Carnival Worker Explains How the Games Rip You Off 

Theo getting normal people is better than 99% of celebrity podcast guests

Theo is the only one that listened to Rogan and just talks to whoever and whatever he’s interested in

"Circus folk..nomads you know. Smell like cabbage...small hands"

My uncle runs a carnival and when i was 18 i went out to work it with him. He never told me its a scam. He just had me lure people in and let them play. One time, this grandfather rolled up with his like....5 year old grandson. This little boy was BURNED all over his face. Hands me a $20 to let the kid go a few rounds on that game where you have a bunch of tiny glass cups that are wet and you toss a little ping pong ball in. They always bounce out. He runs through that $20 fast. The kid wanted the cool scooter hanging up. 20 bucks is gone and he hands me another 20. I told him....."You know he wont ever win." and the grandfather said "I know. i just love seeing him have fun." in that moment i decided.....this boy is getting this scooter. So on the last shot.....the little boy jumped up and turned around as if "awww man! almost made it!" and i leaned in and grabbed the ball and put it in the glass. In order to unlock and get him the scooter i had to call my uncle to come unlock it. My uncle was like "Mannnnn, aint no one won that game in 20 years" he knew i pulled a fast one. But it was in front of everyone so he didnt challenge it and i gave the scooter to the boy. The grandfather....who seen me do that for his grandson, shook my hand and said thank you and left. Week later i got outa there. Never returned. Carnival should be about joy and OPEN challenges not scams. Tell them how impossible a game is. Or design a new game that is extremely hard and make it clear. People will still play for the challenge.

That guy looks exactly like what you think an old carnie would look like.

this guy givin Theo some of his own kind of comedy with the kid as a prize joke

I actually won a huge Spuds McKenzie stuffed animal when I was a kid at the basket/softball toss. The carnie did that exact thing where he showed me how it was done and then had me throw the second ball and it did stick. Then when I had to do two on my own, when I tossed the ball (back/underhand with the spin), it hit the lip and bumped up into the air and then fell back in to the basket, came back up almost to the lip and then settled back into the basket. The look on the carnie's face was of pure surprise. The second ball went in without much of an issue. The carnie just stood there slackjawed. My parents looked the same. I--an eight year old kid who had just won a massive stuffed beer mascot bigger than I was==was overjoyed and thought I was just naturally gifted. Don't think I ever won another one of those games.

“He got the dreaded one though” 😂😂😂😂we all know what he’s talking about lmfao

Tom Segura hates the poors. Well Theo is people’s champ he’s one of us and get interesting real people as guests. Legend.

Losing your car to a carnival game is demented.

As a kid, I was smart enough to WATCH others lose their money and never win. Didn't take long to figure out the carny games are rigged so the winning move is not playing.

Gotta bring this guy back as a permanent co host the chemistry is magnetic and he's super funny

This dude gets high off of peoples broken spirits 😂 everytime Theo mentioned how defeated he was as a kid spending his last money and losing & dudes smile just grew and grew 😂😂😂😂

Theo just getting random cats on his massive platform is unreal!

I used to do the shoot the star game. The trick to that would not be to lay on the trigger if the pellet gun, but to flick the trigger to get one or two shots off at a time. You aim for the outside corners of the star and basically carve out the star from around it. The carnies used to turn the card backwards and angled when they saw me each year, because they knew I’d win it and others would see how I did it to win. Every year I’d have blood blisters on the index, middle and ring fingers from that game, and a dozen plus giant stuffed animals for my little sister.

A fellow student in high school warned us (he used to be a carny in the summertime) if they think you are a fool with cash they would point at you and yell "HEY MARK" then apologize for mistaken identity. That really helped.

Rob Zombie should consider having him as the next store owner in his upcoming movie.

