The show started with Jamie Cumberland from Calgary, Alberta. The self-titled gay cowboy immediately won the crowd over when he entered wearing chaps and cowboy hat and that wasn’t the only headpiece that the member of the Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association brought with him. He presented host Howie Mandel with a white hat before starting the game by picking case #25 as his own.

The Calgary character certainly had the crowd on his side and started the game on a positive note by only losing $200,000 (case #12) and $50,000 (case #8) in the first round, leading to an initial offer of $29,000. Cumberland promptly rejected the deal and it was a good thing that he did because before the next offer came, the banker said that he wanted to test him. The cheesy Deal Or No Deal schticks have become common practice on the American version of the show, and this was the first chance for the Canadians to taste the cheese, even though this is perhaps the program’s greatest appeal.

Cumberland was asked to ride a mechanical bull for eight seconds before receiving the next offer. Unfortunately, this did not make the TV edit of the show because it was pretty cool and I am sure it was expensive. It was probably a timing issue given Jenny Monaco’s success last week. Anyway, what you didn’t see was a couple of the Deal Or No Deal models unveiled the bull that was obviously no problem for the cowboy. This led to a second offer of $80,000 which was also declined as Cumberland still had many of the larger amounts left in play including the top two numbers of $1,000,000 and $750,000.

The third round, unfortunately, did not go as well. Cumberland lost $1 million and $500,000 in the pivotal round which split his last offer in half as he was asked to walk into the sunset with only $41,000. Showing all the courage of Wyatt Earp, while also displaying an obvious desire to ham it up for the national audience, Cumberland pressed on and lost next to nothing in the fourth round leading to an offer of $113,000 as the number of cases started to dwindle. While many in the audience expected him to deal with at the first six-figure offer, the Calgary native decided to take a risk when Howie told him that he only had to open two more cases before receiving the next proposal.

The decision proved to be a wise one as Cumberland only lost $500 (case #26) and $100,000 (case #3) and left $750,000 in play leading to an offer of $131,000. Saying that he would like to use the money to buy himself a horse named Buttercup, Cumberland walked away.

The next contestant while not as lively, was certainly just as sweet. Valine Kavanagh from Cape Broyle, Newfoundland took the stage next and told Howie that she worked in the catering department on one of the world’s largest moving oil rigs, the ‘Eirik Raude.’

Kavanagh started the game by selecting case #11 as her own and like her Western counterpart, had a decent opening round, losing only $500,000 (case #15) off the big board leading to an initial offer of $28,000. Kavanagh decided to continue and the second round provided her with even more success.

After losing $200 (case #17), $500 (case #12), $100 (case #2), $5 (case #24) and $1 (case #14), the banker was forced to make a significant increase and try to buy the Newfoundlander off with $90,000. Kavanaugh again rejected the deal and pushed forward.

Just like Jamie Cumberland before her, the third round proved to be unkind for the pleasant oil rig worker. She lost $200,000 (case #25) and $750,000 (case #21) and this caused her offer to sink down to $79,000. Although she briefly considered the deal, she again rejected it and moved to the fourth round of the game.

The decision proved to be a wise one as Kavanagh kept the $1 million on the board and only lose $400 (case #5), $25,000 (case #10), and $2 (case #20). It was clear that reached the six-figure plateau was Kavanagh’s goal and when she was finally offered $157,000, she could not resist and accepted the deal much to the relief of her boyfriend and the chagrin of the studio audience.

All in all, Deal Or No Deal Canada was a successful experiment. It proved that the show does not have to be restricted to the States and that international versions are certainly possible.

It definitely took a toll on me as the tapings were grueling at times. When you watch the show at home, it certainly seems like a simple and even mindless concept but this was nothing like watching it live where the pressure is incredible and the intensity indescribable (although I did my best). Like all good reality shows, Deal Or No Deal is one that shows the best and worst aspects of human beings. You see their hopes being realized right in front of you with every case that is being opened. You see their dreams being dashed with the larger amounts of money being systematically eliminated. Ultimately, this is a show about luck, guts, survival and greed.

I don’t think it gets any better.

This has been Murtz Jaffer.

Signing off.

For those of you who missed my taping reports, they are available here:

Murtzcellanious: LIVE Coverage – Deal Or No Deal Canada Tapings – DAY 1
Murtzcellanious: LIVE Coverage – Deal Or No Deal Canada Tapings – DAY 2
Murtzcellanious: LIVE Coverage – Deal Or No Deal Canada Tapings – DAY 3

For those of you who missed my episode reports, they are available here:

Murtzcellanious: LIVE Deal Or No Deal Canada Report – Episode #1
Murtzcellanious: LIVE Deal Or No Deal Canada Report – Episode #2
Murtzcellanious: LIVE Deal Or No Deal Canada Report – Episode #3
Murtzcellanious: LIVE Deal Or No Deal Canada Report – Episode #4

Sir Linksalot: Deal Or No Deal
Sir Linksalot: Deal Or No Deal Canada

Jenny Monaco, a pharmaceutical administrative assistant from Quebec had the top prize in her case on last night’s episode of Deal Or No Deal Canada. The problem was that she didn’t get to keep it.

