Drew Carey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Drew Carey
Carey in 2019
Birth name	Drew Allison Carey
Born	(1958-05-23) May 23, 1958 (age 67) Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Medium	Film, stand-up, television
Years active	1985–present
Genres	Improvisational comedy
Notable works and roles	The Drew Carey Show Drew Carey's Green Screen Show Host of: Whose Line Is It Anyway? The Price Is Right Power of 10 Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1981–1987
Rank	Sergeant (E-5)
Unit	United States Marine Corps Reserve

Drew Allison Carey (born May 23, 1958) is an American comedian, actor, and game show host. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He became famous for his stand-up comedy.

Carey starred in his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show. He also hosted the American version of the improv comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway?. Both shows aired on ABC. Since October 15, 2007, Carey has hosted the game show The Price Is Right on CBS.

Drew Carey has many interests, including sports and entertainment. He has worked as a photographer at U.S. men's national team soccer games. He is also a part-owner of the Major League Soccer team Seattle Sounders FC. This team won the MLS Cup in 2016 and 2019. Carey even took part in professional wrestling once. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011.

Early Life and Education

Carey in his U.S. Marine Corps uniform, with rank insignia of a Corporal

Drew Carey was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 23, 1958. His parents were Lewis and Beulah Carey. He is the youngest of three brothers. He grew up in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood of Cleveland. When Drew was eight, his father passed away.

Drew played the cornet and trumpet in his high school marching band. He graduated from James Ford Rhodes High School in 1976. He then went to Kent State University (KSU). He was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. He left KSU after three years.

In 1980, Carey joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve. He served for six years as a field radio operator. In 1983, he lived in Las Vegas for a few months. He worked as a bank teller and a waiter during that time.

Career Highlights

Starting in Stand-Up Comedy

Drew Carey started his comedy career in 1985. A friend suggested he read books on joke writing. The next year, he won an open mic contest. He then became the Master of Ceremonies at the Cleveland Comedy Club. He performed at comedy clubs in Cleveland and Los Angeles.

Carey first appeared on national TV in 1988 on Star Search. In November 1991, he performed on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Johnny Carson was very impressed and invited Carey to sit with him. This was a special honor for comedians. In 1994, Carey wrote his own stand-up special, Drew Carey: Human Cartoon. It won an award for Best Writing.

Acting on Television

Early Acting Roles

Carey's stand-up comedy led to acting roles. He often played a friendly, middle-class character. In 1993, he had a small part in the movie Coneheads. In 1994, he co-starred in The Good Life, a sitcom on NBC. After that show ended, a writer named Bruce Helford hired Carey as a consultant for another TV show.

The Drew Carey Show

Drew Carey and Bruce Helford created The Drew Carey Show. The show was about a fictional version of Drew Carey and his friends. It showed their daily lives and work challenges. The show started on September 13, 1995, on ABC.

The show was very popular for its first few seasons. Carey earned more money as the show became a hit. It ran for nine years and had 233 episodes. Drew Carey was one of only four actors who appeared in every season.

Improv Comedy Shows

While still on The Drew Carey Show, Carey started hosting Whose Line Is It Anyway? in 1998. This was an improv comedy show. He would introduce the performers, guide the games, and often join in the final game. The show ran for 220 episodes until 2006. It later returned with a new host.

In 1998, Carey was honored by the New York Friars' Club. His friend Ryan Stiles was the host for the event. Because of his success on both shows, Forbes magazine listed Carey as one of the highest-paid entertainers in 1998.

In 2004, Carey co-produced and starred in Drew Carey's Green Screen Show. This show was a spin-off of Whose Line Is It Anyway?. It used a green screen to add animation to the actors' improv.

In 2011, Carey hosted another improv show called Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza. It was filmed in Las Vegas. This show also featured many of the same performers and used audience suggestions for improv games.

Improv All-Stars Group

Carey helped start the Improv All-Stars. This group of 11 actors performs unscripted skits. They appeared in all three of Carey's improv shows. They also performed in a TV special and toured comedy clubs across the U.S.

Hosting Game Shows

Power of 10

In 2007, Drew Carey began hosting game shows. His first was the CBS show Power of 10. It aired from August 2007 to January 2008. Contestants had to guess how Americans answered poll questions on various topics.

The Price Is Right

Carey at a Mercy for Animals charity event in 2014

After filming the pilot for Power of 10, CBS asked Carey to replace Bob Barker as host of The Price Is Right. Carey first said no, but then agreed. He announced his new role on Late Show with David Letterman.

Carey's first episode of The Price Is Right aired on October 15, 2007. He said he wouldn't try to replace Bob Barker, but would do his own best. When Carey started, the show's set, music, and logo were updated. He continues to remind viewers to spay and neuter their pets, just like Bob Barker did. In 2022, Carey celebrated 15 years as host. When Bob Barker passed away in August 2023, Carey hosted a special tribute show.

Other Appearances

Entrance to Sounds Dangerous! at Disney's Hollywood Studios

In the late 1990s, Carey appeared in commercials for A&W restaurants in Canada. His contract ended early because an episode of The Drew Carey Show featured McDonald's.

In 1999, Disney's Hollywood Studios opened an attraction called Sounds Dangerous!. In this show, the audience wore earphones and followed Carey's adventure as an undercover detective through sound cues. The attraction is now closed.

In 2000, Carey had a cameo in House Party, an expansion pack for the computer game The Sims. If characters threw a good party, Carey would arrive in a limo. Carey is a fan of The Sims series.

