Media Frenzy

By Rob Holbert Managing Editor

NBC’s hottest show is coming to the Port City looking for potential contestants who want to make a deal.

No, Monte Hall won’t be in town and stakes are much higher than a new car or a goat. The producers of “Deal or No Deal” will perform a contestant search July 22 at Hank Aaron Stadium, hoping to drum up lively folks who will help keep the show on top.

“If you’ve ever been told you smile too much, I want to see you. If you’ve ever been told you have too much energy, I want to see you,” said “Deal or No Deal” casting associate Chad Haywood.

So what’s the deal with “Deal?” If you’ve never seen the show, it offers contestants a chance to choose one of 26 silver briefcases held by gorgeous models. Each of the cases holds an amount from one cent to $1 million. The contestant chooses one case that is his, but does not open it. He must then begin choosing other cases to open. As each is opened, the amount represented in that case is taken off the board and is no longer available to win.

Getting lucky enough to knock off the smaller amounts first leaves larger totals, such as the cool million, $750 K or $500K, still on the block. Along the way, the action stops and “the banker” makes monetary offers based upon the amounts remaining to get the contestant to stop picking. If the contestant keeps his case all the way through the round, he gets the amount in that case.

So far, Haywood said, no one has won the million bucks. But lots of folks have taken away $300,000 or more. Far from being a show for trivia savants, “Deal” is really about luck and guts. And those two components may prove to be quite valuable in landing a spot on the show.

Haywood says those interested in being contestants should expect to wait four or more hours for their 30-second interview. And then, it’s going to take some magic to get the nod.

“We’re looking for what makes someone unique and special. We want someone who is going to pop,” he said.

Haywood says they expect 4,000 or more people to show up at “The Hank” for the search. There is no set number of contestants they will select – it strictly depends on how many catch the judges’ eyes. Interviews will start at 10:30 a.m. Haywood says the producers will try to make the wait entertaining, playing mock versions of “Deal” to help pass the time.

While there may be strategy involved in knowing when to take a deal or keep on picking cases, Haywood says there is no rhyme or reason to the placement of the big money. He said only those folks controlling the network’s standards and practices even know where the big bucks are hidden.

“We’ve had people try to come up with mathematic equations on which ones to pick, but there’s no formula,” Haywood said.

The most given away so far is $464,000 to a contestant from Chicago, but Haywood says it’s “not uncommon” to give away $300,000 or more.

If some local folks are chosen to compete, the show is filmed in Los Angeles, and the contestant and family will be flown out and put up in a hotel. As for when that could happen, Haywood said the call could come anywhere from a few weeks to eight months later.

New at WHIL

WHIL, Mobile’s fine arts public radio station has selected a new general manager – a veteran broadcaster who has run radio stations in the Boston area.

Mario Mazza, who has served as vice president of five stations in New England, including WCRB-FM, Beantown’s commercial classical station, will take WHIL’s helm in September. He replaces Catt Sirten, who has been serving as the interim station manager. Sirten will continue with the station on-air, continuing to produce his shows “Radio Avalon” and “Sunday Jazz Brunch.”

Mazza was vice president of Charles River Broadcasting in Boston since 1995.

Rob Holbert is Lagniappe managing editor. Contact him at rholbert@lagniappemobile.com.

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