The banker has claimed her first victim on Deal or No Deal Island Season 2. On Tuesday (January 7) night’s premiere, “The Banker Strikes Back,” the new crop of contestants were put to the test with a pyramid challenge called “The Bankers Pyramid Scheme.”
There were three sides filled with cases, and the contestants had to team up to try and find the side with the most money in the cases. One path was slippery and rocky over the water, with more cases at the end; the second was a medium-difficulty trek through the jungle, which was longer but safer; and the third, for the red cases, was via zipline and had just three cases, but more risk and more reward within them.
Going for the red cases were Survivor Australia alum David Genat, Luke Olejniczak, and Seychelle Cordero.
After retrieving the cases, Luke learned that he had the “Steal” case and could choose any of the others’ cases — although only the easiest path’s cases were revealed. Instead of taking a risk by selecting one of the potentially higher-denomination cases, he chose the highest-dollar-amount case that was already opened with $450,000, and his teammates gave him guff about it, especially after other cases were opened with much higher numbers. Later, David, who got the “Swap” case, declined an offer from Sydnee Peck to take their $750,000 case instead of trying for the $1 million, and it came back to bite him. Ultimately, the red case team was then up for elimination, and it was up to Sydnee, who had the $1 million to choose who to send in. Though David expressed an interest in going in to control his own fate, she was reluctant to choose him because of her unabashed crush on the guy, and gave Luke the shot he wanted at the temple.
Unfortunately for Luke, his lucky number seven case proved to be very unlucky. After declining three six-figure deals, the last remaining cases were $1 and $500, leading to what host Joe Manganiello said was the “lowest offer ever” at just $300. Luke also declined that offer and found that his case did indeed contain the $1 denomination, which meant he was the first to be eliminated.
So how did he feel about making show history this way? And was he surprised to learn that his teammate was a well-known reality star? TV Insider caught up with Luke Olejniczak to find out.
Did you know David Genat was a reality star?
Luke Olejniczak: I didn’t know anybody’s background. I didn’t even know who the host was. Somebody had to tell me. No, I didn’t know David’s background and I didn’t know Parv’s. I don’t really watch a lot of TV, Amanda, unless it’s college football or the NFL.
Yeah, we could tell you like football! Do you feel like he maybe pressured you into doing like the zipline thing first?
No, no, that was my choice. No, the only thing that wasn’t necessarily shown on TV that I wish was, was our talk prior to the starting gun going off. That decision I made was predetermined as a team, but it wasn’t shown on camera. At the end of the day, I should have been smart enough to pivot and figure out the math and know better, but when I was pressured, and I had to make a decision right then and right now, I went with the predetermined destination. If I was sour about anything, it would be when I looked to my team — ’cause this was a team thing — they both clammed up. It was all on me. But other than that, no.
Were you surprised by some of the things he said in the confessionals, like calling you and Seychelle the “Three Stooges”?
Yeah. Yeah, but you know what? He’s a reality star. That’s what America likes. That’s not me though. I certainly wouldn’t say anything like that. That’s pretty rude, but whatever, it is what it is. I mean, what are you gonna do? Have hurt feelings over it? Big deal.
You said that you weren’t gonna play a scared game and you stuck to that. Was that your strategy coming in or was that something you kind of developed as you got there?
No, that was absolutely the strategy going in. One of the things that my father told me before I got on the jets — because my father, I talked about it in the episode with the money, I would have loved to have taken care of them a little bit better — but my father stopped me dead in my tracks on my way to get onto the plane. He said, “Look, come here, I wanna tell you something.” He said, “Don’t play scared. Just have fun. I don’t care what you win.” Once I got on the plane, that was my predetermined destination. I was just gonna have fun, and I wasn’t gonna play scared.
Monty Brinton/NBC
Was there any conversation about David maybe taking that deal on that offer from Sydnee?
No. So, what happened was, the reason why Seychelle and I were the first ones on the island waiting, it’s because we already had a predetermined plan. It was already in motion. That’s why we looked like a couple of stooges, and then David pops in late with a whole another plan. No, there was no discussion at all.
