The wheel in “Price is Right,” and the game, in general, has been the object of numerous scientific studies. It has invoked curiosity all over the world, which is why the Royal Economic Society decided to fund research into the way of its operation. In it, the organization’s research representatives, study the behavior of contestants as they make decisions in the game’s progression.
It follows 141 recordings of the show to compare samples for their study. The tapings were gathered from the ’94-’95 season and helped to reveal insights into the minds of contestants and inner workings of the show in general.
Fake It ‘Til You Make It
If you have any hopes of getting into the show’s live studio audience, you pretty much need to have cheerleader-level enthusiasm. When producers scan the lines to fill seats, they’re not looking for someone who’s yawning and looking around like they have zero interest in being there. No, they’re looking for the most fascinating individuals that they can find.
They want people with huge smiles, who are jumping up and down and clapping. Apparently, you need to keep that enthusiasm up throughout the show, or you’ll be tossed out and replaced. One writer who attended the show reported that afterward, “your palms will feel like two hamburger patties.”
The Price Is Not Right
In 2008, TMZ revealed that "The Price is Right’s" Plinko game had been rigged for a commercial they were shooting, using the show’s set. It was rigged to hit $10,000. But then, they forgot to de-rig it. The result? One woman hit the slot three times in a row. It wasn’t until that point that producers realized what was going on.
Still, she was able to walk away with $30,000 because of the big whoops. Initially, they weren’t going to give her the winnings. In fact, after the third time she hit for $10,000, they stopped rolling the cameras and paused tapings to explain what was going on.
Mrs. Brady Crashes Through a Wall
Florence Henderson had quite a wild ride when she popped up as a guest on the show. The actress, who plays Mrs. Brady on the hit ‘70s sitcom; "The Brady Bunch," appeared in 2012. During the show, which was a special episode for Mother’s Day, she waved to cameras and the audience from the passenger seat of a prize SUV.
The person behind the wheel got a little distracted by everything that was going on, and accidentally drove it straight into the wall of the set. Luckily, no one was hurt, and there was no severe damage to the car or the show’s set.
Home Viewer Showcases
During the show’s original air days in the 1950s, home viewers were able to submit their bids for showcases using postcards. Surprisingly enough, viewers at home often came much closer to the actual prices than on-stage contestants. In the event of a tiebreaker, both parties were informed via telegram and went into a tie-breaker round in which they had to guess the price of a new, specific item.
The last time a Home Viewer Showcase was featured on the show was back in 2011. In 2011, rather than using postcards to chime in, home viewers simply put in their bids on the show’s website.