Drew Carey
A Cleveland everyman who parlayed his self-deprecating stand-up into a sitcom empire before becoming the cheerful ringmaster of America's most enduring game show.
Born 1958 (age 68)·American comedian·Birthday: May 23·Baby Boomers
Biography
Drew Carey's journey from a portly, bespectacled insurance clerk in Cleveland to a television institution is a classic American comedy story. After a stint in the Marines, he honed a stand-up act built on relatable gripes about work, weight, and dating, which landed him a spot on 'The Tonight Show.' His big break was a sitcom, 'The Drew Carey Show,' which for nine seasons celebrated blue-collar life with a surreal, locker-room humor that resonated deeply. Simultaneously, his hosting gig on the improv show 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?' showcased his quick wit and genial ability to helm chaos. In 2007, he inherited the ultimate symbol of daytime TV trust, taking over 'The Price Is Right' from Bob Barker, where his enthusiastic, fan-friendly style has welcomed a new generation to the iconic stage.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Drew was born in 1958, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Drew Was Born
The biggest hits of 1958
#1 Movie
South Pacific
Best Picture
Gigi
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Drew's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1958Born
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1963Started school
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1971Became a teenager
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1974Could drive
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1976Could vote
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Turned 21
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1988Turned 30
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 40
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 50
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 60
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 68 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Starred in and produced the hit ABC sitcom 'The Drew Carey Show,' which ran for nine seasons and over 200 episodes.
- Has served as the host of the CBS game show 'The Price Is Right' since 2007, one of the longest-running programs in American TV history.
- Hosted the improvisational comedy series 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?' for its entire ABC and later CW run.
- Won a People's Choice Award for Favorite Male Television Performer in 1998.
Did You Know?
He is a minority owner of the Seattle Sounders FC Major League Soccer team.
Carey is a trained U.S. Marine Corps Reserve rifleman, having served for six years.
He once lost a significant amount of weight on a public bet with filmmaker Michael Moore.
He is an avid fan of the Cleveland Browns and has the team's logo tattooed on his arm.
“Cleveland rocks!”
