Out of 229 attendees, only nine were picked to participate in the show, and Weinert was one of them.
Weinert, was in Los Angeles with his wife, Sherri, and brother-in-law, Shawn Brown, before heading on a three week cruise to Hawaii to honor his mother-in-law who passed away several years ago.
“She always dreamed of going to Hawaii,” Weinert said. “This was a trip to spread her ashes.”
Brown had the idea of going to”The Price Is Right” and after the initial interview process, Brown suspected Weinert would be picked to participate because the producer spent more time talking to him.
Weinert said he knew he was picked seconds before his name was called because there was a large poster board with his name on it.
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“I saw that and my head went down in the seat,” Weinert said. “It doesn’t show my wife pushing me out as much as she did. It was like pushing a mule out of a seat because I was like this can’t be happening to me.”
When Weinert placed a bid on six pairs of women’s sunglasses, he said he was still in disbelief.
“I have no idea where I came up with that bid,” Weinert said. “Which was only half the price.”
Once on stage, he played the Switcharoo game, winning an ATV and an “unbelievable” refrigerator. He went on to spin the wheel and walked away with $1,000 and a spot in the Showcase Showdown.
“The wheel was a lot heavier than I thought it would be,” Weinert said. “It takes a little effort to spin that wheel.”
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During the Showcase Showdown, Weinert said the realization set in. He placed a lower bid of $19,500 on a car because he thought his competitor over-bid.
He did not win the Showcase Showdown.
“At that point I was happy. I was a winner and I was glad to see someone else win,” Weinert said. “The only thing I regret is I didn’t win the showcase and get them (Sherri and Brown) up on stage.”
He did not share that he was on the game show to his family - until they watched the show together on Feb. 7.
“Now I watch it all the time,” Weinert said. “The best part is when people’s names get called and I just smile and laugh because I know that feeling - it’s just a feeling of disbelief.”
Weinert said he is now recognized around St. Paris as “that guy on The Price Is Right.”
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