I like how this dude matches Theo’s energy perfectly 😂 That ‘kids up there as a prize’ bit was 👌

Theo Von has that genuine curiosity about all of the topics they hit. It's almost like a child hearing some of the best, "Nuh, uh!" stories about life. Not a bad thing! It's just so cool how exciting it is to learn something new! That ability to question things AND drink in all of the information thrown back! Seriously one of my favorite people! 😁💚

Theo Von is super chill, I got to show him some magic after his show and he was humble and appreciative. Never forgetting that memory!

I love how whenever a comedian talks to a regular person, their jokes always go right over the comedian’s head 😂

this carnival guy has the same exact energy as theo LMFAOOO "some even traded in their kids, u can win em as a prize now" "we got a real life ginger over here" "at least he got the dreaded banana" lmaoooo

When I was like 11-12 yrs old my family went to 6 Flags Magic Mountain for the day. They, like most amusement parks, have a section with carnival style games. I begged and begged for a couple bucks to play because a really cool stuffed dragon caught my eye and I really wanted it. My mean ass step mom told me I didn't stand a chance and to stop asking. My dad told her to shut up and handed me a few dollars and said "good luck." I took the money and ran over to the games. I handed the man behind the counter the money and he handed me a softball. I can't remember the name of the game but the goal was to toss the softball into an old fashioned milk container. Those really big ones that are like 3 feet tall. Anywho, I eye'd my target, lined up my shit, and gave a smooth underhand toss. To my absolute shock, I freaking nailed it! Like a perfect swish. The ball didn't even touch the rim. Even the dude behind the counter was surprised. He said "good shootin' kid.. pick your prize." I pointed up and said "that big orange dragon, please." It didn't look that big when it was hanging up on the ceiling, but when the guy handed it to me, I was damn near staring that dragon in the eye. This thing was HUGE. And that's coming from a guy who's never been the 2nd tallest kid throughout my entire public school career. I had to tie the dragons hands together so I could piggy back it the rest of the day. Still totally worth it

Back in 1965 my dad was a pro pitcher silently mentored by Mickey Mantle. He could through a fastball in high school 98.9 miles an hour. We lived in Upstate NY in a tiny, not even a dot on the map kind of place. We were at a carnival in our town, and he stepped up to the milk jugs. The locals gathered around to see Dickie pitch. The carny knew nothing, they were all Gibs Town folk. He stepped back, dropped his shoulders, eyes closed, looked up and POW! He not only knocked the crap out of them, he shattered the top one! Everyone cheered their hometown boy! He was wanted by 5 major teams and scouted for more. I swear at 5 to me he glowed, my hero...he went for his physical and they found he had melanoma cancer. In 65 you just went home and died. My hero was gone. After The Mick himself came to the funeral with a lot of other players. They played a benefit game for my mom on our softball field. I remember sitting in Mick's lap...he smelled of cigarette's and bourbon, and the Mick had tears streaming down his face... I miss Dickie still.

Sometimes you'll still see the kid up there as a prize now 🤣🤣🤣

"epsom new Hampshire, from the salts, I guess?" Lmao 🤣

“You’re probably going to lose, and you’re probably gonna knock somebody up”. Damn! The cold, hard truth.

Theo Von team, thank you for putting out clips and shorts like this. Helps me pick out a podcast to listen to while in traffic or doing chores at home.

I don't know who's idea it was to have "regular people" on as guests but it's literally genius. Right on brand for Theo and his audience as appealing to the down to earth and working class.

This is literally the PERFECT guy for Theo’s podcast. 😂 matter of fact, I think the best episodes are when he just has random people on like this.

"And you're probably gonna knock somebody up" is the greatest life lesson/ending to a video I've seen in awhile! lol

This guy is a real piece of work. I hope Theo told him "thanks for playing" at the end and didn't pay him 😂.

At the county fair in 2001 I wanted this electric razor scooter. The game was to bounce a ball off a wall and have it land in a basket on the ground.... Just like the one the showed here. I tried 10 times and never got close. I said "this is a scam isn't it" and the guy says no, bro, let me show you and walked out and did it. $2 later, I was riding off on my new electric scooter. I just needed to see the "trick" and then I could emulate it. That scooter sucked though, I crashed it and broke my whackin' hand.

