West Deer woman wins big on 'The Price is Right' - TribLIVE

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Mary Kay Giarrusso was the big winner on “The Price is Right.”

The West Deer resident won $34,202.97 on Friday’s show, broadcast on CBS at 11 a.m.

“The experience was amazing,” said Giarrusso.

The show was taped in early March, and Giarrusso said, “I couldn’t remember everything that happened, so I was so happy to watch it and see how I did.”

Here’s how she did:

She arrived on bidder’s row and chose a perfect number of $1,500 for a television. That perfect bid also earned her $500. Once on stage with host Drew Carey, she played the “Bargain Game,” where she had to choose which item was the best bargain according to the price that was displayed. There was a ping-pong table tennis game and designer accessories of high-heeled shoes and hand bags as well as men’s footwear. She chose the designer accessories, which were $4019 versus the $2,819 price shown, and won both prizes.

She said designer items are often overpriced so that’s why she chose the accessories.

Next, she spun the wheel to qualify for the Showcase showdown.

She spun 80 cents and moved on to the showcase at the end of the show.

#PriceIsRight is nominated for an Outstanding Game Show #DaytimeEmmy! 🧡 Read more about this year's nominations here: https://t.co/LSuUXJUMJh pic.twitter.com/IlA8ykHGem

— The Price Is Right (@PriceIsRight) May 21, 2020

Her showcase bid of $24,000 was $1,934 away from the original price. She won a Bluetooth sound system, six-night stay in Cozumel, Mexico, for two and a Nissan Versa.

She and her husband celebrated – while social distancing — with neighbors in the front yard after the show on Friday morning. They had sandwiches and champagne. They had planned a viewing party at the clubhouse for their neighbors at Pittsburgh National Golf Club. But those plans changed because of covid-19 restrictions.

Giarrusso, who grew up in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Morningside, lived in Long Island, N.Y., for many years with her husband, Joseph, and returned to the region for retirement. The couple loves to golf so before going to Hollywood for the taping of the show, they visited Palm Springs, Calif., to hit the links.

“The Price is Right” is Joseph Giarrusso’s favorite show.

“My husband was perfect because he gave me all the prices,” his wife said. “I’ve had so many people calling me to tell me they want a pair of the stilettos I won. It was all a blur so I am so happy I got to watch it. I thought maybe I was going to look like a deer in the headlights, but I looked like I was having fun and I was having fun.”

The couple said keeping the secret of the final result was difficult. After the showcase, Carey gave her a license plate that read, “I won this car on The Price is Right,” but she kept it under her bed so no one would see it.

“This is the best neighborhood,” she said Friday as neighbors were heard congratulating her in the background in the driveway. “My phone has been ringing off the hook.”

She is required to pay taxes on the winnings, she said. When the prizes start showing up, it will be like Christmas, she said. They plan to get rid of one of their cars once the new one arrives.

“I was so proud of my wife,” her husband said.

“It was hard to see from the audience but after watching it on TV, I can tell you that the woman you saw was natural Kay. Everyone loves her attitude toward life. She is the best wife any man could ever want,” Joseph Giarrusso said. “She went to the show because she knows I love the show. I yelled out the prices, but she put her personality into being there. We are in heaven right now. We are going to watch this show a million more times.”

JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact JoAnne at 724-853-5062, jharrop@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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