My Day As A “Let’s Make a Deal” Contestant – Part 9 (Awkwardness & Strategy Behind Taking The Envelope)

February 24, 2015

contestant hugging Wayne after winning with Aurora looking on
Thought I was only giving a disappointed vibe in the background… but look at how happy I am for her! Yay! 🙂 (Photo credit: CBS/Freemantle)

(Missed any part? Here’s the whole series.)

Picking up from last time

As you probably know, the box was not a zonk.

To recap: I’d kept the curtain to see what he’d offer next. The other dealer took the box… and got a trip to Mexico!

When it was revealed, I knew that meant my choices were almost certainly one of the mid-level prizes or a zonk. The chances of LMAD trying to outdo a trip to Mexico – on a show that had already had kind of exceptional prizes – was so slim.

I definitely reacted with disappointment. My first instinct was to sit down as I felt the weight of my mistake. But there wasn’t a ton of room, and I didn’t want to accidentally trip over anyone as I fell to the ground. I also was just so unsure where to be for the best composition for their shot.

Was I supposed to get to the other side of Wayne Brady so the camera had just the two of them (him and the contestant) cleanly? I was afraid to move to his other side without being told to. I probably should’ve countered. I just didn’t know what was appropriate in this situation!

So, I stayed put. And then I felt a little self-conscious about making my disappointed face. They’d given us the whole spiel about how if we pass up something good, we’re supposed to look disappointed – and I was. But was that ruining the happy mood she was giving?

I did not realize how stressful it was to be down there with a second person! I was pretty clueless on what to do.

Another shot of Aurora De Lucia talking with her hands on Let's Make a Deal
(Photo credit: CBS/Freemantle)

But that was over soon, and she went back to her seat.

(Thankfully they got a good shot of her happiness that didn’t include disappointed me. Props to the Let’s Make a Deal crew!)

At that point, I knew “on the rocks” almost certainly meant diamonds. Or much less likely, it was some rock-themed zonk. They use that clue for diamonds all the time. I figured diamonds would be in the mini-curtain and a zonk would be in the envelope.

Therefore, I had to go for the envelope! If there were indeed diamonds behind the curtain, I wanted to avoid them. After the taxes you’d have to pay on them, and their not fabulous resale value, I’d make practically nothing. I don’t wear diamonds (for fear of them being blood diamonds, plus I’m not all that fancy…).

If you get zonked –
a) You get the fun story of the dichotomy of “I won a car on The Price is Right. And then I got zonked on Let’s Make a Deal. How fun, huh?”
b) *Most importantly* – If you get zonked, you get a chance to possibly come back for Zonk Redemption! Zonk Redemption is the best Let’s Make a Deal episode of the season (aside from maybe Big Money Week). So, to go to Zonk Redemption would be incredible.

Aurora about to see her prize revealed on Let's Make a Deal
(Photo credit: CBS/Freemantle)

In my opinion, a zonk is better than diamond earrings for sure. Now, for someone who absolutely loves jewelry, and/or someone who does not live 20 minutes away and couldn’t easily come to Zonk Redemption – it might behoove them to play differently. But for me, that was what made the most sense.

So, I took the envelope. And this is where I’ll pick up next time.

I'd love to hear from you! So whaddya say?