How ‘Price Is Right’ Contestants Are Picked for the Game Show
Want your chance to “come on down” on The Price Is Right? Then it’s worth knowing how the long-running CBS game show picks its contestants.
As The Price is Right executive producer Evelyn Warfel explained exclusively to TV Insider, the show shoots three episodes a day, three or four days a week, and seven months a year to produce 190 episodes. Though tickets are reserved ahead of time and audience members are asked to arrive at Haven Studios in Glendale, California, by 8 AM, some eager fans arrive as early as 6 AM.
Before each taping, The Price Is Right production assistants talk to audience members in interviews of one minute or less. “They usually ask what their favorite game is, where they’re from, what the show means to them. It’s really to see their energy and personality,” Warfel said. “We pick people for all different reasons, but if someone’s a real big super fan, you can feel it.”
Price is Right/Instagram
Producers do encourage audience members to make shirts for their moment under the Price Is Right lights — “it’s fun, and it speaks to their love of the show,” Warfel said — but anyone can be a contestant, no matter how they dress. Warfel did, however, express caution about wearing high heels for a game show involving physical activity.
For themed episodes, audience members are notified to dress for the occasion. “We switch it up,” Warfel said. “This year we’re doing Galentine’s [Day].”
As producers select which audience members will participate, those lucky few don’t know they’re getting a shot at the Showcase Showdown until announcer George Gray calls their name. “My favorite part of the show are the ‘come on downs’ seeing contestants’ faces light up when they’re selected,” Warfel said. “The joy and the excitement and the surprise of, ‘wow, I got picked,’ there’s nothing better than that for me.”
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Comments are closed on this story.
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I think the show is completely racist. Almost the whole audience is white, yet the majority of people called up are of color, technically not possible. So when you choose a person of color you eliminate a non person of color from playing. The producers are playing the race card, because so few people of color attend the show, so to make up for that they single out minorities ahead of any other race, racism at its finest. You people are a disgrace. This is not the way to run a show, color should never ever enter your choices. Exactly who’s fault is it minorities don’t attend the show, it’s not your job to make up the there short comings. Contestants should be drawn randomly only. I regard to your prizes, the prices of the prizes should be shown before there picked so the audience knows the price that’s lit up is legitimate, because someone is lighting up the numbers, meaning if they want the person to win or lose,the opition is there. Your whole show is fake.
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My daughter was on the show in 2011 an I got on in 2017 my daughter won a car an I won a trip to New Zealand. Why anyone would think its rigged is beyond me. We came from Connecticut an will never forget this experience of a lifetime! Drew is amazing after I won we went to a commercial an he chatted with me about my win!
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% of blacks versus others is way out of whack for selected players almost daily
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Your observation on selection is very obvious. Diversity is always picked on the first panel and maintained throughout the show while the audience is not reflective of the selection percent. Gay selections seem to be high but who knows how many closet gays exist in the population. If I was Latino, I'd be upset. As Latinos are a higher percent than blacks in the US population, they seldom are chosen. I won't even comment on the lack of Asians chosen. I always bet my spouse that I'll by her a lobster dinner if a black isn't chosen on the first panel pick and she can give me a nickel if I'm wrong. I don't have enough nickels to by a 10-cent piece of candy. Certainly, the picks are based on those that have the expressive nature, and they have the right to pick based on advertiser market, TV audience, management preference. I consider this "reparation" from the Bob Barker days and still enjoy the show while I wonder where I can buy a new car for the quoted price. (Dump the rising arrow game selecting a range for the price of the item. It's always in the middle of the stack. Duh)
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I want to go on price is right so bad
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I agree with you. My husband and I notice it every day. Majority white audience but 3 out of 4 contestants are African Americans. Really?
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There is always a disproportionate number of minorities selected from the audience. It doesn’t seem fair.
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I was on the show in 1989 & won a car, now my bucket list is to be the oldest contestant on Price Is Right ever. However, we have 4 generations of fans of Price is Right, Me-#1, daughter, #2, granddaughter, #3 great-granddaughter, #4. We have to drive from Utah for our girls week out. Is there a possibility of one of us getting on the show?🤩☺️😚
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I have to wait because I did let's make a deal but I have the biggest crush on Drew since he was on his TV show since I was in middle school lol 😂 😆 😆 but yeah I hope to go in year from now to price is right
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I'm sorry but I went to the price is right in Bridgeport CT and I was so disappointed at how it was done, I've watched it for many years, this performance was an insult to Bob Barker if I say so myself.
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This show and it's commercials are on DEI overdrive.
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This article fails to mention that even though the audience is less than 15% black they usually (not always) pick
50% black to be contestants. It's called dei on steroids.
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I'd say your so Black biased that it's evident that your show is racist.!! Your also FAT people favorite picks.!! The whole world that watches your show thinks America is Black & Fat.!! Please start choosing more Asians & Whites & Latino's as they make up most of the population.!! Thank You & we will be watching to see if you listen to us.!!
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I think that they do pick mostly black people. Very little black people in audience but yet they still get picked. Reverse discrimination. Steve Harvey is in my opinion is very racist in the family feud.
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No
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Yup. If you are black and or gay, you have a much greater chance of being selected. This is not a prejudicial statement. It is a reflection of the truth.
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of course you do🙄
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Then how do you explain the large number of duds they seem to pick?
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I agree
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My 85th birthday is coming up. I would like to be a contestant.
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They pick enthusiastic, high energy people. Or if you have an unusual name or occupation you have a better chance of getting picked. Also, anyone in a military uniform is a shew in as a contestant.
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