The women behind the man
By Bruce R. Miller Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, December 08, 2006
LOS ANGELES -- They want the contestants to win. Truly, they do.
But if one of the "Deal or No Deal" models gets picked early on in the game, she's more than happy to exit.
"Then we get to take our shoes off and watch the show," says Tameka Jacobs, one of the 26. "You want the contestants to win, but it can be difficult to stand that long."
They are, after all, wearing very high heels and very short skirts.
"Sometimes they ride up, especially if you're in the front row," Lisa Gleave says of the designer dresses. "That's when you have to make sure the camera angles don't show anything. We recently wore a dress that none of us liked, but it looked hot on camera."
But, Jacobs cautions, "It's not about what we want to wear."
"It's how we all look together," says Gleave.
That "unified force" is key to backstage success at "Deal." Gleave -- who has modeled extensive and worked previously on "The Price is Right" -- says personality was key during the interview process -- even though they barely speak on the show.
"They wanted to get to know you as a person," she explains.
"And they wanted to see your legs," says Sara Bronson, another of the chosen.
Most important? Walking without falling.
The model march that leads off the show isn't easy, the three say. "The right side of the stage starts on the right foot and the left side starts on the left foot," says Jacobs. "You're either walking or prompting on the 1 or the 5. We turn our cases to the front on the 6."
Got that?
It's pretty technical, the three say. "We had many long hours of practice," Bronson adds.
And there's a trick to opening the suitcase: "Watch for the blue light," Jacobs says.
Then, Bronson continues, "you open the latch with your right hand and the case with your left. It's not as easy as it may look. We make it look easy."
The reaction shot? "Big number bad, little number good," Jacobs says with a laugh. "We have that implanted in the back of our heads, so it comes pretty naturally."
During the show's two seasons, the models have learned other lessons. "Never listen to your spouse or your mom," says Jacobs. "They're just looking out for themselves." And never touch host Howie Mandel. A germ-o-phobe, Mandel will knock fists with a contestant but he won't shake hands.
Grab a model? "I would suggest not to," Jacobs says.
"But you can hug us or give us a high five," Gleave says. "That's OK."
Because they've gotten so much exposure thanks to the show, the three say they're often recognized on the street. "We don't get it when we're all together. We get it when we're alone," Jacobs says. "You'd think it'd be the other way around."
Contestants know them by name, too, and often research them on the Internet.
For the record, Jacobs is No. 21. Bronson is No. 7 and Gleave is No. 3.
Some models have switched numbers, but Jacobs, Bronson and Gleave have had the same briefcases from Day One.
"I get the million all the time," Jacobs says of the amounts hidden inside. "Too many times to my liking." And, no, they don't know beforehand if they're holding big money. When they open the briefcases, what's inside is a surprise to them, too.
Still, the three say they love the platform "Deal or No Deal" gives them. All are convinced it can be a launching pad to other work -- like hosting or acting. "Already this has opened a lot of doors for us," Gleave says.
All 26 get paid equally (though they won't say what the going rate is); all 26 wear the same style dress. No one gets to take home the clothes (they're auctioned for charity). And while they look about the same size, there is a difference. At 5'11", Jacobs is the tallest. At 5"5", Bronson is the shortest.
Occasionally, accidents do happen. If a suitcase opens during the "walk," the game restarts and the cases are "randomized" again. To prevent any problems, the briefcases are locked and taped shut. After the contestant has picked the first case, the tape comes off.
A fantasy life? "Everybody thinks we live in the same house and have pillow fights all the time," says Gleave. "We don't." For the record, they also don't wash cars in bikinis or practice runway walks.
"People are definitely paying attention," Jacobs says. "It's kind of scary."
A job with a future? That's what the three hope "Deal or No Deal" is.
"We don't want to end up on an 'E! True Hollywood Story'," Jacobs says. "Because that means either half of us are dead or strung out."
But if one of the "Deal or No Deal" models gets picked early on in the game, she's more than happy to exit.
