Come on down, you're the next contestant on The Price Is Right.
How many times have we all heard those words that send a thrill down our spine?
Well, now Prince George can experience this sheer excitement as CN Centre hosts The Price Is Right Live with host Todd Newton on Wednesday March 6 at 7:30 p.m.
People will get a chance to win appliances, vacations and even new cars by playing classic games from television's longest running and most popular game show.
Contestants will play Plinko, Cliffhanger, spin the Big Wheel, and even get a crack at the Showcase.
There was an opportunity to interview host Todd Newton via e-mail, so I decided that instead of just asking straight answers, that I would approach the task just as I would if I were speaking with the Price Is Right Live host over the phone.
So here's how it went:
Q: Todd Newton, you have the greatest job in the world - people are always happy to meet you! What is the most enthusiastic thing a person has done when they finally make it up on stage at the Live show? Do they get too rough with you - hug you too hard, shake your hand too enthusiastically, run at you full force? Pick you up?
Todd Newton: Well, funny you ask! Just the other night in Little Rock, AR, a wonderful woman won a much needed and much overdue vacation. She was so caught up in the moment that she tackled me to the ground. I loved it because the reaction was true, raw and genuine. I was thrilled just to be sharing the moment with her. I hope she never forgets it...I know I sure won't!
Q: Is there something our readers would be surprised to know about the live stage show? Do a lot of people fall when they spin the big wheel so you had to put a mat down, do people topple props? Do they spin too hard, not enough -- has anyone tried to pick up the cliff hanger hiker? Cheat on Plinko? Have two people thought their name has been called and go to their spot to bid? Anything light-hearted like that would be appreciated!
Todd Newton: One of the major differences between the stage show and the live show-and there aren't many-is that there are no TV cameras and we are not limited to sixty minutes. This means that the audience sets the tone of the show with their energy and no two performances are ever the same because no two audiences are ever the same. Every now and then a technical mishap will occur but we just roll with it because that's what a live show is all about. If a Plinko chip gets stuck or I lose a button off of my jacket from getting hugged too tightly we simply embrace it and make it a part of the show. It's all about the energy. There's nothing like it.
Q: I love the show and I am sure I am not alone in that sentiment. What's the best part of being part of a show that is so incredibly popular?
Todd Newton: I love it, too. The best part of being a part of this show is the fact that I am a game show fan first and a game show employee second. I grew up watching this show. Bob Barker is the man who inspired me to become a game show host and he's also the one who taught me how to do it properly. My father likes to call me day of show and remind me to approach each performance as if it were my first and my last. That's great advice and I adhere to it every night. Each show is a thrill and an honor.
Q: What's your favourite game, Todd? What's your favourite prize? Do you like the idea of people winning a car or trips? And feel free to add anything else, please!
Todd Newton: I'm a Big Wheel guy. The wheel and Plinko always seem to get the biggest reactions. I guess you could say they are our greatest hits. For me, I just love sharing winning moments with the contestants. When I became a parent, I began seeing the world through the eyes of my kids. Several years ago I began incorporating that philosophy into my hosting. I play the games through the contestant's eyes. I get to do this every night, but for them it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience. That's where the magic is. Any prize is a special prize if it means something to the contestant. There's nothing else in the world I'd rather be doing for a living.
To share in this experience, get tickets at all Ticketmaster Outlets and Rogers Wireless Box Offices. Tickets (incl. HST) $25.00, $45.00, $59.50 (plus FMF & Service charges.)
Reserved seating and all ages can attend but participants must be 19+ to register to play.
Check out the details on how to be a contestant at http://cncentre.ca/Lists/Events/EventInfo.aspx?ID=274
