Hernando resident Alice Williams competed on a national game show and won a major prize–all without leaving Brooksville!
Williams was a contestant this week on the Feb. 1 episode of Let’s Make a Deal, the classic game show broadcast nationally on the CBS network.
“It was an all-day event. I’ve never done anything like that before,” she said.
True to the format of this signature show, which debuted in 1963, audience members dress in outlandish costumes to get the attention of host Wayne Brady. Brady offers to ‘make them a deal’ on trips, prizes, cars, and cash they win playing animated, vibrant games of chance while trying to avoid the dreaded ‘Zonks’–signs that pop up randomly to signal the loss of acquired cash and prizes. Yet in a twist, some contestants play from home in the roles of “At Homies” whose images line a Virtual Wall on stage. And on the Feb. 1 edition, Williams was the star of the show.
Assuming the name of Cookie, Williams–dressed in an Afro wig and a colorful disco-era costume–played a game called “You Can’t Say No”; one that required her to accept the leftover prizes not claimed by an on-stage contestant. She charmed Brady and the audience with exclamations of “Don’t be trickin’ me” and “Give me the money!”, and by referring to dollars as ‘schnacks.’ Ultimately, though, she traded her ‘schnacks’ cash prize for a trip to Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
During the show, Williams also discussed her work as an IT instructor/project manager and talent manager, as well as her status as a veteran of both the US Army and the Marines–and her brief role as a member of a military boxing team.
“That was really short-lived,” she joked. “Come to find out, I didn’t like getting hit in the face.”
Brady expressed amusement at Williams’ persona and antics, encouraging the audience to “Let’s give a big hand to the lovely Cookie.”
Williams returned the sentiment.
“My favorite part of the show was meeting Wayne Brady,” she said. “He was so nice and personable, and made me feel comfortable.”
Williams’ participation in Let’s Make a Deal seemed a natural fit for this veteran of the entertainment industry, the founder of the Sing 2 Bling online talent competition billed as “the world’s largest singing/rapping competition online.” (https://sing2bling.tv/). These singing/dancing/spoken word competitions offer prizes up to $5,000.
“This is so important right now, as people can’t go to that many music competitions,” she said.
In the past, she has staged entertainment shows for kids at Boys and Girls Clubs. She also has been a fan of Let’s Make a Deal since its early days and responded quickly when she saw Facebook notices calling for contestants.
“It was so much fun,” she said.
And as she ‘made a deal’ on her favorite game show, Alice ‘Cookie’ Williams made a lot of fans across the country. See her appearance on Let’s Make a Deal here: https://www.cbs.com/shows/lets_make_a_deal/video/dAcYSV4_F6GamciZm_fRR91AXj_90BB2/let-s-make-a-deal-2-1-2021/.