The fourth episode of the five episode series saw the expectant mother select case #15 as her own to start the game because of the model sharing the same name as Monaco’s daughter (Sarah) and the contestant had some incredible success right off the back as she systematically eliminated lower amounts before receiving the highest first offer on the show thus far when the banker tempted her with $46,000.

The good luck only continued as $75,000 was the highest amount that the contestant lost in the second round. This led the banker to more than double his first offer as he dangled $94,000 (which Monaco also rejected).

Host Howie Mandel often likes to say that the game of Deal Or No Deal is one of many twists and turns, likening it to a roller coaster ride and if the Mandel metaphor is true, Jenny took a big dip quickly in the third round. Cases #25 and #7 were particularly unkind as $500,000 and $750,000 were erased as the next offer slipped to $81,000. While the third proposal was disappointing, it was the lowest that Jenny’s offers would go.

After rejecting the third offer, Jenny went on a run that saw her eliminate a penny, $200 and $10 after opening cases 18, 19, and 13. The banker tried to buy her out with a whopping proposition of $139,000. With so many big numbers left in play (to the point where even the host admitted that he had never seen a board that looked that good), Monaco decided to march forward and go for the million.

With four of the top six amounts still available, Monaco again managed to raise her offer when she only eliminated $50,000 and $10,000 with her next selections. Her fifth offer soared to $215,000 and despite favorable odds, the contestant decided to opt out of the game.

While the decision was a reasonable one on paper, given the fact that there were only three amounts left on the board that were higher than the deal that Monaco was offered, the collective hearts of Canadians sank as Howie opened Monaco’s case to reveal that she actually had $1,000,000 in hers.

Undoubtedly the most exciting episode of Deal Or No Deal Canada thus far, it truly stunned the live audience in attendance to see that they were that close to seeing somebody become a millionaire right in front of their eyes.

This episode in particular showed me that winning $1,000,000 on the show is possible. Up until this point, I have maintained the view that winning the million is impossible. After all, for a contestant to have any shot at it, they would have to have only $750,000 left on the board to even consider risking $250,000 to go for a possible million in their case. Jenny Monaco proved that it is possible. She just couldn’t risk $215,000.

Could you?

For those of you who missed my taping reports, they are available here:

Murtzcellanious: LIVE Coverage – Deal Or No Deal Canada Tapings – DAY 1
Murtzcellanious: LIVE Coverage – Deal Or No Deal Canada Tapings – DAY 2
Murtzcellanious: LIVE Coverage – Deal Or No Deal Canada Tapings – DAY 3

The next episode of Deal Or No Deal Canada airs on Thursday at 9 PM on Global. Jamie Cumberland and Valine Kavanagh will be playing for $1 million. As always, Murtz Jaffer will be your live hook-up. He only wishes it was with model #7, Veronique Landry.

Deal?

Sir Linksalot: Deal Or No Deal
Sir Linksalot: Deal Or No Deal Canada

Here’s your new NBC scedule for Sundays and Wednesdays.

Starting March 4:
8p: Grease: You’re the One That I Want
9p: Deal or No Deal
10p: The Apprentice LA

Starting March 7:
8p: Friday Night Lights
9p: Crossing Jordan
10p: Medium

And the third episode finally aired last night.

After Howie Mandel started the episode by introducing the theme music in front of the Toronto skyline, the audience was introduced to the fourth player to try their hand at the Northern version of the popular American game show.

Michael George, a Leaside teacher from Brampton was undoubtedly the most entertaining contestant that the producers selected. The married coach who is also responsible for instituting a basketball program for lower-income youth called C.I.A. (Characteristics Inspiring Achievement) immediately became a crowd favorite as he hopped around on stage. He also introduced the audience to his wife and four-month old son Noah before selecting case #26 as the one that he would attach his million dollar dreams to. He picked the case because it was the room number where he taught.

The basketball theme and feel of the show started with the audience itself. George brought many of the kids in his program and they all wore red and yellow basketball jerseys. There were so many of them in the crowd that the Toronto Production Centre actually looked more like the Air Canada Centre and as the crowd would later find out, this wasn’t too far from the truth.

In addition to his supporters, George also picked cases based on the numbers of his favorite players.

The opening round saw him call out the names of Joey Graham, Michael Jordan, TJ Ford and Jason Kidd as he included cases #14, #23, #11 and #5 among his first selection. It was the New Jersey Nets point guard that stung him with a first quarter buzzer beater as Kidd’s #5 case held $200,000. This still wasn’t enough to sour the spirit of the stadium as the banker made an initial offer of $45,000 which George promptly refused.

