'Come On Down!' Hundreds Audition In White Marsh For 'The Price Is Right'
WHITE MARSH, Md. (WJZ)—You see it every weekday at 11 a.m. here on WJZ. It's "The Price Is Right," hosted by Drew Carey.
Ron Matz reports a huge crowd turned out hoping to become a contestant on one of the most popular game shows in television history.
More than 400 people lined up with a dream.
"Come on down!" They hope to hear those famous words in person.
Friday was a chance to audition for "The Price Is Right."
"I consider myself a good bidder, a good rationalizer, and I hope to become a contestant," said Ron Gutowski, of Abingdon. "I tend to be a trivia buff. I like reflections of the past, going back to the quiz shows, back to 'The Price Is Right' with Bill Cullen and Bob Barker. It just puts back your roots and so forth. The show of the quality of 'The Price Is Right' has a lot of sentimentality for me."
Linda Johnson, of Northeast Baltimore, made it to an audience in 1987 and is hoping to have better luck this time.
"I made it to the audience when I was visiting my son in Fort Ord, Calif., but I didn't get on the show," Johnson explained."I love the show. I watch it religiously. I am an avid fan of 'The Price Is Right.' I love it,"
Kathy Sweat and the Drew Crew came from Dundalk to Value City Furniture in White Marsh, joining the crowd at the Baltimore contestant search.
"The Drew Crew is brewing, hon. Natty Boh ,baby!" Sweat said.
Reed Bjorntvedt, of Kent Island, worked all night on a special T-shirt that read "I DREW this shirt, hoping it will CAREY me to the Showcase Showdown."
"I think I'm the youngest fanatic," Bjorntvedt said. "I got into the show just in this last year, and I've turned all my friends onto it. My day doesn't start 'til 'The Price Is Right' is over. I've scheduled all my college classes around it."
The hopefuls had 30 seconds to make their case before the camera.
"I got here a little after eight o'clock last night, but it's going to be worth it," Johnson said.
There's excitement all around.
"This is the first time at this location that we've been involved in something like this. We're excited about it, and we think it's going to have a great impact not only for the store but for the community as well," said Jeff Cottman, Value City Furniture manager.
Two lucky Baltimore winners will attend a taping in Los Angeles, and one will make it to contestants row.
"It went well, and I want everyone in Baltimore to know that I'm the one that's going to California," said Deborah Barney, of East Baltimore.
The winners from Friday's auditions will be announced at a later date.
In a recent survey, TV Guide ranked "The Price Is Right" No. 5 in the top 60 all-time TV game shows.
