Price is Right Unless Vern is playing

Well part of experiencing Hollywood is to go watch The Price is Right live. This is not the easiest thing to do and it can be a bit confusing. Thankfully we had our friend Rita get the hookup for us. She got 8 tickets for her and Dutch and me and Kati as well as 4 of our other friends. The others couldn’t make it. So it was up to the 4 of us to brave the trials ahead alone!!

The tickets she got did not secure us a place in the audience but rather guaranteed us a placement ticket if we were far enough in the front of the line in the morning. Basically all the large groups are given first dibs over singles like us waiting in line. So we had to get way in the front of the line. We did this the classic way. We arrived at 1:30AM with lawn chairs, blankets and snacks. We got there to meet the only two guys in front of us Jacob and Kenneth. These guys literally knew everything there is to know about the show. Every game played and even all the showcase winners. Kenneth even had an Ipod loaded with video clips of game shows dating back to the 70s. It was crazy. We meet the local homeless man who was pretty cool and talked to all the others as they arrived in line. It was like we were celebrities because we were so far in the front of the line. Every single person asked what time did you get here and is this the back of the line, to which we quickly pointed out that is has been the front of the line since Jacob and Kenneth got here at 11PM the night before.

So with places 3-6 secured we reclined in our chairs until 7:00AM when they came out and handed out tickets that allowed you to come into the property and possibly get picked after the large groups are sat for the show. It was a crazy ordeal. So it was now 7AM and having not slept a wink we had 2 hours to find a parking space for the truck and get back to the property with what felt like Willie Wonka’s Golden tickets! We took a 30 minute power nap in the truck and heading down for a fast breakfast and into the staging area.

Having such a low number for our tickets we got right in for the show. But then they line all 300 audience members up by their new numbers. We were still numbers 3-6 right behind the regulars, Jacob and Kenneth. Then we find out they actually interview all 300 members to hand pick the contestants. A man named Stan, who was pretty cool brought you up in groups of 10 and spent about 15-20 seconds talking with each of you while his trusty assistant takes notes. He then sends you away and reviews notes before the next group comes up. Somehow in those few seconds Stan either thought I was cool enough or crazy enough to be a contestant. Wild!!!!!  THANKS STAN!

Now I still didn’t know I was picked yet. So now we go and just like in school sit in our numerical order until Stan has finished with all the interviews. This took from 9am until about 1PM. Then we all went into the studio.  With no sleep and very little to eat we found a final burst of energy as we went into the studio. It was booming with music and Kati and Rita wouldn’t sit down they danced with every person who walked past us and since we sat in the very front row with the soon to be contestants that meant they danced with everyone. It was truly crazy! But what’s new.

Now we had spent almost 12 hours with these previous strangers in line on the sidewalk outside the studios since 1:30AM, so you can say we are starting to know them. So when the 4 contestants were called down to “bidders row” as it is called we knew these guys and were happy for them. Rita danced and hugged each and every one of them. Then after the first showcase was awarded to our friend Colin, they needed a new contestant to fill the spot. They showed the cue card with the name Vernon on it. I thought, “I know that guy” then I realized “I am that guy” and started freaking out!!!!! I was on the front row and that is no fun to just stand up at bidders’ row so I ran to the back of the aisle so I could run back down it. I decided to do a front flip on the way down the aisle. This would have been cool except when I reminded myself in mid air that I don’t know how to do front flips!! You might be saying to yourself that I wouldn’t have made that mistake but let me tell you excitement often overrules logic. So needless to say after a crash landing I rebounded up to my feet trying to make it look smooth and planned.

Then it was time to bid on the show case. I missed the first one and the person to the left of me won. This meant I got to be the last bidder on the next showcase. For those Price is Right fans out there you know this is the coveted position. You can bid $1 or just $1 above the highest bid. I did just that. I bid $1 above the person to my right who was the highest bidder. He wasn’t happy but it got me on the show and I won the state of the art lawn mower equipment that I absolutely cannot use in my RV. Kinda funny. So I ran on stage and hugged Drew Carey!!!

Then I got to play the Yodeler game when you guess prices of 3 items and however far you are from the real price he climbs the mountain. I got the cool spatula thermometer combo know as the spatulometer correct and then on to the next item, a whip cream dispenser. I saw Kati hand signaling $55 to me. I couldn’t comprehend this little thing costing that much but she is the shopper, so I went a little lower to like $48. This was so far off I think Drew laughed at me and I ended up actually breaking the game!! Later I find out Kati was telling me $15 with 3 flashes of 5 fingers not $55 with 2 flashes of 5 fingers. Oh well. So I didn’t get the full bedroom set that also would have been pretty useless to me in my RV.

So then it was time to spin the wheel to get onto the showcase. First spin was right near the $1.00 amount which would have been awesome, but instead it landed on $.15 so I naturally spun again and then landed on $.35. So I only had a total of $.50. I knew this was the end of my Price is Right career.

I had Kati toss me my traveling signature book and had Drew and his cast sign it. Drew even made fun of me in it saying Vern Kati said $15 not $55!! It was awesome.

So the guy I out bid in my showcase went on to win the entire grand showcase and had an awesome time too. It was seriously a day that I will always remember. Plus I have a spatulometer now!!

I hope you got to see me make a fool of myself with Drew if not I think you can catch it on CBS or I will also get it posted on our site soon.

So remember it’s not $55 its $15,

Vernon

Tags: LOUD California Price Right