It was quite clear that the teacher was playing up to the partial Ontario crowd when he picked case #15 and dedicated it to former Toronto Raptors shooting guard Vince Carter. The superstar player admitted that he wanted to leave the team and much to the delight of the audience, George said that he needed to also get the number out. It was a smart decision as the case only held $25. The good luck continued as Morris Peterson (#24), Jose Calderon (#8) and Sam Cassell (#19) were selected next and they respectively contained $10,000, $200, and $400. George closed out the round by selecting case #9 for his son’s birthday and it contained $300, forcing the banker to propose a deal for the insane amount of $111,000. Once again, George declined.

The third round was unkind to the teacher as another former Raptor and Vince Carter’s cousin, Tracy McGrady, exacted their revenge. McGrady’s #1 case held the $1 million and this lowered the next offer to $82,000.

It was at this point that the wacky appeal of the program really shone through as 10 of the teacher’s students rushed the stage with basketballs.

With Michael George playing the role of the mad conductor to his orchestra of rowdy rockers, the team engaged in a cheer of support while bouncing the balls on set. Howie took the opportunity to make a particularly poignant quip as he said that he would go out on a limb before standing on the ‘stem’ of the maple leaf stage where the team conducted its cheer. While the segment was obviously rehearsed, it remained entertaining and served as a nice break from the monotony of the case selection.

George declined the offer and after picking case #4 for Raptor player Chris Bosh, Mandel surprised the contestant once again, this time with a videotaped message from Bosh himself (along with teammate TJ Ford). While the message was personalized, it was just a generic ‘good luck greeting’ and this led to the fourth offer from the banker of $73,000.

After taking some time to think about, George decided to keep going in an attempt to get closer to the $750,000 that was still on the board. The fifth round saw him remove $10 and $5 off the board and this led to an offer of $122,000 which was also rejected as Michael wanted to open one more.

The decision turned out to be a good one as case #6 held $25,000 and with $750,000 still in play, the banker offered the highest amount on Deal Or No Deal Canada up to this point when he tempted George with $144,000.

Citing the fact that he planned to donate half of his winnings back into his basketball program and that he wasn’t just playing for himself, George took the deal which turned out to be a good one as his case only ended up having $75.

All in all, it was an entertaining hour of television and to see in-person.

Personally speaking, I liked this episode the most because George was a likeable contestant. His excitement could never have been misconstrued as being irritating. His smile could not have been any more genuine. His program could not have been any more deserving. I thought that this show typified what has made Deal Or No Deal such a hit. It’s a combination of personality, surprise, intrigue, drama and money. It just doesn’t get any better.

For those of you who missed my taping reports, they are available here:

Murtzcellanious: LIVE Coverage – Deal Or No Deal Canada Tapings – DAY 1
Murtzcellanious: LIVE Coverage – Deal Or No Deal Canada Tapings – DAY 2
Murtzcellanious: LIVE Coverage – Deal Or No Deal Canada Tapings – DAY 3

The next episode of Deal Or No Deal Canada airs on Thursday at 9 PM on Global. Jenny Monaco will be playing for $1 million. As always, Murtz Jaffer will be your live hook-up. He only wishes it was with model #7, Veronique Landry.

Deal?

Sir Linksalot: Deal Or No Deal
Sir Linksalot: Deal Or No Deal Canada

Last night on Deal Or No Canada, it wasn’t 23 that killed the chances for two likeable Canadian contestants. It was the number, 300,000. And it wasn’t just a number. It could have been actual cash for both.

The second episode started with Howie Mandel standing in the heart of Toronto before introducing the opening theme. The night view of the city offered the national audience a chance to see many of city’s famous landmarks including the CN Tower, Rogers Centre (obligatory since that is one of the show’s biggest sponsors) and the Royal York.

After the theme music, Mandel introduced the show by saying that the Canadian version “was bigger than the one we do in America” and then welcomed the models to the stage. It was time for Deal Or No Deal Canada’s second contestant, Teresa Daranciang, to continue her game from the premiere. At the end of the last episode, she had rejected the banker’s latest offer of $31,000 and now was ready to continue.

Daranciang won over both the live crowd and the national audience with her gritty determination, karate-style kicks and coyote-like euphoric yelps. After knocking off the major dollar amounts on the first show of the special five-episode arc airing on Global, the pint-sized RCMP Officer from Portage Au Prairie, Manitoba pushed very hard for the $300,000 that she had left on the board.

After selecting cases #9, #3 and #13 which contained $5000, $50, and a loonie ($1) respectively, Teresa was offered $43,000 to walk away. The banker’s next offer of $59,000 was also rejected.

While it was not a mini amount of money for the Mini-Mountie when she decided to deal at $78,000 after managing to keep her highest amount, $300,000, still in play it could have been much bigger. Daranciang was forced to only smile and nod after Mandel opened her case to reveal the unlucky amount.

