All of the Backstage Secrets Behind ‘The Price Is Right,’ ‘Dancing With the Stars’ and More TV Shows

The Examiner went behind the scenes of your favorite TV shows and movies — and you’ll be surprised at what we found!

Friends’ Secret Weapon

It took longer than five hours to shoot each Friends episode, so audience members were kept entertained by stand-up comics between takes! The crowd was definitely alert when Ross uttered Rachel’s name at his wedding to Emily — they gasped so loudly, the sound editors had to tone it down in postproduction.

The Energy Level Is Right

Those contestants asked to “Come on down!” on The Price Is Right are not chosen at random. While they’re lined up outside the studio, producers chat with them, secretly screen them and rate them on a scale of 1-10 for enthusiasm. Only the most excitable audience members are chosen.

Lucille Ball Kept ’Em Laughing

During I Love Lucy tapings, technicians sometimes adjusted lighting between takes to make Lucy’s red hair look “right” on black-and-white film. The audience would just sit there, sweating under the lights, but at least they got to see Lucy at her best — she’d crack jokes to keep them entertained while her crew reset the stage.

No Idol Seats

At American Idol tapings, audience members are sometimes moved around to fill empty seats when contestants’ families leave after their performer is done. One seat filler said she appeared three different times — in three different locations — on the same episode. Eagle-eyed fans noticed because she was wearing the same shirt! Another Idol secret: Those close-up shots of the judges grimacing or smiling are often filmed after the contestant finishes. A producer points to a monitor and says, “React like you just heard something amazing.”

The Voice’s Audience Gets Coached, Too

Even the audience follows a script: They’re told how to react to chair turns, and a producer instructs them, “If a coach hits the button, go NUTS! But don’t clap before they turn!” Before they show up, the audience must bring a change of shirts, as the blind auditions are taped out of order over multiple days. If a judge stumbles or says something that doesn’t play well, they redo it between tapings. Audience members have to pretend it’s the first time they’re hearing it — even if it’s a joke that bombed the first two times.

Cheering With the Stars

If the audience seems very enthusiastic on Dancing With the Stars, it’s because they genuinely are! Before the show, a “hype coach” gets the crowd all riled up. The coach teaches them when to clap in rhythm, when to gasp and how to instantly stand up at the end of each routine. In other words, the audience is choreographed, too! In addition, tissues are stocked under every seat for those heart-tugging moments.