Wayne Brady makes shocking claims about ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ contestants

Wayne Brady is lifting the game show curtain just a bit—and revealing some behind-the-scenes surprises that might make you do a double take. 

The Let’s Make a Deal host recently shared with People that, back in the day, not all contestants showed up in game-ready condition.

“In the early days of the show, for some reason, we had a lot of that,” said Brady, 52, referring to audience members arriving intoxicated or high before tapings.

Imagine showing up for a chance to win a trip to the Bahamas... barely able to remember your own name.

Thankfully, Brady said things have changed for the better. 

“But not a lot recently,” he clarified while attending CBS Fest 2025 in Los Angeles. These days, fans seem to know what they’re signing up for—and it’s not just doors labeled 1, 2, or 3. It’s a fast-paced, interactive improv show where a foggy brain just won’t cut it.

“I’d like to think that our audiences show up ready to play because they know the kind of show they’re getting involved in,” he explained. 

“They know that it’s like an improvisational show. They know the women might ask them to get up and sing. They know that I’m interacting with them. So I think people come lucid because they don’t want to look silly.”

It turns out Brady isn’t the only host who's had to navigate foggy contestants. 

Back in June 2024, The Price is Right host Drew Carey gave a candid peek into his own experiences. 

“Oh, that happens here all the time,” Carey, 66, told TV Insider. “They’ll have a gummy or I’ll smell alcohol on their breath. Not unusual.”