The next contestant to give Howie the customary fist-pump was 85-year old grandfather Donald Lucas.

The Grimsby, Ontario resident immediately became a crowd favorite when videos were shown of the ‘Extreme Grandpa’ going sky-diving and whitewater rafting. I presumed that these were in an effort to show that despite his age, he had an appetite for risk which was either a recipe for instant success or resounding failure at Deal Or No Deal. Unfortunately for the loveable elder, it was the latter.

After staking claim to case #14 as his own (because of his 14 grandchildren) and getting a kiss from model Jill Clark, prompting Howie to tell him that he had already won, Lucas started off the game in the worst way anyone could possibly start.

His initial choice of case to open, case #17 had $1,000,000 in it and that effectively deflated the audience to start Lucas’ game.

Fortunately, the sharp-tongued senior immediately stirred the room back to life with his ‘how low can you go baby?’ questions to the models after every case selection. Among his initial six choices, Lucas also eliminated his chance of winning $200,000 and the banker’s opening offer of $22,00 was quickly rejected by the silver fox.

After the banker’s second proposition of $64,000 was also refused, a particularly funny moment arrived when Howie and Lucas went to meet the supporting team (which included two of his grandchildren and one of his granddaughters). After briefly talking to them, Mandel stumbled on his way back to the stage. This fact did not go unnoticed by ‘Grandpa’ who asked the host if he was stuck and then helped him back to the podium.

In the third round, Lucas opened was on a roll as he eliminated $400, $5, $200 and just as he was on the cusp of a major offer he lost $500,000 as well. Before Howie asked him the show’s title question to the banker’s offer of $47,000, he also said that he had some more help on the way for the ‘avid sportsfan’ as Lucas’ grandson had described him.

The Deal Or No Deal surprises are common place on the American edition of the show, but this was the first example of one of the contestant’s heroes coming out to surprise them on the Canadian version.

For Lucas, that meant a visit from former Toronto Maple Leafs captain Darryl Sittler who received a big ovation from the hometown crowd (one wonders what the reaction would have been like if the show had taped in Montreal). Sittler told Lucas that he would ‘go for it,’ and the 85-year old took the advice, rebuffing the offer.

Unfortunately, the hockey player didn’t arrive with Lady Luck as Lucas’ next choice, case #25 held $750,000 and this was a paralyzing blow.

The earlier indications of Lucas’ ability to gamble started to shine through as he rejected fourth offer of $35,000.

Just like his counterpart, Teresa Daranciang, Lucas was left to play only for the big amount of $300,000. And just like it did for the Mini-Mountie, the number hurt Lucas. When he picked case #20 ($300,000), everything came crashing down as the offers reduced to $7500 and then $10,000.

Lucas finally accepted the banker’s gracious offer of $18,000 to walk, leaving the second show to end only with a whimper.

This won’t last long though as a basketball teacher will bring the bang and the bounce back in episode #3 next week in what was my favourite episode of the series.

For those of you who missed my taping reports, they are available here:

Murtzcellanious: LIVE Coverage – Deal Or No Deal Canada Tapings – DAY 1
Murtzcellanious: LIVE Coverage – Deal Or No Deal Canada Tapings – DAY 2
Murtzcellanious: LIVE Coverage – Deal Or No Deal Canada Tapings – DAY 3

The next episode of Deal Or No Deal Canada airs on Thursday at 9 PM on Global. Michael George will give new meaning to dribbling deals, drills & thrills. As always, Murtz Jaffer will be your live hook-up. He only wishes it was with model #7, Veronique Landry.

Deal?

Sir Linksalot: Deal Or No Deal
Sir Linksalot: Deal Or No Deal Canada

For those of you who missed my taping reports, they are available here:

Murtzcellanious: LIVE Coverage – Deal Or No Deal Canada Tapings DAY 1
Murtzcellanious: LIVE Coverage – Deal Or No Deal Canada Tapings – DAY 3

As is usually the case (pun intended) on Deal Or No Deal, varying degrees of emotion were the order of the day as Brian Traynor and Teresa Daranciang were the first to play the Canadian spin-off of the trendy game show and each player experienced the usual happiness and frustration during their stints. The exhilaration of the game was really the only thing that the pair shared as they could not have been more different.

Traynor, a mid-30’s firefighter from Medicine Hat, Alberta started the game off and was the personification of quiet and reserved as he mulled over every decision. While I am used to seeing loud and colorful personalities on the American version of the show, Traynor certainly was intriguing to watch because of his calm demeanor, a rarity for the Howie Mandel-hosted program.

He started the show off by picking case #5 as his own, before randomly selecting other cases off the board based on a firefighter calendar where his co-workers had each picked a case number. Traynor quickly stopped using the calendar system when he determined that it wasn’t working and started picking numbers arbitrarily. After a decent opening round where the firefighter picked off six cases, the highest of which contained $500,000, Traynor was offered $30,000 to walk and he declined.

