‘The Price Is Right’ Contestant Speaks Out After 16 Failed Attempts to Get on Show

Alex Braun finally heard the words that every The Price Is Right fan longs to hear — “Come on down!” And this was significant for Braun because he had auditioned for the game show 16 times in the past. The contestant has been on other game shows, but his big goal was to make it onto TPIR. Now he is speaking out about his experience in a fascinating interview.

The self-proclaimed “game show geek” finally got to meet Drew Carey and live out his dream on February 3. He had to travel through single-digit temperatures and nine inches of snow from St. Louis, Missouri, to get to California for the 10,000th episode. He brought four friends with him, and his name finally got called on the taping before the milestone episode was filmed. His episode aired on May 21.

“When you’ve been there 16 times, you kind of know how the show runs. You’re kind of playing in your head what would happen, a lot of ‘what-ifs,’ if your name gets called. It’s hard to plan reactions, but I thought about it that day, about running across the studio to say ‘hi’ to my four friends. All went out the door when I saw my name on the poster board; my mind went blank,” he told Call Newspapers.

Braun beat his competitors on Bidder’s Row when he bid $1 on a handcrafted fire pit, worth $1,214. “I was the last bidder, so I had a big advantage. I kept looking at my friends in the audience for bids, and bid $1,200 unbeknownst to me (that) Karen on the end had just bid $1,200,” he said. “I immediately bid $1201, the actual price was $1,214 – I couldn’t believe it.”

“I was excited to be called on down, but the fact that I won my way on stage – that was the next level. I was just tackling Drew, I was just so excited.” 

He then played Side by Side for a trip to Alaska. He had to choose between two prices, $7,697 or $9,776, one of which was the correct price of the trip. Braun had a gut feeling to choose $7,697 after a strong reaction from the audience.

“I’m just looking forward to a trip,” Braun told the outlet, which he plans to take in spring 2026.  “Seriously, just being out of the 48 states is exciting. Part of the package is a sightseeing tour in a rental car, so that’ll be cool.”

Braun thought the hardest part of the whole game show was keeping quiet for three months about what he won and if he won. “I was antsy to see the final cut,” he shared. Braun hosted a viewing party with friends when his episode aired. “Watching myself on ‘Bidders’ Row’ when I’m seeing Drew reading off the price of the fire pit and I’m listening to every syllable, and it just started to slowly hit me that I won – I was just so excited.”

The contestant shared that his Nan got him hooked on game shows as a kid, and he made it a goal of his to be a contestant on TPIR. He can add that to his game show resume as The Price Is Right is his fourth game show appearance. Braun has also been on Wheel of Fortune, You Bet Your Life with Jay Leno, and 25 Words or Less. He wants to compete on more shows in the future, but he has to wait one year before appearing on any television game show. Braun has his sights set on winning a car, since he has won cash and trips. His next goal is The $100,000 Pyramid.

“God did not give me great athletic abilities, but I love to have fun and play games. These ones don’t require being physical,” he told the outlet.

“You can’t go there with the mindset of ‘I want to make my car payment, I could win this much money, I could buy a new deck.’ That kind of takes away from the experience,” Braun said. “You just have to go out there and have fun.”