The Price Is Right at Night: Drew Carey says ‘we’re in trouble today’ after meeting contestant

The Price Is Right host Drew Carey during a Superfan, Jr. segment of the game show. Pic credit: CBS
The Price Is Right at Night will feature unique prizes and contestants, including one who surprised the host.

In addition to the daytime episodes, Drew Carey hosts the popular game show’s upcoming primetime version, and sneak peeks revealed several contestants.

The night episodes also feature kids participating in the show, referred to as Superfan, Jr. contestants.

Once Drew meets a Superfan, Jr. contestant on stage, he typically asks them what makes them a “Superfan” of the show.

In one instance, a boy indicated that the show helps bring his family together, as they record the daytime episodes and watch them each evening.

Another contestant really seemed to catch Drew off guard, with the host even suggesting the show was “in trouble.”

Drew has a unique interaction with a Superfan

Most contestants get excited when they get on stage to meet Drew before participating in a pricing game for prizes.

That happened as one contestant fell on the floor after her interaction with the host.

It was also the case with Superfan, Jr. contestant Jacob, who yelled that he felt “awesome” after meeting Drew and hugging him.

The host asked him to explain what “sets him apart” from all the other superfans.

“I’m writing a book about the history of The Price Is Right,” Jacob revealed, seeming to surprise Drew.

Drew mentioned TV host Bill Cullen and asked the superfan if he knew the name of the game show when it initially got pitched.

“Auction-Aire,” he replied, really surprising the host.

“Wow, are you good,” Drew said, shaking Jacob’s hand as the contestant jumped up and down a bit after giving the correct answer.

“George, we’re in trouble today,” Drew told announcer George Gray, adding, “Let’s see what these kids are gonna take from us.”

From there, the sneak peek of the nighttime game show revealed that the superfan would play a popular game: Plinko.

Jacob was super enthusiastic about playing the game, even yelling, “Oh my God!”

George announced he was playing for up to $100,000, and Drew handed him a few chips before the preview ended.

Who was Bill Cullen on The Price Is Right?

Bill Cullen, often called the “Dean of Game Shows,” hosted many of them during his career, including the first versions of The Price Is Right.

Drew mentioned Cullen’s importance in The Price Is Right’s history. The game show was pitched as Auction-Aire but was short-lived, ultimately becoming The Price Is Right. Cullen hosted the show’s original daytime and primetime versions from 1956 to 1965.

The game show’s revival, with daytime and nighttime versions, came in the early 1970s, but Cullen couldn’t host.

The popular TV host had various ailments and health issues that affected him throughout his life. Cullen was diagnosed with polio at 18 months old and had a permanent limp. In addition, he had poor eyesight and also suffered lasting effects from a car accident he had at age 17.

In 1972, Cullen couldn’t host the revived Price Is Right because it was too physically demanding for him. The video below gives more details about Cullen.

When Cullen couldn’t host the revived versions, Bob Barker became the revived game show’s daytime host. Barker rose to fame as the game show’s host from 1972 until retiring in 2007. TV personality Dennis James hosted a weekly syndicated version, which became the primetime version.

James hosted that weekly nighttime version from 1972 to 1977 and filled in for Barker during the daytime in 1974.

Cullen passed away in 1990 at age 70 due to complications from lung cancer. During his legendary career, he hosted many shows, including Name That Tune, I’ve Got a Secret, Bank on the Stars, To Tell The Truth, and The $25,000 Pyramid.

Based on Drew’s interaction with the Superfan, Jr. contestant, Drew was pretty impressed that Jacob knew the history of the popular game show, beginning with Cullen.

Fans will see how much the enthusiastic contestant won in Plinko during an upcoming episode of The Price Is Right at Night, which airs in primetime on Thursday, May 23.

The Price Is Right at Night airs Thursday, May 23 at 8/7c on CBS.