"Then we get to take our shoes off and watch the show," says Tameka Jacobs, one of the 26. "You want the contestants to win, but it can be difficult to stand that long."
They are, after all, wearing very high heels and very short skirts.
"Sometimes they ride up, especially if you're in the front row," Lisa Gleave says of the designer dresses. "That's when you have to make sure the camera angles don't show anything. We recently wore a dress that none of us liked, but it looked hot on camera."
But, Jacobs cautions, "It's not about what we want to wear."
"It's how we all look together," says Gleave.
That "unified force" is key to backstage success at "Deal." Gleave -- who has modeled extensive and worked previously on "The Price is Right" -- says personality was key during the interview process -- even though they barely speak on the show.
"They wanted to get to know you as a person," she explains.
"And they wanted to see your legs," says Sara Bronson, another of the chosen.
Most important? Walking without falling.
The model march that leads off the show isn't easy, the three say. "The right side of the stage starts on the right foot and the left side starts on the left foot," says Jacobs. "You're either walking or prompting on the 1 or the 5. We turn our cases to the front on the 6."
Got that?
It's pretty technical, the three say. "We had many long hours of practice," Bronson adds.
And there's a trick to opening the suitcase: "Watch for the blue light," Jacobs says.
Then, Bronson continues, "you open the latch with your right hand and the case with your left. It's not as easy as it may look. We make it look easy."
The reaction shot? "Big number bad, little number good," Jacobs says with a laugh. "We have that implanted in the back of our heads, so it comes pretty naturally."
During the show's two seasons, the models have learned other lessons. "Never listen to your spouse or your mom," says Jacobs. "They're just looking out for themselves." And never touch host Howie Mandel. A germ-o-phobe, Mandel will knock fists with a contestant but he won't shake hands.
Grab a model? "I would suggest not to," Jacobs says.
"But you can hug us or give us a high five," Gleave says. "That's OK."
Because they've gotten so much exposure thanks to the show, the three say they're often recognized on the street. "We don't get it when we're all together. We get it when we're alone," Jacobs says. "You'd think it'd be the other way around."
Contestants know them by name, too, and often research them on the Internet.
For the record, Jacobs is No. 21. Bronson is No. 7 and Gleave is No. 3.
Some models have switched numbers, but Jacobs, Bronson and Gleave have had the same briefcases from Day One.
"I get the million all the time," Jacobs says of the amounts hidden inside. "Too many times to my liking." And, no, they don't know beforehand if they're holding big money. When they open the briefcases, what's inside is a surprise to them, too.
Still, the three say they love the platform "Deal or No Deal" gives them. All are convinced it can be a launching pad to other work -- like hosting or acting. "Already this has opened a lot of doors for us," Gleave says.
All 26 get paid equally (though they won't say what the going rate is); all 26 wear the same style dress. No one gets to take home the clothes (they're auctioned for charity). And while they look about the same size, there is a difference. At 5'11", Jacobs is the tallest. At 5"5", Bronson is the shortest.
Occasionally, accidents do happen. If a suitcase opens during the "walk," the game restarts and the cases are "randomized" again. To prevent any problems, the briefcases are locked and taped shut. After the contestant has picked the first case, the tape comes off.
A fantasy life? "Everybody thinks we live in the same house and have pillow fights all the time," says Gleave. "We don't." For the record, they also don't wash cars in bikinis or practice runway walks.
"People are definitely paying attention," Jacobs says. "It's kind of scary."
A job with a future? That's what the three hope "Deal or No Deal" is.
"We don't want to end up on an 'E! True Hollywood Story'," Jacobs says. "Because that means either half of us are dead or strung out."
Story Comments
Read More and Post Comments 1 comment(s)
Please note: The following are comments from readers. In no way do they represent the views of The Sioux City Journal or Lee Enterprises. We will not edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to not post or to remove comments that violate our code of conduct. No comment may contain potentially libelous statements; obscene, explicit or racist language; personal attacks, insults or threats. Terms of Service
Chris wrote on Dec 10, 2006 9:25 PM: