Hi everyone, time for one more blog post about my California Adventure, now that this information has been declassified. As I’m writing this, it is a week after my taping of The Price is Right, but when you get to read it, it will be after the episode aired. So as you read this, if you notice things that are different from what was on the air, that just goes to show what I’ll say at the end – it is and was all a blur in my mind when it was done.

When we last left our intrepid game show attendee, he was in his seat in the Bob Barker studio and the lights had come up and the music had started – the show was on its way.

After the intro (again, which you can hardly hear, since the audience is so loud), the 1st four contestants are called down. The names are held up on poster board so you can see your name in case you can’t hear it. The 1st four names are read and I’m not one of them. It doesn’t matter, there are still 5 more names and I’m having a great time! Drew comes out and the show starts.

I don’t remember what the first item up for bid was or who won, but the first game was Easy as 1-2-3. The contestant struggled a bit, but I was there right along with the rest of the audience shouting out our suggestions. We helped her win the prizes! And if you’ve ever been on a set, there are a lot of sounds that you hear in person that aren’t broadcast. Lots of clunks and stuff as the covers of the prices reveal, etc.

Then it was time for the next contestant to come on down, another name is called, and … not me. Again, I don’t remember the item up for bid or who won. If I remember correctly the name game was Squeeze Play for a bedroom set. Again with the audience help, they won the prize! Then it was time to stop tape for the commercial break and for them to reset the stage. When they are doing that they use curtains and dividers, etc. to hide anything, so no one in the audience can see. Another side note, prior to the show, I noticed a producer(?) talking to the stage/floor director? showing pictures of people that they planned to call on down, I think they were checking to see where they were in the audience. During the commercial breaks and resets Drew and George talked to the audience, answering questions, etc. Also, if they needed to reshoot something, they’d do it during this time as well.

Now it was back from the commercial break and time for another name and again time for me to not be called on down. As you have guessed the pattern, I don’t remember the prize up for bid or who won. Then they showed the prizes they’d be playing for, and based on them and that it had to be a car game (prior to the car being shown) I knew it was Rat Race, and why it had taken so long to set up. The contestant got 2 mice including the blue one (which of course is the color I told them to pick!) and if I remember correctly the blue mouse won, so they won the car.

Another commercial and then they spin the big wheel. I have no idea what they said while spinning the wheel because they have the audience cheer and applaud and so you can’t hear a thing. Thank goodness for microphones and good audio recording equipment and mixers so you can hear them at home!

Time to come back from the commercial and they call another contestant down, and it isn’t me. I’m starting to come to terms that I won’t be a contestant, but I don’t care since this is a wonderful experience just seeing the show being taped. Once again don’t remember the item or who won. The contestant played Balance Game but didn’t win despite the audience trying to help them all they could. I personally thought that was one of the easier times with Balance Game based on the options given.

Another commercial and reset. Then time for another contestant to come on down. Then I heard it – I heard them say Richard. I honestly don’t remember if I heard my last name, if I did – I don’t remember if they said it right. I barely remember checking the poster board held up to make sure it was me. My brain must have been sure enough that I started clambering over people (they don’t give you much room!) I’m sure I screamed, I remember putting my hands up over my mouth, I think I might have cried a little bit. I was in a state of shock. This is when my memory really starts going fuzzy. It was me – my name was called – yes – I was “The next contestant on The Price is Right“. I get to contestants row, take my spot, compose myself the best I can. I remember thinking “I really hope it was my name they called and not someone else”. They didn’t send me away, so I must have been right. The next item up for bid is shown, I try to take suggestions from the audience, but it is hard to hear them and to think quickly under pressure when your mind is racing from the excitement. I make a reasonable bid (at least in my mind in the state it was). The MSRP is revealed and I don’t win. I’m a good contestant and congratulate the winner on their way up. Their game was Lucky $even for a car. That can be a hard game to win and the contestant unfortunately proved it.

Time for another commercial. I think I chatted a little bit with the other contestants in contestants row. I also got whisked back up through the audience behind the curtain to get my mic on. They do it back there because they run the cord up your shirt, and depending on what you are wearing you might need privacy. Then it was back down to wait for the final item up for bid, the final pricing game, and thus my final chance to get on stage.

The show starts, the item is shown. This time I actually remember it was a ping-pong table. I have a price in my mind, adjust it a bit based on suggestions and using some strategy, put my bid in.  Unfortunately it was a lower end model and less expensive than we thought, so I didn’t make it to the stage. I honestly didn’t mind. I kept being supportive of the other contestants. The final one played Grand Game. They did OK but will now forever remember the price of gravy! Then another commercial, the big wheel (which is the Showcase Showdown, the final part is the Showcases, not the Showcase Showdown), and another commercial.

