They say it's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.

That rings true for Carl Asher (senior-marketing and advertising), who appeared on an episode of The Price is Right that aired Friday. He didn't win anything, but he had a blast anyway — although there was one thing that disturbed him.

"Bob Barker's so old. He's got so much makeup on his face, it looks plastic," Asher said.

And as for his beauties who model the prizes?

"They're old, too," he added.

Asher found this out during fall break when the show was taped. He was visiting friends in Los Angeles when he was invited to come to taping of the show.

"They have people all over the city giving out free tickets to shows," he said.

Asher and his friend from American University in Washington, D.C., decided to give it a shot. The show's producer interviewed them before the show.

"Everyone thinks it's random, but it's not," Asher said. "They pick you from the interviews."

Asher conveyed enthusiasm during his talk with the producer.

"I was jumping," he said. "I was throwing my hands in the air. I was acting like I really wanted to be on the show."

He knew they were looking for animated contestants, so he let go of his inhibitions.

"I figured, 'I don't know these people. I'm never going to see them again.'"

His technique paid off.

"I was actually the first person called," he said.

But his good luck ended there. He overbid on a pool table and underbid on a luggage set, chandelier and mahogany clock. Asher's prices were never right.

The show was interrupted a little more than halfway through by news coverage of Supreme Court hearings regarding the presidency. During the portion that didn't air, Asher was still having trouble bidding. On the last bid of the show, he lost to another man by $50.

"He's my arch nemesis," Asher said.

Host Bob Barker was amused by Asher's bad luck.

"He talked to us between commercial breaks and he was kind of making fun of me," Asher said.

Still, Asher was having a blast.

"I was just hyped that I got on the show," he said. "It didn't hit me that I really could have won something until later."

Although Asher never placed a winning bid, he received consolation prizes.

"They gave me a faucet and a kitchenware set," he said.

It's not the car or vacation that he would have liked to be sent home with, but he's taking it in stride.

"I'm going to sell them on eBay," he said. "They're really high end."

Perhaps those bidders will have better luck.