Coming into a game show that is a well-oiled machine after 53 seasons can be intimidating. But new showrunner John Quinn said that his days on The Price Is Right are like a dream come true because it “feels like working at Disneyland.”
Quinn took over duties from Evelyn Warfel, who had been the showrunner since 2019, in 2025. With him came a new game — The Lion’s Share, where contestants have the chance to win up to $500,000. He talked to us about the biggest winner the show has ever had with that game.
In an exclusive video shared with us, Quinn shared a day-in-the-life on set. He shared that they typically record three shows in one day, and they take an hour and a half to test all of the games before the show starts. Quinn then goes around each station to make sure they are all prepared for the day, including graphics, games, sounds, and more.
Quinn greeted host Drew Carey and announcer George Gray and praised both men. The showrunner petted some dogs that were in the studio for Pet Adoption Week and stopped by the food pantry for an Uncrustables.
He shared that in staging meetings, they always work two weeks ahead by building the show. “Thanks for spending a day with us here at The Price Is Right. I always say, ‘A day at The Price Is Right is like the happiest day in the world, like Disneyland, but better,” he ended the video.
Find out what Quinn had to say about the games, working on set, the upcoming live show, and more.
TVI: You are fairly new to The Price Is Right. What drew you to make a move from the other game shows you were on to The Price Is Right?
John Quinn: I was lucky enough just to get offered the job. I still can’t believe it. The Price Is Right is the game show that everybody knows; it’s the top of the mountain. I’ve done lots of smaller shows along the way, so it’s nice to be on a show where, when someone asks you what you do, and you say, “I work on The Price Is Right,” you never have to say, “Have you heard of that one?” Everybody knows, because it’s iconic. It’s been around for 54 years and working on it is an absolute honor.”
Working on The Price Is Right has been the chance of a lifetime. I just didn’t realize how much I was going to love it. The staff, the crew, and especially the contestants lend themselves to a very happy and excitable set. The Price Is Right contestants are like nothing I’ve ever seen before; their energy is next-level, and it makes each taping feel special.
People fly in from all over the country and break down in tears upon seeing the stage. This show is their childhood; it reminds them of family members, and it’s been with them their entire lives. So, to see that every day was not something I was really prepared for. That has become my favorite thing about the show: the contestants. It’s like Disneyland. It’s the happiest place on earth. It really is. Taping an episode is just pure happiness.
Going off of the day-in-the-life video that you did, can you describe like what your daily duties and tasks are on set?
I inherited and came into a show that’s been running for 54 years. Everybody knows what they’re doing, and they are really good at it. — So much of that first year for me was just trying to catch up and figure out what’s going on because there are so many moving pieces on this show.
On a tape day, I’m really just overseeing everything. Everybody’s working so hard, and they are all dialed in. Game producers are checking all the games to make sure they’re set up properly, the contestant producers are briefing the contestants, the director and cameras are rehearsing, the audio team is dialing in their levels. Every little piece of it is moving at the same time, and I’m trying to have a bird’s-eye view of all of it to help with any big decisions, or if anything goes wrong. I’m approving last-minute changes, but so much of the work has already been done by the time we get to the stage. Shoot days truly are the fun part!
When they asked me about doing the video, I said, “Sure, it’s not going to be as good as most co-workers who are really doing the work. I’m just overseeing and communicating with as many people throughout the day as I can to make sure everything’s going smoothly.”
The Price Is Right has been on for over 50 seasons. How do you keep the show feeling fresh while also keeping with the tradition of what the fans love?
So right out of the gate on that first season, I just tried to learn and soak up as much information as I could. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it was my mentatlity. I have spent a lot of time reviewing older episodes and seeing things that have worked well, and things that maybe we haven’t tried yet. I spend a lot of time trying to bring in new creative thoughts on special episodes, prizes, contestants, and overall look and feel of the show. This is a proven format, so finding small places to make creative changes can be fun, whether it be a new game like The Lion’s Share or a type of prize we have never had on the show before — hello Big Foot statue!