Traynor selected an additional five cases, which unfortunately saw him lose his chance at $1 million but was still offered $42,000 on his second offer.

It was at this point in the show where we were introduced to Traynor’s family, which included his mother and two sisters who all collectively told him to reject the deal. Traditionally, each contestant on the show is allowed to bring three supporters who are brought under the guise of offering the player helpful advice but also help to embarrass. Traynor’s family was no exception as his mother presented him with a ragged stuffed duck (presumably and hopefully from his childhood) as his lucky charm. The sharp-witted Mandel immediately pounced upon his prey, poking fun of the ‘heroic fireman and his lucky ducky.’

With four cases left on the board plus his own case, Traynor was left with five figures on the board. These amounts were:

- $750,000
- $75,000
- $1000
- $750
- $400

The banker offered $109,000 and Traynor was the first Canadian ever to take the deal. After Howie made him open all the other cases, it clearly worked out for the man who wants to spend the money on a wedding in Vegas as his case only held $400.

It was then time for Teresa Daranciang to make her debut and the pint-sized RCMP officer from Portage La Prairie, MB did not disappoint, wasting no time in getting the crowd on her side and differentiating herself from the demure Traynor because of her obvious excitement, larger-than-life personality and piercing shrills of enthusiasm. Nicknamed the ‘Mini Mountie’ because of her occupation as a traditional Canadian officer, Daranciang brought her own lucky charm, a small ‘Mini Mountie’ statue that she said would protect her case. After selecting case #15 as her own, the Manitoban yelped and kicked with almost every selection.

After a stellar opening round, she was offered $44,000 from the banker and immediately rejected it. Lady luck was not on her side in the second round, which saw Teresa lose $100,000, $200,000, $750,000 and $1 million. The banker immediately took advantage, offering a paltry $19,000 for her to walk away. Daranciang rejected and with her odds of picking lower amounts increased (after being decimated early), she brought her third offer back up. The premiere episode of Deal Or No Deal Canada ended with Teresa refusing another deal, preferring to take a chance at $300,000 on the next episode.

There were many things that stood out to me on the first show and the first taping. Initially, I have to say that the set was absolutely amazing. It featured all the elements of the American set, but improved on it with special Canadian features. The actual stage was shaped as a white maple leaf and the big board featured the Canadian loonie (Canadian $1) and the Canadian toonie (Canadian $2) as possible dollar amounts that the cases could be holding. It is in this respect that the show must be applauded. Often times, Canadian versions of American hits are seen as second-rate knock-offs. This was definitely not the case for Deal Or No Deal Canada, as the set looked exactly like the one that we are used to seeing in the States.

I also appreciated the wittiness of the models. Some of the one-liners that they came up with were fantastic, with my personal favorities usually coming from Model #1, Jessica Rimmer from Coldwater, ON. She delivered a particular doozy on the premiere when she told Traynor that he would ‘have to call the boys and girls at the fire hall because he was on fire!’

Finally, Howie Mandel must be applauded. The show begins and ends with him and while I mistakenly assumed that his sense of humor on the show was just the result of many reshoots and rehearsals, this was certainly not the case. I already discussed his lucky ducky lines earlier, but one that I particularly enjoyed was what he said to the firefighter after Brian told him that he had a tattoo of a fire hydrant on his back. Mandel immediately retorted by saying that he should be careful if he ever takes his shirt off in a park and seeing a dog walk by. Great stuff. He also got Traynor on his calendar system when he immediately pointed out that a calendar only has 12 months, so he basically was prepared for just half a game. Another Mandel highlight was seeing one of the contestants go for a high-five and Mandel only offering his fist as his mysophobia (fear of germs) has been well-documented.

The next episode of Deal Or No Deal Canada airs on Thursday at 9 PM on Global. Teresa Daranciang will continue her game and the preview indicated that we will not only meet the next player, but also a former National Hockey League player who will surprise him on stage. As always, Murtz Jaffer will be your live hook-up. He only wishes it was with model #7, Veronique Landry.

Deal?

Sir Linksalot: Deal Or No Deal
Sir Linksalot: Deal Or No Deal Canada

On Friday, the identities of the Deal Or No Deal Canada contestants were finally released after tapings at the Toronto Production Centre inside the CBC Building wrapped the day before. The contestants were chosen from nearly 115,000 applicants and represent a cross-section of the country. The contestants are:

Brian Traynor – Firefighter, Medicine Hat, AB
- Engaged
- Mid 30s
- Brian works at CFB Suffield one of the largest military training areas in the Western world
- A confident young Canadian who is obsessed with everything to do with firefighting
- ‘Tough guy with a heart of gold’.
- Wants to pay off that mortgage, go on a beach holiday, and splurge on a Rolex.
His sister, Alison is a Police officer in Toronto.