It sounds like you and Seychelle were on the same page, but she blamed you kind of for the team’s fate in the daily, for choosing the case?
That’s fine. I mean, it’s always easy to deflect, right? At the end of the day, it was my action, but she certainly didn’t do me any justice by taking any of the heat off me by saying, “No, this was our team’s decision.” She knows that, but it’s fine. I have big shoulders. I’ll take the blame.
You obviously had asked to be in the temple. Did you have any regrets about going up there first once you got in there?
Absolutely not. You know what would have been worse than having the outcome last night? Having Seychelle or David go up there and just watching my fate happen in front of me, that would have been even worse. So, no, I have no regrets at all. I’ll be remembered for something. I guess that’s worth something, right?
Related‘Deal or No Deal Island’ Sneak Peek: Parvati Shallow Makes an Ally
When Seychelle and David were talking to you, assuming that you would win, and they were trying to convince you, had you made any decision about who you would have taken out?
Absolutely. Again, at no fault to the camera crew, they can’t be at all places at all times, and if they showed everything, this would be a six-hour-long episode, okay? But I actually had a good handshake with David, a gentleman’s handshake, saying, “If I win, I will keep you on the island and Seychelle will go home.” I want that to be known because a lot of people are watching, and they’re wondering why Seychelle is so toxic. Seychelle is a New Yorker. The girl’s got spunk, okay? But she had reason to be that toxic. She had a reason to be that upset. I told her, “You’re going home.” And she pleaded her case: “Look, don’t you think David is the bigger threat?” I said, “Seychelle, it’s irrelevant. I gave him a handshake. I’m gonna stand by my word. You’re going home.” Because at the end of the day, we all have to go home, and I don’t want to have to answer to why I didn’t stand by my word. It’s a small town here.
Looking back at the episode when you watched it, was there any deal that you kind of thought maybe you got that you should have taken… Did you get talked into like not taking it by the crowd at all?
No, no, I mean, obviously the smart deal would have been the $218,000, I think it was, right? Odds were in my favor, but let me tell you this. I realized that that was a good deal, but there was also a part of me where there was some guilt. I was the main factor why our team was in the bottom, in hot water, and there was a part of me that thought, “You know what? If this is destiny, case number 7 is gonna keep me alive.” There was a predetermined case before I even stepped foot onto the banker’s island, and guess what? If it’s not the right one, this is going home because at the end of the day as toxic as Seychelle was, she really didn’t deserve to go home. It was my decision that that put us in peril.
Speaking of the case number 7, obviously you picked that based on your love of football and Nick Saban and all that. Do you have any thoughts about that one doing you dirty?
No. You know, it just wasn’t for me. I mean, we can focus on all of these negative things like, “Oh, I didn’t come away with that money.” That money was never mine to begin with. I had an opportunity. What a wonderful opportunity. How many people can say they’ve gone and done this? I can. What a blessing. No, nothing like that at all. All good vibes on this end.
When you were leaving, who were you left rooting for?
Yeah, I would say David, but really Rock. Rock’s just a good guy. He is probably the person that I felt most at ease with, back home again. You need to be of your word and you are who you say you are, right? I see a lot of snakes on the island. Rock was not one of them. I really wish Rock the best.
Well, now I gotta have a follow up and ask who are the snakes?
I’ll let you determine that. I’m not gonna put names out there, but there’s plenty of them!
Deal or No Deal Island, Tuesdays, 8/7c, NBC
More Headlines:
‘The View’ Adds Streaming ‘Weekend’ Edition: What to Know‘Deal or No Deal Island’: Luke Olejniczak Reveals Who He Planned to Send Home if He Beat the Banker‘Chicago P.D.’ Boss Teases Burzek’s Wedding, Reid vs. Voight & More‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’: Camilla Luddington Tells Ken Jennings Why ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Changed Her Accent (VIDEO)How to Watch Today’s Full ‘The View’ Episode After That Fire News Preemption
