‘The Price Is Right’ Fans Think the Show Is Rigged and Are ‘Demanding Answers’: ‘Could All Blow Up’

Fans are calling out The Price is Right for being rigged and playing favorites to contestants and it’s putting pressure on Drew Carey and everyone else connected with the show to prove otherwise. An insider exclusively tells Closer, “Drew does a fabulous job but scandals like this don’t do anyone any good and it’s got people worried behind the scenes. It’s become an increased talking point that won’t seem to go away.”

According to the source, “Fans are saying it doesn’t add up and [are] demanding answers. The fans are everything to this genre and they dictate a show’s success and if they’re not satisfied, it could all blow up.”

So, what does this mean for the future of the show as the speculation continues to grow like wildfire?

“Drew and company are trying to bury their heads in the sand and ride it out, but it seems a pretty constant debate and something they must defend,” the insider shares. “Everyone connected with the show says it’s complete garbage, but the longer they avoid addressing it publicly the worse it will get.”

During a June episode, contestant Zamone won big when she left the show with a $10,000 payout. Drew, 66, instructed her to spin the wheel three times. Landing on the No. 50 twice, Drew told Zamone that she could win $10,000 if she landed on 15 or $25,000 on 5 for her final spin. The player had luck on her side as she landed on No. 15, taking home the second biggest prize.

However, fans were suspicious that production manipulated the game by allegedly controlling the wheel.

At the time, a former audience member Maria Fitzsimons recalled her experience on The Price Is Right set.

“The producers go down the line and look you right in the eye and ask you questions,” Maria told The Sun. “Nothing is by chance. Everyone is interviewed and they pick from those interviews. They make it seem random, but it’s not. And I think that’s why the show has done so well.”

The Price Is Right debuted in 1972, hosted by Bob Barker. The late TV host entertained fans for three decades and passed the torch to Drew after his 2007 exit.

In June, Drew reacted to being the current longest-standing game show host and shared his future retirement plans.

“I just show up and punch the clock and hope I have a job every day. I don’t think in terms of I’m the longest one,” he told TV Insider at the time. “I do have a goal: I want to keep going until I die. This is my 18th season. I’ve got to get the 35 and 41 so I can catch Bob Barker and Pat Sajak.”

Drew later shared that he still strives to honor Bob’s legacy on the show.

“Ever since the beginning, I wanted to be a good steward. I learned that from when I was a church kid. You got to be a good steward of the Earth and good steward of your family and a good steward of your money,” he explained. “And I want to be a good steward of the show, so I don’t screw it up and wreck it from the very beginning. I was like, ‘Don’t mess it up.’ I just wanted to make sure it was always on.”