Mary Byrne
If you happened to watch “The Price Is Right” on April 1, you were joined by dozens of others on the East Coast who tuned in to support a Belmont woman’s chance at success.
And no, this isn’t an April Fool’s joke.
That’s because Kate Craig, a lifelong resident, joined thousands of contestants on an episode of the long-running game show that aired April 1. After a series of games during which she guessed the price of different items, the 23-year-old woman became the lucky winner of a Toyota Camry LE.
“It was crazy,” she said. “It was kind of a whirlwind. I know the filming was like two hours or so, but it really went by so fast when I was on stage.”
For Craig’s mom, Joan Craig, attending the show was something she’d talked about doing for a long time.
‘”I’ve been a fan for years,” Joan said. “Most people in my age group—I’m in my early 60s—we watched it with our mothers or grandmothers. The show’s been on for 50 years. Most people have watched it at some point.”
Joan reserved tickets to the show—originally for herself and her twin sister, who ultimately couldn’t make it—and booked a trip to Los Angeles in February. Once there, the Craigs checked in, and producers interviewed audience members as a group to judge who might “make good television.”
“They would kind of gauge your energy or excitement levels … to see who might be interesting or excitable people to have on the show,” recalled Kate.
After three days of taping, Kate got the call.
“I had a feeling that either me or my mom was going to get called,” said Kate. “I just had a sneaking suspicion.”
Craig said the audience was so loud she could barely hear her name being called. Instead, she knew she was selected because she saw someone holding a sign with her name.
“It was funny; my mom was like, ‘You didn’t even hug me or high-five me when you went down,’ ” she said. “My ‘fight or flight’ kicked in, and I was like,’ if you don’t get down there now, someone will take your place.’ “
When game show host Drew Carey beckoned Kate to “come on down,” she joined the other contestants and offered the closest guess (without going over) for the cost of a digital camera. Next up was a game that eventually led to her winning the car.
“After watching it live a bunch, I was kind of getting a feel for what kind of items they pick and … around the price range that things were,” she said.
Because she lives in Massachusetts, where no local dealerships partner with the show, Kathryn said the show offered her a check for the Toyota’s value. If there had been a partner dealership, she would have been able to choose a car on their lot of equal or lesser value.
Kate and her mom said that keeping the big prize a secret the last few months has not been an easy task.
“It was so difficult, because my mom—she loves to talk and share things with people,” Kate said. “It was the most difficult… secret [to keep] for a long time.”
People have asked Kate how she intends to spend the prize money when it eventually arrives, but she’s not sure yet. Having recently graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design, she has student loans that would benefit from the prize, but others have encouraged her to spend it on something for herself.
“I don’t know what I would get for myself,” she said. “So I have until it shows up to figure out what I’m going to use it for.”
