Midmorning With Aundrea - October 27, 2020 (Part 4)

(Part 4 of 4) After nearly 50 years on the air, "The Price Is Right" is making a few adjustments in answer to the pandemic.

This upcoming season will be the first without a studio audience.

Af after nearly 50 years on the air, "the price is right holds the title of t-v's longest- running game show.

But like so many hollywood productions, the pandemic shut it down in march.

Now, network television's number-one rated daytime series is firing back up with new safety protocols in place.

Dana jacobson spoke with host drew carey about some of the big changes.

I'm on price is right!

Ahhh!

With unbridled enthusiasm and unchecked affection, contestants have always been the stars of the show.

&come on down, you're the next contestant on the price is right.

More than á2 millioná exuberant fans have taken part in the price is right.

Fans cheering in line &it all starts here at cbs studios in hollywood where fans from across the country& i'm am from san antonio, texas i'm from buffalo, new york &line up and do whatever it takes to get noticed.

On hiatus since march because of the pandemic, the price is right is now taping again but doing so for the first time áwithout an audienceá.

And that's not the only big change...host drew carey debuted a new look.

The beard, is the beard a covid creation?

To be honest //a lot of this stuff about covid, if you haven't been sick, it's kind of been a little bit of a blessing in disguise to be shut down so much, because i had a lot of time for introspection and self-reflection.// a lot of spiritual growth this summer.

// and part of me wanted to reflect it with// a different look.//so let me just grow a beard and see what it looks like.

When it came out and then i kept it, ha ha ha.

Restarting production took months of planning.

The set was reconfigured to add social distance, crew members wearing masks work in zones.

Safety protocols include cleaning and testing.

Executive producer evelyn warfel, says one thing was not- negotiable& if you don't hear george at the top of the show say "come on down!"

It's not "the pric is right!"

So i thin for us the biggest challenge was, ha ha, how are we going to do a "come on down without an audience.

We struggled with that.

Natsot clip-"com on down!.."

You have the signature line.

There still is the "come on down.

Yeah, yeah.// i haven't been backstage to look but i've been told about it.//they unhook their ears and they hold their mask over their face.

And if we hear their name, they throw the mask out and run out.

So they're just as surprised.

Natsot- contestant goes crazy,winds up on floor, gets up and hugs drew what you won't see during the pandemic are contestants getting close to the host...bear hugs are off limits.

Now i remember seeing video of you getting knocked down by a contestant, so is this almost potentially safer, now that you have social distancing like keeping them from you?

Yeah.

Nobody's picking me up and swirling me around,// but i liked, you know, high five-ing people, and i like hugs and, like you know, none of that anymore, man.

Natsot barker clip- "he kissed me and can tell you he needs a shave!"

"the price is right first aired on cbs in 1972.

Bob barker, with his warmth and easy-going style, helmed the show for 35 years.

He passed the stick mic to comedian drew carey 13 years ago.

Natsot you were on in '76..

And you won an airplane?

An airplane sweetheart.

We were looking for a car, needed a car real bad, and a freaken airplane comes out, man!

A freaken airplane!!

In nearly half a century, more than á$250 millioná dollars in cash and prizes have been given away with a live audience cheering non-stop.

Natsot - "this one", "y next week, the audience-free show will premiere with a primetime special.

Natsot - clip -i got a beard, i'm not wearing a tie and tonight we're saluting essential workers.

Yea!

A small way for the price is right to give back... something warfel hopes it continues to do for the audience at home, despite the changes especially in these times, when people are really having a difficult time// they want to see shows that are fun, and exciting and bring a little bit of joy and happiness.

Carey's goal is simple, to help constestants enjoy the moment.

I'm a host, and i'm hosting a little bit of a smaller party than i used to.

So i want everybody to be comfortable and we love it when people win.//you know, everybody backstage is rooting for people to win.//never has anybody back there said, "o we've got to save some money.

I hope they lose" ha ha ha of course you can watch "the price i right" weekda mornings at 10 o'clock right here on wcbi.

We'll be right back to wrap things th that and more on the next midmorning.