Theresa Daranciang – RCMP Officer, Portage La Prairie, MB
- Nickname: “Mini Mountie”
- Family is originally from the Philippines
- Married
- Late 20s
- Petite, articulate and energetic.
- She says that she and her family represent “what Canada is all about the immigrant success story”.
- She has been an RCMP officer for the past 3 years.
- The ‘Mini Mountie’ nickname derives from the fact that she is 5 feet tall.
- She desperately wants to visit her grandparents and extended family in the Philippines, whom she has not seen since she was very young. The visit would also require her to bring a lot of gifts for her family, as is the custom when arriving from overseas.
- She would also like to help her husband open a coffee shop.

Donald Lucas – Grandfather, Grimsby, ON

- Nickname: “Extreme Grampa”
- Married
- Charming, warm-hearted family man with energy to burn.
- Went Skydiving at 81, whitewater rafting at 84, roller blades regularly and hit Spring Break with his grandson last year (his grandson described him as a “chick magnet”.)
- He has billeted a number of famous NHL hockey players in the past and stays in touch with a lot of them. His family claims that Walter Gretzky may be the “Father of Hockey” but Donald is the “Grandfather of Hockey. “
- He would like to use his winnings to take all 50 of his family members on vacation. Or, he would divide the money by 50.
- He dreams of driving a forest green Rolls Royce.

Michael George – Teacher/Basketball Coach, Brampton, ON
- Married
- Father of baby boy
- Basketball coach for “C.I.A.” (Characteristics Inspiring Achievement) a non-profit basketball/mentorship program for low income youth.
- Described as “inspirational and energetic a motivator”.
- He will keep half of his winnings for his family and donate the other half to CIA. He would like to buy a bus for the team and create some scholarships.
- He would “Deal” for a fully tricked out tour bus for the team, including TVs, tables for games, couches and bunks. He would call it the “CIA Bounce Bus.”

Jenny Monaco – Pharmaceutical Administrative Assistant, Montreal, QC
- Recently married
- Late 20s
- Fully bilingual
- Expecting a baby currently four months along. Playing for “the Moms everywhere!”
- Bubbly, enthusiastic Italo-Canadese with great energy, and knowledge of the game.
She wanted to give referee whistles to the models, to get them to whistle if the number is good when nerves take over, she’s “too afraid to look!”.

Jamie Cumberland – Cowboy/Retail Account Representative, Calgary, AB
- Past president, current member of ALBERTA ROCKIES GAY RODEO ASSOC.
- Mid 40s
- He would like to use any winnings to buy a condo, and of course, a horse – which he would name ‘Buttercup.’
- He would also like to take his supporters to rodeos across the United States.

Valine Kavanaugh – Oil Rig Worker, Cape Royal, NFLD
- Works in the catering department on one of the world’s largest moving oil rigs, the “Eirik Raude”.
- Mid 20s
- She is bubbly, confident and full of energy. She exemplifies a true Newfoundlander with her spirit and kindness.
- She is one of four women on a crew of 120 on the “Eirik Raude”. She works 21 days on, and 21 days off. The rig’s crew consists of people from 10 different countries; all who have their own version of Deal Or No Deal at home.
- Comes from a family of oil riggers. Her dad works on Hibernia.
- She wants to win money to buy a home, a black Mustang and to stay on land.

With the contestants finally being announced, I can safely say that some of the contestants had enough personality to completely fill the studio and it is easy to see why they were chosen.

The final day of shooting involved a grueling day as this was the final chance to make sure that all the necessary footage was taken for the programs that will debut after the Super Bowl.

There is no question that Thursday was my favorite day of taping as the contestants were boisterous and that always translates into great television. It’s now hard to imagine life without Deal Or No Deal Canada as it consumed my schedule for the last week. Fortunately, there will not be a long waiting period before the show premieres.

People have stopped to ask me why I would be interested in watching the show after already seeing the tapings and I can say with certainty that the magic of the small screen allows for some things that the live show cannot account for. Perhaps the biggest is the theme music that will be entered in during post-production. One of the things that makes game shows what they are is the exciting music that is played when contestants are mulling over tough decisions that could conceivably change their lives. I think it will be interesting to see how this plays out. Another thing that I am looking forward to is seeing Howie Mandel’s dramatic throws to commercial. While being frustrated at this is something that the live audience will undoubtedly share with viewers at home, I think that this is a necessary evil because it only adds to the drama.

What will you see on the show?

I can tell you that no matter how many misconceptions you may or may not have about Deal Or No Deal, the fact of the matter is that you will care about the people that are playing. The odds are that you will never meet them and probably won’t hear about them again, but for the few minutes that they are selecting cases, you will have no choice but to loudly yell your opinions as to what they should do. It’s this fact that makes the show as successful as it is and gives Deal Or No Deal Canada the same ingredient that is included in all recipes for successful reality television. The audience must care about the people that are playing. While there are other things about the show that can pique curiosity (including Mandel’s witty jabs, the prevalent hotosity of the models and just seeing a great Canadian set), the fact is that the show is built on the backs of the contestants and in this Northern edition, they certainly do not disappoint. Howie often warmed the live crowd up by saying that they were now the contestant’s family, and I have to concur. I just hope that the people who win big money will invite us all over for Thanksgiving.

