Have any SD’ers ever been on the show, won a prize?
Say the guys who win a hot tub or a bedroom set and are from out of state. Do they get the stuff delivered to their home, or can they take a cash equivalent?
And they also have to pay IRS tax right? Right away, or at the end of the year?
It’s actually about time they start to increase the prizes, $500? $250? But I guess people still go for the show whatever the prize is.
So what happens after 6 contestants are picked? Does everyone have to leave and a different group of people come in? Or can you stay the whole day? If I’m coming from MN, it would seem disappointing not to get picked just for one show and then have to go home. And how do they get so many people every time?
I don’t know the answer to most of them, but I hoped I would bump this up because i REALLY want to know too-
the part after the six contestants are picked and whether everybody else who flew great distances just have to go home.
But I do know that usually you take th ecash equivalent of the prizes, because most people wouls rather have the cash than a new outdoor jacuzzi or pink convertible (I am drawing this from a column of Cecil’s i just don’t feel like searching for it- sorry), and it’s easier because they would rather give you the cash than go through the trouble of shipping an outdoor jacuzzi.
And yes, you DO need to pay taxes on the prizes (or cash equivalent).
The shows almost always offer the cash equivalent, and most people take it.
For U.S. citizens paying U.S. taxes, the taxes are due the same time taxes are normally due – April 15 of the following year.
HOWEVER, it the game show winnings are high, then your normal withholding will be insufficient and you will be subject to pretty significant penalties. Thus, there may be some earlier withholding required on large winnings.
I was in the audience for this show a few months ago, so I can answer. The guy sitting next to me got on the show. He said it took a few weeks to get his prizes delivered (they do pay for delivering to your home), & he was NOT offered the cash value, just take it or leave it for each prize. Yes, he has to pay taxes on the retail value of the prizes he kept. I don’t think any taxes were withheld; it would be up to him to pay when he files, but the show will report the prizes to the IRS as income.
They usually tape two shows a day, with different audiences. It takes several hours of waiting in line to get in, because everyone is “interviewed” to be a contestant. Nobody in the crowd knows who the contestants will be until they are called to come on down. They tape the show in real time (an hour for an hour-long show). During commercial breaks Bob Barker talks to the audience. And since the contestants aren’t chosen until that day, none of them travel there at the show’s expense.
The way the show works, IIRC (I read this somewhere . … ) is that all the ticketholders for the day show up a couple hours before the show tapes. They are interviewed in small groups (like 10 people or so), the producers pick a bunch of them (the ones with more personality, and all that stuff) and those names are drawn randomly during the show. I don’t think they tell you if you are picked, hence the surprise on some people’s faces. All the ticketholders are the audience. Anyway, I THINK all this is right. . .
I’ll second TampaFlyer’s info, since I too am a former audience member. No cameras are allowed. They tend to pick perky, excited people that they discover during the interview process. During our show they picked another girl who was on our honeymoon, which means she probably just beat out my wife for a spot. We did sit in the front row, and anytime they showed Contestant’s Row, we were on TV. Pretty fun experience.
Buddy, if you brought another girl on your honeymoon, either you have the most open-minded wife in the world, or not getting on The Price is Right is the least of your problems.
Here’s humorously ironic dialog taked from the first episode of “The Price is Right”:
*Announcer: A fortune in fabulous prizes may go to these people today, if they know when THE PRICE IS RIGHT! Sandy Florinar, stand up! Paul Levine, stand up! Connie Dunnall, stand up! Myra Carter, stand up! And all four of you come on down; you’re the first contestants on “THE NEW PRICE IS RIGHT”! [theme plays] And now, here’s the STAR of “The New Price Is Right,” BOB BARKER! Bob Barker: Oh my! Thank you! Thank you so much! Welcome to “The New Price Is Right.” And let me assure you fans of the OLD “Price Is Right,” that this is your favorite game still based on the pricing of merchandise with WONDERFUL awards for smart shoppers! We call it “The New Price Is Right,” because we have some exciting NEW games that you will enjoy right there at home with our studio audience, and we’re going to get that first game going right now. Here’s the FIRST item up for bids on “The New Price Is Right”! Announcer: It’s a fur coat!
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