different.”
Speaking of different, for the first time since winning the competition in 2012, Wilson got the opportunity of turning the tables as he appeared on the second episode of the male model search competition but as a judge. “I had my personal favorites because I know you kind of let loose and it’s really difficult to be a guy, and you got to do the things we had to do and I went through that, and I felt that emotion before…that nervous energy,” Wilson says of watching the contestants go through their challenges. “You really just have to let it all go and you can see when somebody can, and when somebody’s really hesitant about it. You can just tell with some people. I know they’ll make the right choice.”
Voting for the next male model search is open now through Friday, December 5 at 8:00 ET/5:00 PM PT. To vote, or to learn more about the competition rules, visit priceisright.com.