Why, out of any available cause, did Bob Barker choose controlling the pet population?

Posted by thosefriesaremyfries@reddit | Xennials | View on Reddit | 21 comments

Also, if you're gonna sell soap and shit to prisons, why use your name as the brand? What a weird guy he must have been.

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FoppyRETURNS@reddit

If animals overpopulate they get gassed. So, he felt that was brutal.

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thosefriesaremyfries@reddit (OP)

I mean, I get that it's a good thing. It just seems like with that kind of a platform.. like it always seemed like a small cause. Like he could have been advocating for something bigger. It just always struck me as odd.

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Initial_Entrance9548@reddit

He's not allowed to feel strongly about caring for animals? For some people that is a "big" thing.

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thosefriesaremyfries@reddit (OP)

Jesus fuck, I never implied that he was either allowed or not allowed to do anything. I'm just stating that at some point the cause for which you've chosen to spend your life advocating could seem absurd and/or insignificant compared to other causes to which you could make people aware. And, in that context, I think his advocacy is at least boarding on absurdity. Don't twist my words and imply that I think the cause is absurd. I don't. I think the fact that that was his chosen cause seems absurd. Or that of all causes that he could have promoted, that was the most important to him. That seems absurd. Thanks for reading. Please, continue with the down voting and contempt and ire and disgust.

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Initial_Entrance9548@reddit

He chose a simple, kind, and mostly apolitical message that would have an impact on his primary audience.

Let's think of other things he could have said:

-- Don't fight your dogs! - What a downer for a family show.

--Pro life/choice/adoption message - the censors would never allow it.

--Pro/Anti Homosexuality message - again, censors

--Pro/anti war - He might have been able to get away with, "Let there be peace in your hearts."

-- Let's feed the homeless! As he gives away thousands of dollars.

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thosefriesaremyfries@reddit (OP)

OK, try this list:

-help prevent eye injuries, wear your safety glasses when operating a weed whacker

-keep your family safe, make sure everyone is buckled properly before you get on the road

-keeping your blinds closed during the day in summer months keeps your home cooler. Close your blinds

-help control the pet population. Get your pets spayed or neutered.

-donating plasma saves lives. If you haven't donated lately, you should

All of these are great convictions and solid advice. None are offensive and they are apolitical. But, if you were to order them, with the top being the least absurd thing to make your life's message, and the bottom being the most absurd? I mean?

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DigDugDogDun@reddit

Did it not strike you that it was a cause that meant something to him personally?

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FoppyRETURNS@reddit

The causes were different 50 years ago. A lot of our causes now would be absurd then, and regressive 50byears from now.

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SeaSkimmer2@reddit

Well…It’s better than getting behind the “Have your child spayed or neutered” cause.

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thosefriesaremyfries@reddit (OP)

Finally someone who's really willing to get to the meat and potatoes of the discussion. I disagree vehemently. All of my children are spayed and neutered and I donate 10% of my BEFORE TAX earnings to my local pediatric sterilization clinic. What have you done, Bobby boy?

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SeaSkimmer2@reddit

I help control the human population by making sure my bloodline ends.

In fact, the entire bloodline of my maternal grandparents is probably going to end unless my 39 year old cousin changes her mind about never having children.

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Joliet-Jake@reddit

Prison supply is a different Bob Barker.

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thosefriesaremyfries@reddit (OP)

After a quick Google, it appears I made a terrible assumption.

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mollyjwink@reddit

His late wife was an animal advocate