Biography

When The Drew Carey Show (1995) wound up being a major surprise success on television, he was given a Porsche by the production company. He purportedly walked out on the stage of the set, asked, "Who here has got the worst car?" When one of the stage hands spoke up and said he didn't have a car, Carey threw him the keys to his old Miata. (source: Esquire magazine).

He wrote a memoir titled 'Dirty Jokes and Beer: Stories of the Unrefined' in 2000, which got on The New York Times Bestseller list. In the memoir, he addressed his difficult childhood, which included the tragic loss of his father to a fatal brain tumor when Drew was 8 years old, as well as episodes of sexual abuse at the hands of a member of his extended family. These dark incidents prompted an early onset of depression and Carey twice attempted suicide before the age of 25.

Is known for being extremely polite and courteous to waiters and staff and leaving tips of well over 100 percent.

One of his first appearances was on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962). Carey credits Carson for helping to launch his career.

Served in the United States Marine Corps.

[when asked if he enjoys being famous] Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don't. I've always been a people watcher. I like to go to malls and just sit, and I can't do that very easily anymore.

[responding to a question about his childhood] Weirdo. Weirdo. Underachiever. Weirdo. Weirdo.

[on government] The less the better. As far as your personal goals are and what you actually want to do with your life, it should never have to do with the government. You should never depend on the government for your retirement, your financial security, for anything. If you do, you're screwed.

I honestly think that it automatically hurts me if I said that I supported the war in Iraq and I support the troops. That automatically kills me for getting a bunch of movies, a bunch of television shows. People don't want to hear from me.

[2007, on succeeding Bob Barker as host of The Price Is Right (1972)] This show fits me like an old shoe, I'm telling you, I love doing it, I'm really happy here, I feel like I belong here, audience certainly feels like I belong.