On January 21, 2001, Carey entered the 2001 Royal Rumble wrestling match. He eliminated himself after another wrestler, Kane, entered the ring. On April 2, 2011, Carey was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Kane.

Carey has also appeared in films. In 2000, he starred in the TV movie Geppetto, an adaptation of Pinocchio. He took singing lessons for the role. In 2005, he voiced the character Crank in the animated film Robots.

In 2002, Carey performed stand-up comedy at the Annual White House correspondents' dinner. In 2003, he toured Iraq with other comedians.

In June 2006, Drew Carey's Sporting Adventures premiered on the Travel Channel. In this series, Carey traveled through Germany to photograph FIFA World Cup soccer games. He also explored the local culture.

Carey has appeared on The Simpsons and Community. In March 2014, he competed on Dancing with the Stars and finished in 8th place.

Since 2018, Carey has hosted a weekly radio show called "The Friday Night Freak Out" on SiriusXM's Underground Garage channel. In 2018, he appeared in an episode of NCIS as a retired Marine sergeant, which was his real-life rank.

In 2020, Carey was a contestant on The Masked Singer as "Llama". In 2021, he competed on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. In April 2023, it was announced that Carey would be in a documentary called The Game Show Show, about the history of game shows.

Writing and Photography

Carey has written throughout his career. In 1997, he published his autobiography, Dirty Jokes and Beer: Stories of the Unrefined. In the book, he shared memories from his childhood. He also discussed his college years and his career. The book was on The New York Times bestseller list for three months.

Carey at the World Cup Fest in Kaiserslautern, Germany, in June 2006, while filming Drew Carey's Sporting Adventures

Carey is also a press photographer. He can sometimes be seen on the sidelines of U.S. National Team soccer games. His photos are sold under the name Brooks Parkenridge. He filmed Drew Carey's Sporting Adventures at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Personal Life

Carey got his crew cut hairstyle while in the United States Marine Corps. He used to wear glasses for recognition, even after having eye surgery. In 2006, he shared that he needed bifocals after turning 40.

Carey was engaged to Nicole Jaracz in 2007, but they later ended their engagement in 2012. In 2018, he announced his engagement to Amie Harwick. They ended their engagement later that year but remained friends. Amie Harwick passed away in February 2020.

Drew Carey is a Buddhist.

Health and Wellness

In August 2001, Carey had a heart procedure after experiencing chest pains. In 2010, he started a diet and exercise plan. He lost a lot of weight and said it helped with his Type 2 diabetes. He also had cataract surgery in 2020.

Political Views and Advocacy

Carey has shared his political beliefs in interviews. He has hosted a series of mini-documentaries for Reason.tv, which supports ideas like individual freedom. He believes that solutions to society's problems come from people's choices, not just from government.

Carey has supported different political candidates in the past. In 2016, he supported Gary Johnson for president. In 2020, he supported Joe Biden.

Sports Interests

Carey is a big fan of the U.S. National Soccer Team. He also supports Cleveland sports teams like the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Cleveland Guardians. He attended the 2006 FIFA World Cup and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Carey preparing for a TV broadcast at the dedication of Cleveland Browns Stadium, September 1999

Carey is a minority owner of the Seattle Sounders FC soccer team. They started playing in Major League Soccer in 2009 and won the MLS Cup in 2016 and 2019. He is also a fan of FC Barcelona.

Carey has thrown the first pitch at a Cleveland baseball game. He was honored with a bobblehead doll made in his likeness. He said this was as big as getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 2003, Carey competed in the first celebrity edition of the World Poker Tour. He finished fifth and won $2,000 for his charity. He has also completed several half marathons and a full marathon.

Helping Others (Philanthropy)

Carey is a strong supporter of libraries. He believes they helped him start his comedy career. In 2000, he won $500,000 on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and donated it to the Ohio Library Foundation. He later won an additional $32,000 for the same charity.

In June 2007, he offered to donate up to $100,000 to a memorial fund if anyone could beat him at the video game FIFA Soccer 07. He ended up donating $100,000, plus an extra $60,000 for losing some games.

In October 2009, Carey offered to donate $100,000 to charity if his Twitter account reached 100,000 followers. He later increased his offer to $1 million for the Livestrong Foundation if he reached one million followers by the end of 2009.

In September 2014, Carey offered $10,000 to help find those responsible for a cruel prank involving a teen. Other celebrities also matched his offer.

During the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, Carey paid for free meals for striking writers at two Los Angeles restaurants.

Film and Television Roles

Carey has appeared in various TV shows and films.

Film Appearances

Television Appearances

Awards and Honors

Carey's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Entertainment/Media

• 1994: CableACE Award for Best Writing: Drew Carey: Human Cartoon
• 1995: TV Guide "10 Hottest New Faces of 1995"
• 1998: Satellite Award for Best Actor – Musical or Comedy Series
• 2000: People's Choice Award for Favorite Male Television Performer
• 2004: Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time (#84)
• 2011: Southern California Journalism "Best Advocacy Journalism" Award winner

Sports

• Two-time MLS Cup champion (as co-owner of the Seattle Sounders FC - 2016, 2019)

Military

• 2021: United States Navy Memorial Lone Sailor Award (presented on the July 2, 2021 episode of The Price is Right)

Halls of Fame

• 2003: Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
• 2011: WWE Hall of Fame

Honorary

• 2000: DHL from Cleveland State University

See also

In Spanish: Drew Carey para niños