But as far as keeping the show fresh, I try to always honor the show and the fans who love it. One of the big undertakings we did last year was to create a new game called The Lion’s Share. We really wanted to create something that could give our contestants the chance to go home with a pile of money and would have the viewers on the edge of their seats. When I think about the show, I always try to look at it through the eyes of the viewers and what they would like. Obviously, if you play a game where you can win up to $500,000, that should get the fans and the contestants excited.
Speaking of The Lion’s Share, the game had the biggest win ever this season. What was that moment like?
It was the best day ever! It was crazy, because she really had to be gutsy to keep going for it, but God bless her, she did. It was our Mother’s Day show. She’s a military veteran, and she just had it in her head that those were her numbers, and she was gonna keep going no matter what. We were screaming backstage because we already knew how much she had the potential to win, and we wanted her to win it all. The audience was freaking out, because they’re like, “Please stop risking all your money!”
As producers of the show, we always want the contestants to win, as that makes the best TV, and seeing deserving people win life-changing money is really what it’s all about for me. That was a wild tape day. People were crying and screaming!
What would you say is your favorite The Price Is Right game?
It’s very easy to say Plinko, but I’d say Rat Race! Drew invented that game, and I like it because it’s five toy rats that we simply wind up and let go. We don’t know which rat is going to go fast or slow, so I really like how unsure all of us are when that one plays. Sometimes rats break and don’t even move. I just love a good old-fashioned race, and I like how excited Drew gets about that one!
Is there something about the show or behind the scenes that fans don’t see that you think would surprise them?
I think to me, it’s how much fun everybody’s having behind the scenes. Drew is a huge part of setting that tone. In between every commercial break, Drew goes into the audience and talks to all the fans. He chats with them about anything and everything. I’ve worked on a lot of shows where the breaks are not that much fun. On this show, it’s an opportunity for Drew, George and the models to really connect with the fans … I think that’s pretty special.
The show is just as much fun when the cameras aren’t rolling. George Gray is a riot, and the models, and Drew, and everybody’s having a blast. They’re such wonderful, lovely, genuine people, and I think that’s a big part of why the show has remained so successful.
You mentioned working with Drew Carey. Did he give you any advice on your first day of set? Did he give you any encouraging words?
The two of us had dinner before we started shooting. We talked about the show for about five minutes, and then we talked about a myriad of topics from soccer to DJing to wrestling to Ohio. I remember thinking how easy he was to talk to and how that makes so much sense, as he is the same way with all the contestants.
So, I just tried not to rock the boat at all for him. I think I felt his encouragement in the ways we would interact on tape days … just his overall positive vibes made me feel like things were going ok.
Is there anything that you can tease about the upcoming season?
We are doing a live episode! To me, it already feels like a live show in a lot of ways, and we are all really looking forward to the challenge.
A big part of me wants there to be little mistakes along the way, because it’s live — I think that is what will draw people to the live show — what’s gonna go wrong? I think you want to see a little bit of chaos, so I’m excited to see what happens. If the show is not perfect, that’s good … I think…I hope. We’re already preparing, and we’re not shooting it for six months.
Do you have any advice for people who want to make it onto The Price Is Right? What do you look for in contestants?
Obviously, we’re looking for people with big energy. I think everybody knows that. We want them to come on down and be energized and not afraid to talk and to be comfortable with the show and Drew. I think it helps if you are a super fan, because you can feel that energy and love for the show. I always say that the two biggest rules are: 1) Be yourself and 2) Have Fun, because if you’re having fun, then everybody around you is having fun. Drew’s having fun; the audience is having fun; the at-home viewer is having fun. Positive good vibes only. As I said before, it’s like Disneyland; it’s the happiest place on earth, and the contestants are a HUGE part of that.
The Price Is Right, weekdays, 11a/10c, CBS, stream next day on Paramount+