You’re probably gonna lose…and you’re probably gonna knock somebody up… wait what?😂

theo with the hard hitting journalism. thank you for your service.

This guy looks could be the villian in any family movie😂😂😂😂

The Carny Mafia is gonna take this guy out!

Very entertaining and fun to watch. Thanks for posting this.

Theo! U make me roll brother. Thx for the laughs and smiles.

Love Theo genuinely telling him that he can wear the shades if it makes him more comfortable.

“Epsom New Hampshire? From the salts, I guess” classic Theo

We need more Carney interviews.

Finally someone who genuinely thinks, and speaks the same way Theo does😂 this is a non intentional legendary episode 🤙🏼

Theo randomly throwing “you’re probably going to knock somebody up” at the very end..😅😂🤣🤣

3:24 HOPPY THE CLEFT PALLET FUCKIN EASTER HERO

This is so much more interesting but also heart-breaking than any podcast I've seen before.

"You're prolly gonna lose.. and you're prolly gonna knock somebody up" Powerful closing statements lmao

"You're probably going to lose.. and you're probably going to knock someone up." 😂😂😂 Theo is out of control. I love it.

Dude. Theo has the most interesting every day man type of guests. Such a fresh breath of air on RU-vid

Idk if Theo is putting on a bit talking about getting ripped off at the carnival to an unapologetic carnie, but there’s a subtle hilarity to it. Brilliant.

Interviewing a carny is such an ingenious idea. Someone who’s day to day life you forget you might be interested in 😂 how did he even think of this!!

I love that Theo talks to so many people. Not just celebrities. Everyone has a story!

I worked on the Seaside boardwalk in NJ one summer when I was younger. The guy I worked for had a basketball stand and a balloon dart stand. I worked the basketball stand and he did the ballon stand. The balloons had tags under them (like small, medium, large) but he would give players a prize based on how many times they played and how much money they spent. He was a super cool guy and a master salesman of untapped potential imo.

Hands down my favourite guest so far this year! Theo, please get an emergency department nurse next.

that plaid print is on fire .. 😂 Praise God bb.. gang

this was a great pod guest.

Whenever the carnival came to town, we'd pull a fast one on the carnies, distract, loot prize, and then walk away while your buddy is asking the guy random shit about the game. 😂

Theo could pull off being a Carny with that roadkill mullet

I love these real people interviews. I’m tired of seeing guests who have done a podcast tour. Why would I watch u say the same thing for your 9th podcast episode this week? I wanna hear from a carnival worker, border patrol agent, or a pest control worker.

I like this Carny, he more honest than any Judge or Politicians 4 shuuuuure

I love this guy, he gets so excited about the games. "Oh let me tell you about that one.." lol

I didn’t know Dave Attel was a Carny as his day job.

Daniel Tosh did have that one dude on his tv show back in the day who spent his life savings on a carnival game and only went home with a giant smiling banana plushie with dreadlocks lol

This episode was awesome

I'm impressed Theo has great content there is potential here folks

This guy broke the Carny Code !!

As someone who worked management in games revenue at a theme park for a few years.... Our ring toss game was greased. Like straight up sprayed. I wasn't responsible for it, but I watched another manager do it. Our balloon pop game had dulled pegs behind most of the balloons. When we demonstrated the game to the guests, we would always aim center blue. Sharp peg. My dumbass hit it dead on and it still didn't pop one time. Little girl picked up my extra bag and threw it and popped one right after too. 🤦‍♂

This was my favourite episode

Bro just woke up and said , I ain't brushing my teeth no more

The “non celebrity” pods are some of my favorites.

This dude looks like Theo Von from the future.

I remember my grandpa playing those Splash Down type machines on vacation in Pigeon Forge in my home state of Tennessee. This was before they got banned and we went to the Rockin Raceway Arcade(they had go carts also) I think it was called and he won a TON of quarters on those constantly, he was bald headed and would cackle and rub his head when he won. He kept me playing for hours at the arcade and would bring me big plastic cups of quarters every so often, he left with so much we came back the next night. Now he is long gone and I wish I could be as good a grandpa as he was.

