The price was right for one USU student
Whitney Kofford is one student that can say she had a memorable spring break.
This fourth-year student majoring in photography ventured out to the west California coast for her mid-semester break. Not knowing what was to come, Kofford said she sought a good time with friends in attempting to appear on the game show “The Price is Right.”
Kofford said she was at the gym one morning when she saw the show air and thought to obtain tickets to a filming of the show. When she returned home, Kofford went online and got tickets but they told her that even with tickets, a spot in the audience was not guaranteed.
On a sunny California morning, Kofford said she and her friends decided to arrive at the studio at 6 a.m. to receive an order-of-arrival pass. Kofford was number 22. With spots secured, Kofford and her friends returned around noon and found they had been bumped up in line. Kofford was then given the famous pricetag name badge and proceeded through the studio to participate in a pre-screening group interview. Kofford said one man would ask individuals questions while a woman would jot down notes about potential contestants.
“I just had this feeling … I just knew I was going to make it up there,” Kofford said.
From then on, the crowd of 200-300 was asked to wait until filming would begin.
“It was way fun, even the line, because we met a lot of people,” Kofford said.
Feeling antsy, Kofford ended up in the third row of the set and enjoyed music and old episodes of the show. She then said everyone was getting pumped up for the show to begin when “all of a sudden, it just started.”
Because of all the excitement, Kofford said she did not actually hear the announcer call her name, but she saw it on a cue card producers hold up to help contestants know when they have been selected to play. Kofford was the third contestant called to play.
“I swear I was going to have a panic attack, I was like ‘oh my gosh!'”
Sophomore Stephanie Romney, who was on the trip with Kofford, said, “We were completely surprised because we had been joking about Whitney being the one that would be called up on stage the whole day.”
After arriving at her podium, Kofford saw host Drew Carey appear on stage before understanding it was her turn to bid on the first item, a plasma TV. Kofford said it was ironic because she had just been looking at plasma’s online, but she ended up losing the bid. Kofford also lost the second round of bidding. When the third round began, a free standing range was presented and it was time for Kofford to bid once again.
“I looked back to my friends and this lady next to them that I had sort of talked to earlier was saying, ‘$2,400!’ then changed her mind and said, ‘$2,000′,” said Kofford.
Kofford made her bid $2,000.
The actual retail price was $2,400 and Kofford was announced the winner.
“I ran up there (on stage) and and gave Drew Carey a huge hug then did a little dance,” Kofford said.
“He kept kind of singing, ‘you’re on the Price is Right… you’re on the Price is Right,’ as I danced,” Kofford said.
Carey then presented Kofford with the game “Switch?” where, according to www.thepriceisright.com, the contestant is asked to decide whether the price of two prizes are to be switched or to stay as they are. If correct, the player wins both prizes. Kofford said she turned to the audience and tried to make her decision. She said to Carey that she would switch the prices of the products. Carey exclaimed that Kofford was a winner and would take home a large steam shower and a home gym.
Kofford ran to check out her prizes and Carey said, “Do you realize you just won $12,000 worth of prizes?”
Kofford said she was then directed off stage where producers explained she would advance to be part of the big wheel spin after the commercial break. Kofford ended up being second to spin the wheel and spun a total of about 85 cents, the highest amount yet.
“The whole thing is so fast-paced,” she said.
It was the third contestant’s turn to spin, and as luck would have it, the contestant spun the highest amount possible, one dollar, ending Kofford’s winning streak.
When Kofford exited the stage, she had to fill out paperwork and was then able to return to the audience to watch the rest of the filming.
After the show, Kofford was taken aside backstage to fill out more paperwork and was surprised to find her prizes would be delivered to her home within 90 days. She would also have to pay taxes on her winnings.
“The whole thing was so fun,”Kofford said. “It was like I had this little ‘Price is Right’ family because everyone was saying ‘Way to go Whitney!'”
Despite not appearing on stage, Romney said, “It was so much fun and I’m going to go again. I would recommend it to any college student because it is free and a great experience.”
After leaving the studio, Kofford said she called her family to tell them her news.
“They didn’t believe me!” Kofford said.
Kofford said she plans on selling her prizes to buy a new camera that Nikon will soon release, as well as paying for some school.
“The possibilities are endless,” Kofford said.
Kofford will appear on the Thursday, April 7, episode of “The Price is Right,” which airs at 9 a.m., and she will be hosting a potluck breakfast to celebrate.
– jessie.a.sweat@aggiemail.usu.edu