That does it for the live coverage. It was an experience unlike any other, and I really don’t know how the contestants were able to sleep the week before the show started because I was having a tough time just watching.

I will be back with my thoughts after each episode where I will offer my analysis of each decision, supplemented by what happened live.

Deal?

Deal Or No Deal Canada premieres on Global after the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 4 at 10 PM Eastern. The remaining four episodes will air as follows:

Thursday, February 8 @ 9 p.m. ET/PT
Episode #2

Thursday, February 15 @ 9 p.m. ET/PT
Episode #3

Thursday, February 22 @ 9 p.m. ET/PT
Episode #4

Thursday, March 1 @ 9 p.m. ET/PT
Episode #5

Sir Linksalot: Deal Or No Deal

The tapings took place at the Toronto Production Centre inside the CBC Building in downtown Toronto, and featured Canadian contestants, models and even hometown host in Howie Mandel as I discussed yesterday.

On Wednesday, about the only thing that changed was the caliber of the players that were chosen to take the stage. The contestants made gutsy decisions, entertained the crowd and if the live audience’s reaction was any indication of how the national audience will react, clearly the country will all experience feelings of excitement, nausea and high-stakes fever when the show airs next month in Canada, and maybe even to a bigger audience as Mandel even admitted his desire to see the special episodes picked up south of the border.

Some of you wrote in to ask me what my highlights have been thus far, and I will gladly list everything that I found memorable today.

Any straight guy that tells you that he does not watch Deal Or No Deal for the models is lying. So while I will not deny my interest in them, it is their witty one-liners that are surprisingly entertaining. While Howie Mandel is a seasoned veteran of the comedy circuit, the majority of the Canadian models were chosen in searches across the country and I definitely did not expect them to amuse me as much as they did when they opened their mouths as well as their cases.

I also have appreciated the subtle differences to the American edition of the show. While I will not go into too much detail until after the episodes air, there are many Canadian touches to this edition and while some are more obvious than others, it is clear that while this is a spin on the U.S. version, it certainly is not defined by it. On stage, Howie referred to the fact that some of his American colleagues joked that the Canadian version would be tamer and more polite since those are the qualities that canucks are known for eh? He said they were wrong and I wholeheartedly concur. The question was not whether the atmosphere was bubby and boisterous, but rather if it was the contestants, their supporters or the audience in general that made the most noise.

Finally, there is something to be said for the exhilaration of a live taping in general and especially one that is history making. For all the Canadians who have wanted to be cast on Survivor or The Apprentice, this was their chance to be on a legitimate reality show and one that will air in the biggest timeslot that any show can air on in the calendar year after the Super Bowl. It was great to witness something that will be remembered.

There are many surprises to expect on the second and third episodes of Deal Or No Deal Canada which will air on February 8th and February 15th respectively. I will have a lot more to say on them on February 9th and February 16th respectively.

It’s time for me to put on my toque and go drink some maple syrup straight out of the bottle because that’s what Canadians do isn’t it?

Until tomorrow for my final day of LIVE Deal Or No Deal Canada coverage, this is the iron-man of reality television signing off.

Deal?

Deal Or No Deal Canada premieres on Global after the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 4 at 10 PM Eastern. The remaining four episodes will air on Thursdays at 9 PM

Sir Linksalot: Deal Or No Deal

Upon entering the Deal Or No Deal Canada studio, I knew this was no Supermarket Sweep, or Pitfall, Super Pay Cards, Talk About, or the greatest Canadian time-waster ever, The Mad Dash. (Um, what about Definition? – Kevin)

So there I was with 300 people, spontaneously chanting “Howie! Howie!” as Howie Mandel was coming out. It was clear right from the start and throughout the taping that this is a Deal Or No Deal-savvy crowd, ready to give their all to the production crew regardless of what they were asked.

It was great to see the white maple leaf on the stage as well as the scene of the Toronto skyline at night behind the models, so you know that even though most things are the same, there’s a unique flavour (or, flavor, if you live south of here) to this edition.

Murtz made reference to the intensity and nerves even someone in the studio audience feel for each contestant. I certainly felt that.

I can’t go into the details of the contestants, results or models. You’ll just have to see it for yourself starting February 4 after the Super Bowl.

I can say this generally. Seems like the six contestants that were chosen for the five shows are taking the 111,994 of us who applied and didn’t make it, to school about how to be the type of contestant the producers are looking for. The moral of the story is, if you’re a mild-mannered 39-year-old property assessor and you’re applying to be a contestant, YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME. To Insight Productions and Global’s credit, they really did their homework in the contestant-selection process.

