The Price Is Right Fans Can't Help Cringing Over This Terrible Bid

At the heart of American consumerism lies "The Price is Right," a game show that asks contestants to guess the price of merchandise in exchange for cash and other goodies. The first iteration of the franchise kicked off in 1956 and ran until 1965, though the one we know and love started its run in 1972. Bob Barker originally hosted the second iteration before handing over the pricing scale to funnyman Drew Carey in 2007. The series still boasts quality viewership despite how streaming content is more popular than ever. For instance, for the week of May 16 to 20, 2022, the series received close to 4 million views on its current network, CBS.

With over 9,000 episodes under its belt, per TV Insider, the series shows no signs of stopping. Seeing as multiple new episodes air weekly alongside old reruns, there have been several iconic moments over the last five decades that perfectly encapsulate what makes the guessing show so special. After all, who can forget the youth pastor that created history by making a bid of $1 million? Or the time "The Price is Right" gave away literal elephants as prizes? While these moments fill fans of the show up with joy and excitement, there are some moments that have left viewers scratching their heads.

Fans of "The Price is Right" can't help but laugh at this strange but enthusiastic bid from an episode that aired on July 28, 2014, per the YouTube description. The brief clip from the CBS series showcases the "One Bid" segment, which sees four contestants bidding on a product. The contestant with the closest bid gets to continue the game. As seen in the above clip, contestants are bidding over an air hockey table. Three out of the four contestants have average, realistic bids below the $825 mark. The final contestant, however, eagerly places her bid at $5,001, which leads to shock and awe from the audience.

YouTube commenters weren't too kind to the fan either. User Red Zoom confusingly asked if the "The Price is Right" contestant "[has] just never bought like anything??" "Bob Barker would have clowned her in a funny way," wrote a second user, Karen Thomas. Former "The Price is Right" host Bob Barker was well-known for being playful with audience members and constants, especially when they gave ludicrous answers. 

Some users, like Ben Krueger, gave the contestant the benefit of the doubt, saying, "She most likely meant $501, but being on a game show she was nervous and made a mistake."

Notable contestants such as Terry Kniess, have discussed how they've spent months analyzing previous episodes to ensure their bids are as accurate as possible (via Esquire). While the contestant in the video may have given a cringy guess considering the actual price, viewers like Ariel Gonzalez, who also commented on the video, can't deny how it seemed like an exact bid.