By Luke Purvis
The Ramspondent
When you think of The Price Is Right, you imagine complete chaos with flashing lights directly in your face. For Jayla Hodge, a filmmaker in Los Angeles and a CSU alumna, her experience on The Price is Right was a whirlwind journey of nerves.
Jayla’s adventure started with a sleepless night. She went out the night before, got no rest, and was slightly hungover when chosen. Running on coffee and espresso, she said she remembers being “coffee high” on stage, shaking and with her jaw twitching from nerves and caffeine.
Jayla’s motivation to appear on The Price Is Right was personal. “To win!” she said.
Her mother and grandmother were fans of the show, and though they didn’t fully grasp her world as a filmmaker or what it meant to work in LA, Jayla saw the show as a way to help them understand.
“I wanted to do something fun because I’m in LA, but at the same time, I was raising money for my film projects.”
Jayla describes her experience on the show as overwhelming but exciting.
“It was really fun, but hectic. The room is deafening, which only adds to the pressure,” she said. It wasn’t until she set foot on stage that the reality of being on national television truly hit her, she added.
Jayla was reflecting on her twin sister, who was also in the audience. The sisters had joked about switching places... her twin had studied and prepared, ready for the spotlight.
During auditions, producers fired rapid questions at 200 hopefuls, searching for the best vibrant personalities. Jayla’s energy stood out; she earned a coveted spot on stage. “When they called my name, I ran up fast,” she said.
The idea of the twins switching places lingered.....
“That would’ve made national news! But how could they have proved it?”
While sitting in the audience, Jayla felt a strange certainty moments before her name was called. “You have 10 seconds to prepare,” she said. The experience was insane, but even crazier, she made it all the way to the Showcase Showdown, with prizes like a motorcycle, a car, and a trip to New Zealand within reach.
“To fall apart in the final round… the whole audience goes ‘awwwwwwwwwwwwwww’.”
Off-camera, Hodge explained how Drew Carey was just as friendly as he was on TV. “He was rooting for me to win, trying to be as helpful as possible.”
Jayla felt like the underdog throughout the game. She encountered a classic Price Is Right trick where every time she guessed, someone would bid a dollar higher.
“That’s sooo fucking shady,” she said.
In the chaos, she lost her individual game, overwhelmed by the loud noise and excitement.
“I was running around flustered, hearing awwwwwws from the audience.”
Carey called her daring and risky, especially after she spun the wheel again when she didn’t need to (her number was 60). Caught up in the moment, she acted on instinct. Miraculously, she managed to move on (scoring a 96), beating the odds.
Unfortunately, Jayla didn’t win the grand prize. She remembers the sad walk back to her car, and she remembers audience members calling out, “Sooo close! We were rooting for you!”
Still, she walked away with a brand new 75-inch TV. She sold the TV to raise money for her next project.
Today, Jayla is hard at work on her production, “A Flow,” a heartfelt family drama about a mother and daughter’s journey after a car accident.
Jayla’s biggest tip for anyone dreaming of game show glory: “Prepare!”
Her appearance on The Price Is Right became a powerful marketing tool. Her experience opened opportunities to expand her network and land interviews.
“One spin, one bid, and one wild adventure at a time,” she said.
Luke Purvis is a CSU Journalism and Media Communication student. He hopes to gain as much knowledge as possible so that he can come prepared when he graduates.
What’s Happening in Fort Collins this week (Oct. 6-12)
Compiled by A.J. Merriman of The Ramspondents
Monday, Oct. 6
Time: noon to 10 p.m.
Old Town Putt
244 N College Avenue, #Suite 112
Tuesday, Oct. 7
Pumpkins + Pours: Candle Making Night
By Taste and Savor Wine Bar
Price: Early Bird Special: $50 through October 7
Time: 6 to 7 p.m.
Taste and Savor Wine Bar
3581 E Harmony Road, Ste 130
On Oct. 7 at 6 p.m., Taste & Savor is hosting an immersive candle-making night with Burn Candle Bar. You’ll create your own custom-scented candle in a pumpkin-shaped vessel, choosing from seasonal blends like apple, maple, vanilla, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice.
Wednesday, Oct. 8
Swiftie Social/Album Release Party
Ginger and Baker
359 Linden St.
Price: $50
Time: 5 to 8 p.m.
Join your fellow Swifties on The Rooftop for a The Life of a Showgirl album release party. Come in your best showgirl outfit. There will be a photo booth, themed mocktails and cocktails, Charcu-TAY-rie, and much more.
Thursday, Oct 9
Bonsai Workshop at Gilded Goat Brewing Company-Midtown
3500 S. College Ave #194
Price: $85.00
Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Beginner workshops are perfect for you to grab your friends, grab a drink and come make tiny trees.
Friday, Oct. 10
College Nights @ Fort Fun
Fort Fun 1513 E. Mulberry Street
Price: $20
Time: 9 to 11 p.m.
Welcome college students! Enjoy some fun reserved only for you, your friends and your classmates. You get Unlimited Go-Karts, Mini-Golf, Laser Tag, and a $5 game card for $20 per person. Each night will also have its own unique event(s) not normally available during our regular operating hours.
Event Nights:
10/10/2025 - Laser Tag Tournament - Top three teams earn prizes
10/24/2025 - Halloween Fest - Fall inspired Food, Beverage and Games
There is limited capacity for these events, so an advanced reservation is encouraged but not required. Valid student ID required for entry. All online sales are final and non-refundable.
Friday, Oct. 10 to Sunday, Oct. 12
The Addams Family
The Lincoln Center 417 W. Magnolia St.
Price: $35-$90+
Time: 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
A comical feast that embraces the wackiness in every family, The Addams Family is the magnificently macabre hit musical featuring everyone’s favorite creepy, kooky characters. Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family. A man her parents have never met. And if that weren’t upsetting enough, she confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before—keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents.
Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 12-13
FoCo Fall Fest
19 Old Town Square
Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Presented by Team Player Productions, the first annual FoCo Fall Festival on October 11 and 12 is a free, community outdoor bazaar-style festival. More than 80 local businesses, breweries, artisans, and food purveyors line the famous Old Town Square alongside live music and other fall activities.