History of Drew Carey in Timeline

Share: FB Share X Share Reddit Share Reddit Share
Drew Carey

Drew Carey is an American comedian, actor, and game show host. He achieved recognition after his service in the U.S. Marine Corps, transitioning into stand-up comedy before starring in his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show. He also hosted Whose Line Is It Anyway?. Carey has since appeared in various films, television series, and other media. Since 2007, he has been the host of the game show The Price Is Right.

1946: Birth of brother Neil

In 1946, Neil Carey, one of Drew Carey's older brothers, was born.

1952: Birth of brother Roger

In 1952, Roger Carey, one of Drew Carey's older brothers, was born.

May 23, 1958: Birth of Drew Carey

On May 23, 1958, Drew Allison Carey was born in Cleveland, Ohio.

1976: High School Graduation

In 1976, Drew Carey graduated from James Ford Rhodes High School.

1980: Enlistment in the Marine Corps Reserve

In 1980, Drew Carey enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve.

1983: Move to Las Vegas

In 1983, Drew Carey moved to Las Vegas and worked as a bank teller and waiter.

1985: Start of comedy career

In 1985, Drew Carey began his comedy career after being encouraged to learn how to write jokes.

1988: Star Search Competition

In 1988, Drew Carey gained his first national exposure by competing in the Star Search competition.

November 1991: Appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

In November 1991, Drew Carey appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson", receiving the rare honor of being invited to sit on the couch next to Carson.

Loading Video...

1993: Film Appearance in Coneheads

In 1993, Drew Carey appeared in the film "Coneheads", marking one of his first forays into film.

Loading Video...

1994: Co-starring in The Good Life

In 1994, Drew Carey co-starred with John Caponera in "The Good Life", a short-lived sitcom on NBC.

Loading Video...

1994: Drew Carey: Human Cartoon

In 1994, Drew Carey wrote and aired his stand-up comedy special, "Drew Carey: Human Cartoon" on Showtime, which later won a CableACE Award.

Loading Video...

September 13, 1995: Premiere of The Drew Carey Show

On September 13, 1995, "The Drew Carey Show" premiered on ABC, revolving around a fictionalized version of Drew Carey.

Loading Video...

1997: Publication of Autobiography

In 1997, Drew Carey published his autobiography, Dirty Jokes and Beer: Stories of the Unrefined. In the book, Carey shared memories of his early childhood, his father's death, being molested, suffering bouts of depression, and making suicide attempts. It was featured on The New York Times bestseller list for three months.

Dirty Jokes and Beer: Stories of the Unrefined
Dirty Jokes and Beer: Stories of the Unrefined

November 1998: Contract with A&W Terminated

In November 1998, Drew Carey's two-year contract with A&W Food Services of Canada was cut short after an episode of "The Drew Carey Show" featured McDonald's, leading Carey to sue A&W for compensation.

Loading Video...

1998: Hosting Whose Line Is It Anyway?

In 1998, Drew Carey began hosting the American version of the improvisational comedy show "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" and was inducted into the New York Friars' Club.

Loading Video...

1998: "Smoke-In" Protest

In 1998, Drew Carey led a "smoke-in" to protest California's new no-smoking ordinance inside bars and restaurants.

1999: Debut of Sounds Dangerous!

In 1999, "Sounds Dangerous!", a 12-minute attraction featuring Drew Carey, debuted at Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios) in Walt Disney World Resort. The attraction has since closed.

1999: "It's All About the Pentiums" Music Video

In 1999, Drew Carey appeared in "Weird Al" Yankovic's music video for "It's All About the Pentiums".

Loading Video...

1999: Cleveland Browns Pregame Ceremony

In 1999, Drew Carey was part of the pregame ceremonies for the return of the Cleveland Browns, which was televised on ESPN.

May 2, 2000: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Celebrity Edition

On May 2, 2000, Drew Carey selected the Ohio Library Foundation to receive his $500,000 winnings from a celebrity edition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

Loading Video...

2000: Cameo in The Sims

In 2000, Drew Carey made a cameo appearance in the House Party expansion pack of the computer game "The Sims".

2000: Debut of Geppetto

In 2000, the television film "Geppetto", an adaptation of Pinocchio, debuted on "The Wonderful World of Disney", featuring Drew Carey.

Loading Video...

January 21, 2001: Entry in Royal Rumble

On January 21, 2001, Drew Carey entered the Royal Rumble match as Vince McMahon's guest entrant.

August 2001: Coronary Angioplasty

In August 2001, Drew Carey underwent a coronary angioplasty after experiencing chest pains while filming The Drew Carey Show.

Loading Video...

2001: Royal Rumble Participation

In 2001, Drew Carey became the first television actor to enter the World Wrestling Federation's 30-man "Royal Rumble" match to promote an improv comedy pay-per-view. He eliminated himself after a brief encounter with Kane.

2002: White House Correspondents' Dinner Entertainment

In 2002, Drew Carey provided the entertainment for the Annual White House Correspondents' Dinner.