I remember the THOMMY GUN pellet gun red star. I got all red out; one tiny red spot the carny told me "you failed"....but he was nice enough in Chippawa, Ontario Canada. The carny hooked me up a stuffed animal I gave my to my best friend Kyle's step son Mason. I'm a sharp shooter so it was awesome having Mason, Kyle, Steff and the carny watchin my back 😂😂 I listen to you Theo all the time and watched you live in Toronto Dark Arts Tour, you're a real one !!

Him describing how to gently move the dart to be discreet is so funny in the context of him cheating a kid out of a stuffed animal for a few bucks.

I love how Theo brings people like this carny on his show. Just a normal random person. Im sick of hearing famous people talk about things they know nothing about. This is what real looks like. Real poeple, real conversation. Theo Von will always be a legend.

Theo is so funny 😂 he doesn’t even mean to be funny, like when the guy was joking about putting on sunglasses! He was obviously joking, but Theo didn’t even pick it up and thought he was serious😂

I worked at Coney Island and I can 100% say these games are meant to take ya money and make ya kids cry all day 😂

Best thing to do is some interviews with just regular people and Theo’s the perfect person to do it! 😂

This is actually Gold. Great Info

If Theo worked a carnival booth he’d definitely be giving out hamsters as prizes.

"taught u life your gonna lose man, ya know! and your probably gonna knock somebody up". Words to live by.

Theo the real MVP for having a legit carny on🎉🎉🎉

Theo von is such a real person idk how to explain it.i never seen a famous person I relate to so much

I’m 40 with a family and career, and one of my most prized possessions is still a “gold” racehorse statuette I won when I was seven playing a ball and plunger version of the racehorses game. I had to win like 20 times to upgrade to that horse, but I could never get the next step up, which was a wooden mantle clock carved into the shape of a horse.

Hoppy the cleft pallet easter hero is hilarious 🤣😂

"Well...aint no shame in being beaten by the best." "But dad he didnt seem all that-" "We were beaten... by the best boy!"

I’m always looking for a nice Flannel. What brand is Theo’s shirt?

5:57 actually, the big E, a New England fair that’s run in the fall and has visitors from Vermont, NH, maine, mass, CT, and Rhode Island, still runs the tubs o fun. They advertise razor scooters and bikes you can win. It’s just interesting the state would outlaw the game but still participate in an exposition with them.

A conversation between Theo Von and Karl Pilkington would be a meeting of two of the greatest minds!! Theo please make this happen!

"It taught you that life... you gonna lose.. and your 'probly gonna knock somebody up." - Theo Von .. that is some serious wisdom.

When ever i went to any of those places i already knew they were pre set, but to be perfectly honest i never went for the intension to win anything, i played for fun and to help keep them stay in business, it's all about having fun, spend some money and taking part.. it's not like you're gonna do it all the time, just on a day out or a vacation.

Well done man, this is real people talking real shit.

Man when I was just a lil kid they had that ball toss in the basket game with a brand new Xbox as the prize. Straight sneedz'd my ass!!! 😂🤘

Pretty sure that’s just Chris angel in a disguise

Dude you remind me of Chris Farley. Keep it up. totally subscribing just for that reason

What this guy is describing is a huge metaphor for life. Everything can be applied to a life situation. Crazy

"Carnie film": Starring: this guy, Theo Von, and Shane Gillis. Featuring Will Ferrell and Ben Stiller.

I think Theo is actually a Carnie and has been leading us on this entire time.

I love that theo has on regular people like you and me instead of hollyweird always... And i hate theme parks and fairs prices going up every year by double or more its insane.

I was a little kid and played the "Bushel Basket" game in my home town fair. I won the big prize on my first go with the backspin technique. Ill always remember the look on the guys face when I said "i want the big toy".