‘Neil Lipsitz, come on down!’ Beaufort man appears on ‘Price is Right.’ Here’s what he won
Neil Lipsitz has successfully won two elections to the Beaufort City Council but he’s always lost in his nearly 20 attempts to win a spot on “The Price is Right.”
But the local politician’s dream to appear as a contestant on the nation’s longest-running TV game show — each episode is viewed by an estimated 4.3 million people — finally came true on Monday, when an episode featuring Lipsitz was aired.
Lipsitz encountered one hiccup during the show but he left with a few prizes.
Lipsitz and his sister, Judy Thornberry of Florida, attended the taping of the popular show featuring raucous audiences in Glendale, Calif. in December. He was shocked when his name was called.
“I just leaped out of my seat, ‘That’s me! That’s me!’” he said.
On the popular CBS program, hosted by Drew Carey and formerly Bob Barker, the names of audience members are famously called out, followed by “Come on Down!” The contestants then compete by guessing the prices of merchandise.
After he was told to “come on down,” the excited Lipsitz fell down as he rushed to “contestant row.” Lipsitz blamed his bad knees, the three cinnamon rolls and five cups of coffee he had before the show and the shock of being called after more than 30 years of trying for the shaky entrance.
Once fellow contestants helped Lipsitz back to his feet, he maintained his sense of humor. Carey, the host, asked, “Neil, where were you?” Lipsitz replied: “I was on the floor.”
The misstep was edited out of the show.
“I was jumping all over the place for so many reasons,” Lipsitz said.
Lipsitz settled down and won the bid in which contestants estimate the price of a product for the chance to compete in the on-stage game. The product was two drones. Lipsitz’s estimate of $1,350 was the closest to the actual price of $1,700. When he realized his estimate had won, Lipsitz placed his hand on his heart and rushed to the stage where Carey shared some information about him with the audience.
“So this is Neil’s 18th time coming to the show,” Carey said. “Finally got picked.”
The 66-year-old Lipsitz, whose family ran an iconic Beaufort department store for decades, has always loved the concept of “The Price is Right.” He even records shows he misses. “When I’m stressed, I watch a couple episodes,” Lipsitz says.
He lost the game but wasn’t disappointed.
“It was an experience of a lifetime,” Lipsitz said.
And he got to keep the two drones, which he says he’ll give away to friends.
This story was originally published March 27, 2025 at 4:34 PM.
