Game show contestants aren’t always the wholesome competitors they appear to be on television.
Behind the scenes, the reality is far more interesting than what producers want you to see.
And one game show host just exposed the dirty secrets about contestants that will leave you speechless.
Drew Carey revealed the shocking truth about The Price is Right contestants
The Price is Right brings out the best and worst in people competing for prizes on television’s longest-running game show.
Host Drew Carey recently pulled back the curtain on what really goes on behind the scenes during his 18-year tenure running the show.
The revelations were eye-opening and hilarious.
During an interview with TV Insider, Carey spilled the beans about contestants who show up to tapings under the influence of various substances.
"That happens here all the time," Carey said matter-of-factly. "They’ll have a gummy or I’ll smell alcohol on their breath. Not unusual."
The comedian-turned-game-show-host has seen it all during his time at the podium.
But one contestant took things to an entirely different level that caught even the experienced Carey off guard.
"He came with a bunch of friends. He was a sketch [comedy] guy," Carey recalled about a particularly memorable contestant. "I found out later when I went to UCB [sketch improv group Upright Citizens Brigade] to hang out and they were like, ‘Did you see that guy who claimed to be a skateboarding rabbi?’"
The contestant had consumed hallucinogenic mushrooms before the show, not expecting to be called down to Contestants’ Row.
"I asked him what he did for a living. And he goes, ‘I’m a skateboarding rabbi.’ He didn’t think he was going to get picked, and he totally tripped."
The real America shows up to game shows
What Carey finds most fascinating about his job isn’t the celebrity guest appearances or the big prize giveaways.
It’s getting to meet regular Americans from all walks of life who represent the true cross-section of the country.
"That’s a favorite part of the show," Carey explained. "They’re normal people that live normal lives. This is average America right here. There are no CEOs, ultra-rich upper management. They don’t come to The Price Is Right. These are middle class, working class. Every religion."
The audience and contestants represent something that’s increasingly rare in entertainment these days – actual diversity based on life experience rather than superficial characteristics.
"It’s a cross-section of America," Carey said. "Regular people are more interesting than celebrities. Honestly. They’ve all had their own problems to overcome and their own demons, to get their own special lives. I learn more from them than I do from anybody."
Look, this connection with regular folks is exactly why The Price is Right keeps crushing it after all these years.
You won’t find Hollywood types or Manhattan socialites lining up for this show. These are the people who actually make America work – the ones living in places the media usually ignores.
Game show hosts deal with hilarious mishaps daily
The world of game shows is filled with moments that would make even the most seasoned television professionals crack up.
Ken Jennings, who went from Jeopardy! champion to host after Alex Trebek’s death, recently had his own embarrassing moment that went viral.
During a taping in September 2024, Jennings accidentally gave away the answer to a clue in the "Song Titles" category.
The clue read "PAINT IT ____ & BACK TO ____," and Jennings accidentally said "black" instead of "blank," immediately giving away the answer.
"We gotta toss it," Jennings said after realizing his mistake. "I think I was supposed to say blank there."
The Jeopardy! production team had to use a backup clue for the actual broadcast, but they shared the blooper on social media where it racked up millions of views.
Jennings has also had to deal with the legacy of his own embarrassing moment as a contestant back in 2004.
When faced with the clue "This term for a long-handled gardening tool can also mean an immoral pleasure seeker," Jennings incorrectly answered "What’s a hoe?" instead of the correct answer "What’s a rake?"
The show’s writers recently trolled their own host by including a visual reference to that moment in a recent episode.
The Price is Right contestants sometimes get carried away
Drew Carey has experienced his share of physical comedy courtesy of overly enthusiastic contestants.
In January 2018, a contestant named Sona was so excited about being called down that she literally knocked Carey off his feet when she rushed to hug him.
The incident nearly sent Carey rolling off the stage entirely before audience members helped steady him.
"Neither she nor host Drew Carey could have anticipated the results of that excitement," one report noted about the incident.
But Carey has learned to roll with the punches – sometimes literally.
The veteran comedian understands that contestants are living out a dream they’ve had since childhood, and their enthusiasm is part of what makes the show special.
More recently, Carey has developed what some observers call a "cold-blooded" but hilarious habit of immediately moving on from losing contestants.
"When someone loses, Drew Carey has to act fast and find the next person he can to spin the wheel for that Final Showcase," one longtime viewer noted. "As fast as the show moves, there’s not enough time to slow it all down to make someone feel better about losing."
This quick transition keeps the show’s energy high, even if it sometimes comes across as ruthless to viewers watching at home.
Steve Harvey turned Family Feud into a comedy goldmine
Over on Family Feud, Steve Harvey has mastered the art of reacting to contestants’ outrageous answers with perfect comedic timing.
Harvey’s ability to express what the audience is thinking – usually disbelief at incredibly wrong answers – has turned him into a social media sensation.
During a recent celebrity episode featuring Megan Thee Stallion, the rapper gave an answer that left Harvey questioning his sanity.
When asked "When taking a quick shower, how many minutes is it?" during the Fast Money round, Megan answered "an hour."
The audience erupted in laughter as Harvey struggled to process how a one-hour shower could be considered "quick."
But the best moment came when she was asked to "Name something that might be curvy."
Without hesitation, Megan blurted out "Me!" before trying to correct herself to "a body" as the buzzer sounded.
Harvey’s enthusiastic reaction and the audience’s cheering made it one of the most memorable moments of the season.
And incredibly, "Me" was actually the number-one answer on the board, earning 48 points.
Game shows reveal the real character of America
What makes these behind-the-scenes stories so entertaining is that they show the authentic personalities of regular Americans under pressure.
Unlike scripted reality television or carefully managed celebrity appearances, game shows capture genuine human reactions in real-time.
Drew Carey’s observation about his contestants representing "average America" touches on something important that’s often lost in today’s entertainment landscape.
These are people who work regular jobs, raise families, and live the kinds of lives that most Americans can relate to.
Their mistakes, their enthusiasm, and yes, even their questionable pre-show preparation choices, make them more relatable than any carefully crafted television personality.
The fact that some show up slightly impaired only adds to their humanity – they’re nervous, excited, and sometimes they make poor decisions.
But that’s what makes them real.
Game shows like The Price is Right, Jeopardy!, and Family Feud continue to thrive because they showcase authentic American personalities in ways that scripted entertainment simply can’t match.
Whether it’s a contestant knocking over the host, a champion making an embarrassing mistake, or someone showing up under the influence of substances they probably shouldn’t have consumed, these moments create genuine entertainment that can’t be manufactured.
And hosts like Drew Carey, Ken Jennings, and Steve Harvey have learned to embrace the chaos, turning unexpected moments into television gold.
As Carey noted, after 18 years of hosting, he wants to keep going "until I die" because "I can’t imagine giving it up."
With contestants like these, who could blame him?
¹ Drew Carey, quoted in TV Insider interview, "Drew Carey revealed this dirty secret about contestants on The Price is Right," 2024.
² Ken Jennings, "Jeopardy! Host Ken Jennings Makes Clue Error," Newsweek, September 20, 2024.
³ TV Insider, "WATCH: Excited Contestant Knocks Over Drew Carey & 4 More of the Funniest ‘Price Is Right’ Moments," January 25, 2018.
⁴ TV Tropes, "Funny Moments in Family Feud – Steve Harvey," accessed July 18, 2025.
⁵ Newsweek, "The Most Viral ‘Jeopardy!’ Moments This Year," December 24, 2024.