During one of those last two commercials Drew came down to talk to the three of us left in contestants’ row. Very pleasant and nice. He asked me if my shirt was just random 0’s and1’s or if it said something. When I responded that it said “The Price is Right”, I must have had a tone that made it sound like “Well, duh, of course that is what it says”, since he commented on that. I also showed him the back of my shirt. Then (not aired) George Gray said something like “Contestants not appearing on stage will each receive $300.” They used to air the announcement but the contestants got things like a blender, telephone, or whatever other promotional items they had. I hadn’t even thought about if I would get anything for just making it down to contestant’s row and not making it on stage. While $300 is nice, I was really hoping for a case of Turtle Wax, a year’s supply of Rice-A-Roni (the San Francisco Treat), and a copy of the home game!

Now, a brief note before moving on. When I was looking at the airdate of this show on the website prior to going to the taping, I noticed that this one was on February 25, while most of the others taped around my tape date were airing in March. I thought there might be some special tie in to something that needed the show to air on a particular date, but I couldn’t figuring anything out – and I didn’t do too much research.

We get to the showcases. The first one is presented and the contestant passes and they bid. Most of us think he bid a little high, but you never know. Then it is time for the second show case. George introduces the special guest to present the showcase – Jeff Probst! The tie in is with Survivor which has its season premiere the evening of the airdate – so I was right – there was a special tie in! The other contestant bids and we think she bid really well. Her friends she came with were right behind contestants row. During the commercial we chatted a bit, they received instructions on what to do if she wins, etc. Those of us in contestants’ row are told where to go after the show is done, etc. We come back from commercial for one last time and the winner is revealed and it is the girl from Minnesota with her friends behind us. They do the normal end excitement on stage, we applaud and cheer while the credits roll. The show is done.

A few notes before the rest of the story. Honestly this whole time was a big blur in my mind. My mind was racing non-stop. So you’ll understand if what I’ve stated here does not match with the show. I might have games out of order – might have completely wrong games. Prior to attending the taping I watched a lot of episodes, so some memories from that might have crept in. The time really flew by, especially after I was told to “Come on down!” I honestly didn’t mind that I didn’t make it on stage. I was truly happy and excited for the people who won. The midwest was well represented – the person from Minnesota who won, and the three left in contestants’ row were from Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois(?).

After the show was done, all the winners go back to a little tiny area backstage to fill out prize forms, etc. They had to collect our SSNs (these prizes are taxable!), names, mailing addresses, phone numbers, etc. You sign several papers which explain all the rules about prizes, etc. They also collected our mics. We had a hard time because we all wanted to be excited and talk to each other, but we needed to be quiet because they needed to retape a few sections of the show that they must not have liked the first taping of. Also, they brought back our poster board with our names on them that we got to keep as a souvenir. I did sign a social media release form, so they may (or have) be tweeting my picture or posting it on Instagram! I was the 3rd person or so to complete my forms, which I was glad, because at this point my mind had started calming down and I was noting the time and knew I had to leave soon for Wheel, but I would wait as long as I needed to fill out the forms. Also, they reminded us back here that all we can say is that we attended a taping and when it aired. So as much as I would have loved to tell you all this a month ago, I legally couldn’t (I have a copy of the form to prove it!). They could take away the prizes or other legal action depending on how harmed they felt. So I started practicing my “I attended a taping of The Price is Right which will air on Wednesday, February 25, 2015; this is all I can legally tell you.” After my forms were filled out and a few more quick congratulations to the other winners, especially the big winner, I left the studio at a quick walk, picked up my picture (now really glad I bought it, since it was a much bigger experience to remember than just being in the audience), and headed to the parking structure. I ran into a few other contestants from the first show on my way out and chatted a little bit. I saw the friends of the big winner of the day and congratulated them again and told them to make sure the winner gives them a ride in her new car! It was then to my car and onto the rest of my day, which was never classified and you’ve already read about.

Throughout the rest of the day, I kept thinking back on my experience. I really couldn’t believe it happened, and even still as I write this – it feels like a dream. It’ll be interesting to see how I feel and react as I watch it. I hope that helps it sink in, that yes, both my dreams came true in California – I attended a taping of a game show (well, two — three if you count Whose Line) and I’ve now been a contestant on a game show!