They really did well in selecting the all-Canadian team of models too. As for personal preference, let’s say I’m a fan of #10 (Anya) in the U.S. and now I’m a fan of her #10 counterpart here as well. #s 7 and 17 were hot also.

As for Howie, let’s just say there probably isn’t another point in his career where he has had so much fun. He was relaxed, had great interaction with the audience, and sensed the love his fellow countrymen were giving him.

Bottom line.
If you are expecting the contestants on Deal Or No Deal Canada to be less interesting or exciting as those in the States, no way.

If you’re expecting the models to be less attractive or have less personality than their American counterparts, you’ll be proven wrong.

If you expect the audience to resemble the Platinum section at the Air Canada Centre during Toronto Maple Leaf games, get ready for a real eye-opener.

If you love the American version, the Canadian version will be every bit as much fun.

Sir Linksalot: Deal Or No Deal

While none of the above happened, after attending the premiere taping of Deal Or No Deal Canada in Toronto, I felt like I had just played instead of only watching other strangers compete. And the fact is that I was just as engaged as I would have been if I had been playing.

Filmed in Howie’s hometown at the Toronto Production Centre inside the CBC Building, the concept of the show remained the same, save for a few Canadian extras. This included a whole new set of Canadian models and loonies and toonies being added to the possible prize winnings (Canadian currency for $1 and $2).

Aside from that, the slick setting closely resembled its American counterpart. Howie Mandel hosted the premiere show and will continue to do so for the tapings that are scheduled for the rest of the week.

One of the immediate things that I realized by being in the live audience was how exciting the show is. When you watch Deal Or No Deal on TV, eyebrows are always raised at the intensity of a game that is basically a random sport of chance where one contestant claims ownership of one briefcase and then eliminates other cases that contain different amounts of money. Even with the absence of the standard Deal Or No Deal theme music (that will undoubtedly be added during post-production), the audience was riveted and consumed with what they were seeing and it is this visceral appeal of the show that has made it a breakthrough hit across Canada and the United States. At times, I thought the guy beside me was about to lose his legs in a bad Vegas bet as he winced and grimaced with every case selection. The scariest part is that he wasn’t even related to any of the contestants!

Another aspect to look forward to for prospective Canadian audiences is Howie’s humor. With the models and players all hailing from his home, it’s like he has been given a whole new routine and it is fun to see. One of his trademark quips for this version of the series is the fact that the Canadian contestants will receive double what the Americans do, regardless of how much they walk away with. The reason is that prize winnings north of the border are not taxed like they are in Uncle Sam country.

I will continue to follow the shows this week, but my detailed thoughts will have to wait until after the episodes air in February.

Deal?

Deal Or No Deal Canada premieres on Global after the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 4 at 10 PM Eastern. The remaining four episodes will air on Thursdays at 9 PM

Sir Linksalot: Deal Or No Deal

What makes Deal or No Deal the most-watched show on NBC? Yes, you heard me right. NBC is SAVED by this reality TV game show. It’s not My Name is Earl or The Office. It’s not even Law & Order or ER. It’s a game show that involves no skill. You just have to be lucky.

Actually, NBC would like for you to think of Deal or No Deal as the “ULTIMATE game of risk, timing, and luck”, but you get the picture. Players just pick numbers and hope they pick right. That’s all. They also have to decide when enough money is enough. That can be hard when you have 26 women to choose from and they are all so dang cute!

But what makes the show tick is the players themselves. Every person who is on the show, male or female, act so incredibly nuts. They make fools of themselves to be honest. I think that’s the point. That’s what NBC wants. They want people to act crazy, so that we can laugh at them or jump up and down and root for them. Who knows, if I was winning money by just picking numbers, I might be doing cartwheels and backflips and yelling at the top of my lungs and crying and jumping up and down and whatever else I can think of to “express myself” and stand out in the crowd.

Howie Mandell is the host and he has OCD or something and he can’t shake hands. He’s afraid of the germs, so he pounds fists with the players. Of course, he pushes the players along and keeps them picking numbers when they probably should stop, but that’s the point of the game. Howie is just as crazy as the players on the show, so it’s a match made in heaven!

Another thing I love about this show is the audience. They are encouraged to scream and help the players decide whether they should take the deal or not! I’m just waiting for them to “BOOO!” the models when they open up their cases and it’s a high number. That would be funny! Like the models can change the numbers inside by the way they act. Just another crazy part of the game.

I still don’t know why this so is addicting, but I watch it and about 15 million others watch it as well. Having the show three times a week is probably a little too much, but it brings in the ratings and NBC needs all the help it can get before some of their new shows break away and carry the network out of 4th place. For now, it’s crazy Howie with 26 crazily beautiful women and his crazy cousins, who appear on the show!

Sir Linksalot: Deal or No Deal