September 2003: Comedy Tour of Iraq

In September 2003, Drew Carey led a group of comedians on a comedy tour of Iraq.

2003: World Poker Tour Celebrity Edition

In 2003, Drew Carey competed in the first celebrity edition of the World Poker Tour. He finished fifth, winning $2,000 for his charity.

2004: Co-Production and Starring in Drew Carey's Green Screen Show

In 2004, Drew Carey co-produced and starred in "Drew Carey's Green Screen Show" for the WB's prime time schedule.

Loading Video...

2004: "Mexican Wine" Music Video

In 2004, Drew Carey made a cameo in Fountains of Wayne's video for "Mexican Wine", introducing the video as if on stage.

Loading Video...

2005: Drew Carey's Green Screen Show picked up by Comedy Central

In 2005, "Drew Carey's Green Screen Show" was picked up by Comedy Central after being cancelled by the WB.

Loading Video...

2005: Appearances in Robots, The Aristocrats and Fuck

In 2005, Drew Carey appeared in three films: he did a voice-over for the character Crank in the animated film "Robots", retold a joke in "The Aristocrats", and was interviewed in the documentary "Fuck".

Loading Video...

May 17, 2006: Jimmy Kimmel Live! Appearance

On May 17, 2006, Drew Carey revealed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! that he developed a need for bifocals when he turned 40, even though he had refractive surgery to correct his vision earlier and wore glasses for recognition.

Loading Video...

June 8, 2006: Premiere of Drew Carey's Sporting Adventures

On June 8, 2006, "Drew Carey's Sporting Adventures" debuted on the Travel Channel, showcasing Carey photographing FIFA World Cup games and exploring German culture.

August 12, 2006: First Pitch and Bobblehead Day

On August 12, 2006, Drew Carey threw the first pitch at a Cleveland baseball game against the Kansas City Royals. He was honored as "the greatest Indians fan alive" with a personal bobblehead doll given to fans.

2006: Attended 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany

Drew Carey attended the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

2006: Cancellation of Whose Line Is It Anyway?

In 2006, "Whose Line Is It Anyway?", hosted by Drew Carey, was canceled after running for 220 episodes.

Loading Video...

2006: Appearance at FIFA World Cup

In the summer of 2006, Drew Carey attended the FIFA World Cup in Germany for his television show, Drew Carey's Sporting Adventures. He can sometimes be seen on the sidelines of U.S. National Team soccer games as a press photographer, selling his images via wire services under the pseudonym Brooks Parkenridge.

Loading Video...

June 2007: FIFA Soccer 07 Challenge for Charity

In June 2007, Drew Carey offered to donate up to $100,000 to the Mooch Myernick Memorial Fund if anyone could beat him at the video game FIFA Soccer 07 for the Xbox 360. He ended up donating $160,000.

Xbox 360 250GB Slim Console - (Renewed)
Xbox 360 250GB Slim Console - (Renewed)

August 7, 2007: Premiere of Power of 10

On August 7, 2007, Drew Carey hosted the premiere of the CBS game show "Power of 10".

Loading Video...

August 15, 2007: Taping first episode of The Price Is Right

On August 15, 2007, Drew Carey taped his first episode as the new host of "The Price Is Right".

Loading Video...

September 14, 2007: Iraq War Criticism on Real Time with Bill Maher

On the September 14, 2007, episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, Drew Carey expressed his distaste for the Bush administration's management of the Iraq War.

Loading Video...

October 15, 2007: Drew Carey's debut on The Price Is Right

On October 15, 2007, Drew Carey's shows began airing, marking his official debut as the host of "The Price Is Right".

Loading Video...

2007: Hosting The Price Is Right

In 2007, Drew Carey began hosting the game show "The Price Is Right" on CBS, marking a significant career milestone.

Loading Video...

2007: Proposed to Nicole Jaracz

In 2007, Drew Carey proposed to Nicole Jaracz.

January 23, 2008: Final airdate of Power of 10

On January 23, 2008, the last episode of "Power of 10" aired; Drew Carey hosted this game show on CBS.

Loading Video...

September 26, 2008: Libertarian Definition on The Late Late Show

On the September 26, 2008, episode of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Drew Carey defined "libertarian" as "a conservative who still gets high."

Loading Video...

March 19, 2009: Seattle Sounders FC Debut

On March 19, 2009, the Seattle Sounders FC, of which Drew Carey is a minority owner, began playing in Major League Soccer.

October 2009: Bidding for @drew Twitter Account

In October 2009, Drew Carey made a bid of $25,000 in a charity auction for the @drew Twitter account, later increasing his offer to $100,000 if his follower count reached 100,000 by the end of the auction.

December 31, 2009: $1 Million Livestrong Donation Pledge

On December 31, 2009, Drew Carey pledged to donate $1 million to the Livestrong Foundation if his follower count reached one million.

2010: Attended 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa

Drew Carey attended the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

2010: Diet and Exercise Plan

In 2010, Drew Carey began a diet and exercise plan, leading to considerable weight loss. He claimed it cured his Type 2 diabetes.

