Drew Carey on 'The Price is Right': From Worried Newbie to Seasoned Host

Eighteen years and over 3,300 episodes in, Drew Carey still gets a touch of the jitters as host of "The Price is Right." Can you believe it? Almost two decades! Time flies when you're shouting out prices and giving away cars.

"They told me it was my 3,317th episode. Sometimes I feel like it’s not that long, and sometimes I feel like I’ve always been there," the 66-year-old comedian told Variety, as the show celebrates its 10,000th episode since it began with the legendary Bob Barker back in '72.

"Bob Barker is two-thirds. I’m still the new guy!" he joked, acknowledging Barker's incredible 35-year run. Barker, who retired in 2007, passed away two years ago at the age of 99. A true icon!

Carey admits he initially felt the pressure, mainly wanting "to not be responsible for ruining the show or killing it." He added, "I knew there was such a culture there, and I really wanted to honor that culture and not rock the boat. And I also wanted to make it my own, but without stepping on anybody’s toes." Smart move – you don't mess with a classic.

He recalled being told he had "big shoes to fill" taking over from Barker. "I don’t need to walk in his shoes; I brought my own shoes," the former "Whose Line is it Anyway" host quipped.

"I want to honor the show — certainly — and not forget about the importance of him and the path that he blazed," Carey emphasized. "It’s very important to keep the memory of Bob alive. I’m not replacing anybody. I’m just doing a show that he used to do."

Comparing his hosting transition to a home remodel, Carey explained, "It was the same structure, but it needed new drapes and wallpaper, you know what I mean? You don’t wanna change the show, but you wanna freshen it up a little bit."

One subtle change Carey implemented was altering the host introduction from "The star of the show" to simply "host."

"I am not the star of the show; the contestants are the star," he explained. "I’m not downplaying my role on the show, but people tune in to see the interaction of the contestants, and they want somebody there to interact with them in a good way — because they’re the stars."