Before Aaron Paul cooked up fake meth in Breaking Bad, he was just another broke twenty-something with a dream—and six Red Bulls in his system—trying to win a car on The Price Is Right. Now, nearly 25 years later, Paul is reliving that chaotic, caffeine-fueled game show appearance in front of millions—this time while sweating bullets on Hot Ones.
The worlds of The Price Is Right and Hot Ones couldn’t be more different: one is a feverish scramble for prizes with everyday people screaming, “Come on down!”, the other is a slow-burning celebrity interview series that tests guests’ composure against an onslaught of increasingly spicy wings. But Paul, somehow, connects them both—and in his recent Hot Ones interview, he finally addressed the wild ride that was his 2000 game show debut.
Aaron Paul Makes a Memorable Appearance on ‘The Price Is Right’
Just how embarrassing was Paul’s appearance on the iconic game show? Back then, he still went by his real name, Aaron Sturtevant, and it was something to behold. He appeared back in 2000, when Bob Barker was the host, and the moment his name was called, he charged down the aisle with manic energy, shouting, ‘You’re the man, Bob! You’re my idol!'” No, he hadn’t been practicing for the role that made him famous, but did confess that he “literally had six cans of Red Bull, obviously.”
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He landed on the stage after making his first bid, and was beside himself when Barker revealed that he could win a brand-new sports car by playing “Dice.” To play, the contestant rolls four dice, one at a time, on a table in an effort to guess the last four digits of the car’s price. If the roll matches the digit, it’s revealed. If it’s not, they must guess if the actual digit is higher or lower than what is rolled. Aaron nailed the first three digits, but guessed wrong on the last digit and lost out. But after successfully spinning the Big Wheel, he made it to the showcase round, where he had a chance to win another car. Alas, it was not to be, as Aaron overestimated the price of the car by a mere $132, going home with nothing but the desk he won on Contestant’s Row.
Aaron Paul is Indignant (?) at Sean Evans for Bringing Up ‘The Price Is Right’
Fast-forward 25 years to Paul’s appearance on Hot Ones. With Paul beginning to sweat profusely from the wings, Evans drops this bomb:
“How would you distill the experience of being a contestant on The Price Is Right, because when I watch the 2000 appearance, which has millions of views on YouTube, it seems like such an emotional roller coaster.”
Mocking indignation, Paul retorted, “How dare you bring that up?” He then proceeded to talk about the experience. “I was struggling. I needed money, and we could use that sports car. I could have used that car, right? And I was so depressed when I bid $132 over and then my buddy actually stayed.” Paul continued, explaining how insult had been added to injury. “They did two tapings that day, and he [his buddy] won the Showcase Showdown. He won a trip to Fiji, New Orleans and London.” At least it wasn’t a car, and it wasn’t a total loss for Paul, with him adding that his buddy took him to New Orleans with him.
Evans then produced a photo of a 2024 Chevy, giving him another shot at guessing the MSRP on it without going over, a chance to redeem himself after failing so long ago. He guessed $34,695, but just as he had before, he bid too high, with the car listed at $30,000. That would mark the third time Paul missed out, as a previous appearance on The Late Late Show saw him compete against James Corden for the same car on The Price Is Right set, only to lose out then, too. Perhaps stick to what you’re best at, Aaron Paul – making fake meth.
The Price Is Right airs weekdays on CBS.