2010: Death of brother Neil

In 2010, Neil Carey, one of Drew Carey's older brothers, passed away.

April 2, 2011: WWE Hall of Fame Induction

On April 2, 2011, Drew Carey was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Kane.

May 15, 2011: Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon

On May 15, 2011, Drew Carey completed the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon in 1:57:02.

September 4, 2011: Disneyland Half Marathon

On September 4, 2011, Drew Carey completed the Disneyland Half Marathon in 1:50:46.

October 30, 2011: Marine Corps Marathon

On October 30, 2011, Drew Carey finished the Marine Corps Marathon with a chip time of 4:37:11, placing 10,149th out of 20,940.

2011: Hosting Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza

In 2011, Drew Carey began hosting "Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza", a primetime improv show filmed in Las Vegas that features performers from Whose Line? and Drew Carey's Green Screen Show.

Loading Video...

2011: WWE Hall of Fame Induction

In 2011, Drew Carey was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

2012: Ended Engagement with Nicole Jaracz

In 2012, Drew Carey and Nicole Jaracz called off their engagement, deciding not to wed.

2013: Whose Line Is It Anyway? returns

In 2013, "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" returned with Aisha Tyler as host.

Loading Video...

March 4, 2014: Announcement of Dancing with the Stars Participation

On March 4, 2014, it was announced that Drew Carey would be competing on season 18 of "Dancing with the Stars", where he was partnered with Cheryl Burke.

Loading Video...

September 2014: Reward for Ice Bucket Challenge Perpetrators

In September 2014, Drew Carey offered $10,000 to help find the perpetrators of a faked "ice bucket challenge" that involved an autistic 15-year-old Ohio boy being showered with feces, urine, tobacco spit, and cigarette butts.

2016: Support for Gary Johnson

In 2016, Drew Carey supported Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson and was made an Honorary Chair of the campaign for California.

2016: Seattle Sounders FC wins MLS Cup

In 2016, Seattle Sounders FC, of which Drew Carey is a minority owner, won the MLS Cup.

January 2018: Engagement to Amie Harwick

In January 2018, Drew Carey announced his engagement to sex therapist Amie Harwick.

August 2018: Weekly Show on SiriusXM

In August 2018, Drew Carey transitioned his monthly show on SiriusXM's Little Steven's Underground Garage radio channel into a weekly show called "The Friday Night Freak Out", airing every Friday.

2018: NCIS Appearance

In 2018, Drew Carey appeared in an episode of NCIS as a retired Marine sergeant, which was his last rank in real life. The show featured real pictures of Carey in his Marine dress blues and everyday attire.

Loading Video...

2019: Seattle Sounders FC wins MLS Cup Again

In 2019, the Seattle Sounders FC, co-owned by Drew Carey, won the MLS Cup for a second time.

February 15, 2020: Death of Amie Harwick

On February 15, 2020, Amie Harwick, Drew Carey's former fiancee, was found dead in a Hollywood Hills neighborhood. Her ex-boyfriend, Gareth Pursehouse, was arrested and later convicted of her murder, receiving a life sentence without parole.

2020: Endorsement of Joe Biden

In 2020, Drew Carey endorsed and donated money to Joe Biden in the United States presidential election. He also donated to Tulsi Gabbard and Bill Weld during that election cycle.

2020: Cataract Surgery

In 2020, Drew Carey underwent cataract surgery.

2020: The Masked Singer Contestant

In 2020, Drew Carey was a contestant on season three of The Masked Singer, disguised as "Llama." The costume had a centaur-like build, and he was the second contestant eliminated.

Loading Video...

2021: Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Participant

In 2021, Drew Carey participated in Celebrity Wheel of Fortune alongside Teri Hatcher and Chrissy Metz. While he won the first bonus round against his competitors, he failed to solve the final puzzle.

Loading Video...

2022: 15th Anniversary as Host of The Price Is Right

In 2022, Drew Carey celebrated his 15th anniversary as the host of "The Price Is Right".

Loading Video...

March 24, 2023: Experimenting with AI Voice Clone

On March 24, 2023, Drew Carey experimented with an AI clone of his voice on his "The Friday Night Freak Out" Underground Garage radio show. He used a beta version of ElevenLabs and ChatGPT-generated jokes, but the audience preferred his genuine voice.

April 21, 2023: Featured in The Game Show Show Documentary

On April 21, 2023, it was announced that Drew Carey would be featured in an upcoming four-episode documentary by ABC News titled The Game Show Show, covering the history of game shows in America.

Loading Video...

May 10, 2023: Premiere of The Game Show Show

On May 10, 2023, the four-part documentary The Game Show Show, featuring Drew Carey, premiered on ABC News. The documentary covers the history of game shows in America over eight decades.

Loading Video...

August 26, 2023: Bob Barker's Death and Tribute

On August 26, 2023, Bob Barker died at 99. Drew Carey hosted a one-hour special detailing the life and career of Bob Barker, his predecessor on "The Price Is Right".

Loading Video...

2023: Support for WGA Strike

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