‘Let’s Make a Deal’ at 1,001 Episodes: Co-Creator Monty Hall on the Show’s Impact
Monty Hall is the co-creator, with Stefan Hatos, of the game show “Let’s Make a Deal,” and was its host from 1963 to 1991. Now in his 90s, he took some time to discuss the show, currently on CBS’ daytime schedule, in his home in Beverly Hills.
On the show’s impact:
“No matter where you are in the world, somebody will come up to you, or will say ‘My sister was on your show,’ in the most incredible places. Vatican City in Rome, a person came up to me; at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem; standing outside Buckingham Palace. All those years, you can imagine the impact. You do a show, and you have 10 contestants a day, each of them has a million relatives. The whole world knows about it.”
On how being a contestant affects people:
“Something happens to you when you’re on the show. Under the lights and the excitement, you will do things you would never do before. This woman that would argue with the milkman over 2 cents would gamble away $1,000. That’s because it was the heat of the moment.”
On his advice to current host Wayne Brady:
“Follow his star, whatever he wants to do. Right now, he’s doing a lot of things outside of ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ — he’s singing; he’s acting. Keep it up. It’s your life, enjoy it. Especially, do the things you love to do.”
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