With only a few days left before the end of the decade, I thought it would be a fitting finale to count down the 25 greatest stories I got to cover in the 2000s. I'm going to stick with material I covered. The Kansas City Star's Steve Kraske compiled a more comprehensive list here.
Some of these stories may be funny. Others may be serious. But regardless, I hope this list provides a engaging and light finale to the decade of despondence.
So to start off, here's number 25:
25. Bob Barker visits the Missouri Capitol Building
(Nick King photo)
BACKGROUND: If you venture up to the third floor of the Missouri Capitol Building, you’ll find busts of so-called “Famous Missourians.” The usual suspects – Walt Disney, John Ashcroft and Mark Twain – are present. But in 2007, House Speaker Rod Jetton sent a wave of excitement through the halls when he tabbed game show host Bob Barker to enter the Hall of Famous Missourians.
Barker, of course, was the longtime host of The Price is Right, one of the most popular television shows in history. And when news got out that he was coming to Jefferson City, thousands of people jammed into the Rotunda to catch glimpse of the “bronzed star.” He made a very entertaining speech, took some questions from the press and signed autographs. It was a run-of-the-mill speaker story. But come on! It’s Bob Barker!
WHY IT MADE THE LIST: The Hall of Famous Missourians is a ceremonial honor that has little impact on the future of the state. But Barker’s visit attracted more visitors than most events I've witnessed. It wasn’t even close. And best of all, Barker showcased a terrific sense of humor, never wavering from dropping references to his cameo in Happy Gilmore. Believe it or not, that film still strikes a cord for people who are in my age bracket. "You're going to die clown" is still music to my ears.
FUN FACT: Columbia Daily Tribune photographer Nick King managed to snap a picture of Christine Franck holding a signed photo of Bob Barker. Christine Franck is the wife of Matt Franck, who at the time was a capital reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
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