(NEXSTAR) – Drew Carey knows if you had anything to drink before you came “down” to Contestants’ Row.
In an interview with TV Insider, Carey admitted that he believes viewers of “The Price Is Right” often show up to the tapings slightly tipsy or even high.
“Oh, that happens all the time here,” Carey, 66, said in response to a question from TV Insider’s Kate Hahn about whether he thought some of the contestants took a little “liquid courage” before arriving at the studio.
“They have a gummy bear or I smell alcohol on their breath. Nothing unusual,” Carey continued, before claiming he later learned that one contestant had actually taken mushrooms during his performance.
“He was a sketch (comedy) guy,” Carey said. “I found out later when I went to UCB (sketch improvisational theater, United Citizens Brigade) to hang out, and they said, ‘Did you see the guy who claimed to be a skateboard rabbi?’ I asked him what he did for a living. And he said, ‘I’m a skateboard rabbi.’ He didn’t think he was going to get selected, and he completely stumbled.”
Carey is currently finishing his 18th season as host of “The Price Is Right” — a milestone that makes him the longest-tenured host of any game show currently on the air, according to TV Insider. (Pat Sajak previously held the title before retiring this year.)
Carey also hinted in the interview that he intends to stay with the show as long as CBS will have him, and perhaps even break Sajak’s record as the longest-serving game show host.
He added that the candidates were a big reason why he enjoyed the show so much and that he hoped to continue to work as a presenter.
“Ordinary people are more interesting than celebrities. Honestly,” Carey said. “They all had to overcome their own problems and fight their own demons to live their own special lives. I learn more from them than from anyone.”
According to Carey, the fact that there is a positive atmosphere on “The Price Is Right” doesn’t hurt either. This is mainly because he – along with everyone else in the audience and everyone watching at home – is rooting for the contestants to win, he said.
“It’s not my money – it’s CBS’s money, and we’re all trying to get it together,” he joked.
“The Price Is Right,” which airs on CBS, is nearing the end of its 52nd season, with the last new episodes scheduled to air through early July. The current edition of the show, which debuted in 1972, was originally hosted by Bob Barker before Carey took over as host in 2007.
