‘Come on down!’: This Montrealer was a contestant on The Price Is Right

“It was a dream come true,” said Luba Kalba, Montrealer who recently was a contestant on The Price Is Right. “You only have seconds when they call your name to get down there and then you start bidding.”

With her pink heart-shaped sunglasses – Kalba and her family got tickets for the show on their first try during their trip to Los Angeles back in August.

After all audience members were interviewed by staff – she didn’t expect to be called down during the show’s taping.

“Luba Kalba, come on down!” yelled George Gray, the television game show announcer. “You’re the next contestant on The Price Is Right!”

“I had the opportunity to play Pass the Buck,” explained Kalba. “In that game, they showed me two items and I had to choose which one was a dollar more.”

During her interview with CityNews, Kalba also got to play a Price Is Right inspired game.

“We’re going to make you guess a price of an item,” said Pamela Pagano, CityNews reporter, alongside Kalba at the grocery store L’intermarché in Saint-Leonard.

“Okay, the pressure’s on,” said Kalba.

“We’re here with pasta as our item,” said Pagano. “How much do you think it would be for two of these?”

“If I had to guess,” said Kalba. “I’d say two for $6.00.”

“Two for $6.00? Alright, let’s see,” said Pagano. “Actual retail price, two for $7.00.”

Their trip to LA, postponed three times since 2020 – a vacation that had to be with her children and brother’s family as a last gift from their mom – who had to be there.

“Unfortunately she fell ill, went to the hospital, and she passed away,” said Kalba. “So we postponed it for 2023.”

“I think it’s because of her that I actually made it on the show.”

“This is all about my mom,” she added.

Growing up watching the show with her grandparents and parents – spinning that famous wheel was something she always dreamt of doing.

“I won the bid to get on stage,” explained Luba. “I won a desktop computer with all its accessories.”

“Then when I played the game,” she added. “I won the cash of $8,000…American!”

The Price is Right — a staple in her family’s life.

“With a few guardian angels on my side,” she said. “My dreams came true this past summer!”