Bob Barker, the dean of daytime television, told an enthusiastic crowd of fans last night he is afraid of Samoans and thinks Regis Philbin does not deserve the credit for bringing tone-on-tone clothing into style.

Those tidbits, among others from Barker's 28-year career as host of "The Price Is Right," captivated a crowd of more than 100 who attended his talk on the influence of game shows on American pop culture.

The silver-haired 77-year-old drew extended applause as he entered Ames Courtroom at Harvard Law School last night.

"I don't usually get that much applause when I'm giving away a refrigerator," Barker joked.

He went on to detail his rise to the top of daytime television, where he has won 12 Emmys for his work on "The Price Is Right," the highest-rated daytime game show in history.

Barker said he intended to be a flight instructor after his service as a Navy fighter pilot, but saw his career blossom in radio. After working as a news writer and sportscaster, Barker found his calling in audience participation shows on the radio.

His big break came when Ralph Edwards, who owned the show "Truth or Consequences," heard Barker on the radio in 1956 and asked him to host the television version of the show.

"Everything good that has happened to me started with that telephone call," Barker said.