You wouldn't think so, but Bob Barker has a dangerous job. Every workday, the host of TV's The Price is Right fights off eardrum- piercers, foot-stompers and arm-pinchers.

"The kisses are fun," said Barker. "It's the women who beat on me and step on my feet. I had one who was about 5-foot-4 and got under my chin and jumped up and down. Some of them stand beside me and say `Oh I'm so nervous' and they pinch my arm, little pinches."

The 69-year-young Barker has managed to avoid major injuries and is now in his 21st year on the game show, which is seen locally on WISH- TV (Channel 8) weekdays from 11 a.m. to noon.

First broadcasting job

Barker has been a TV personality for 36 years, starting his career with five-minute radio sports spots when he was in college.

Barker's first radio job was not obtained directly because of vocal talent, but more the result of seizing an opportunity.

"I flew fighter planes in the Navy," explained Barker in a recent phone interview with Children's Express. "When I got out of the Navy and went back to college, I wanted to get a job. I heard about the manager of a radio station who was crazy about airplanes.

"So I put on my naval officer's uniform and my Wings of Gold and I went down to apply for a job. He and I talked about airplanes for about an hour and I ended up with my first job in radio. If I hadn't been a naval aviator, I'm not sure I would've been hired."

Barker later became a staff announcer and a disc jockey as he worked toward his goal of a national radio show, but television came along and Barker found himself a spot as the host of the TV game show Truth or Consequences from 1956 to 1974. He began to emcee The Price is Right in 1972.

`Spontaneous entertainment'

Barker has enjoyed both programs because of the "spontaneous entertainment with unrehearsed contestants," he said.

With The Price is Right, Barker has used spontaneous entertainment in a way that led Bud Grant, the head of daytime programming at CBS for many years, to say, "The Price is Right is not a show, it is an event."

"They come to our show and they stand in line, it's like a party," said Barker. "They're having a wonderful time, and they come in and Rod Roddy, our announcer, does a splendid warm-up and gets them all ready to go, and then away we go, it's like a carnival."

Barker believes this "carnival" actually begins before the contestants ever leave home.

"They've watched The Price is Right. They know it is an exciting fast-moving show with the possibility of always winning thousands of dollars in prizes."

And so, after all this waiting, the show begins and Barker walks on stage. The audience cheers enthusiastically and gives him a standing ovation. Barker says this gives him a sense of responsibility.

"When they give me the standing ovation at the top of the show, I haven't accomplished anything yet that day. The whole hour is before me. . . . I have to live up to that welcome," Barker said.

"I'd like to think that part of (the cheering) is for me, some of it is probably for the refrigerators and the cars, and some of it is probably for the fact that they're in the studio and sitting there and not standing in line anymore."

Advocate for animals

And when he's not dealing with unrehearsed contestants, Barker devotes his time to many causes. Animal rights - while not his only crusade - according to Barker is his most prominent and visible.

"I think that anyone who really devotes some time to educating themselves on the exploitation of animals will come to the conclusion that animals are probably more discriminated against than any other group in our history," said Barker.

Barker, who is one-quarter Sioux, grew up on an Indian reservation in South Dakota. He saw firsthand the discrimination against American Indians.

"Man has finally begun to come to the realization that these creatures should be allowed to live the lives that nature intended, rather than to be used simply as objects by mankind," said Barker, an owner of five pets, all whom he got as strays.

Animals may be his main cause; however, he dedicates his time to many other charitable organizations such as the Society to Prevent Blindness, the American Lung Association, and local anti-drug campaigns.

"But I have become more visible in more work for animals than I have in anything else. Frankly, there aren't as many people who are willing to devote time to animals, so those of us who are must do all we can.

"I will be working to protect animals so long as there's breath in my body," said Barker. "It's become a very important thing for me."

No retirement plans

Whether that last breath occurs while he is working at The Price is Right, we do not know.

We do know, however, that Barker doesn't plan to retire anytime soon.

"I haven't any plans for retiring, but I don't think I'll ever do another show. I think that I will do Price is Right as long as I want to work," he said. "Our show is doing very well. If it began to collapse today, it would take at least a couple of years for it to be in real trouble. So, I think as long as I want to work, Price is Right will be here for me to do."

Barker's parting words will be familiar to anyone who regularly watches his show:

"Help control the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered."