[quote name=\'whewfan\' post=\'229423\' date=\'Oct 29 2009, 01:08 PM\']Wayne actually appears to be choosing traders on the spot, instead of the traders being pre-chosen, and Monty was just directed where the next trader(s) he was to deal with were seated. Either that or Wayne is just creating the illusion that he's picking the traders without any influence from the producers.[/quote]
The contestants are absolutely picked by contestant coordinators before the show.
Either that or they're just lining every audience member up and having someone ask "Where ya from? Whad'ya do?" for the hell of it.
[quote name=\'whewfan\' post=\'229423\' date=\'Oct 29 2009, 01:08 PM\']Wayne has picked "non costumed" contestants. Monty had said on LMAD that nobody HAS TO be in costume, and they don't provide the costumes themselves. As the intro says "these people come DRESSED AS THEY ARE" I also noticed that the non costumed contestants are seated in a different section, for obvious reasons. On a recent show, Wayne picked a lady that was in a regular red shirt and pants, and offered her a hat so she would have a costume, and the hat had money wrapped around the brim.[/quote]
Outside the studio they have a setup they call the "Let's Make a Deal Costume Shop" where they sell old Halloween costumes. Some came dressed, while some purchased them at the show (the cheapest I saw, I believe was $25).
The costumes didn't appear to be of more value than a conversation piece with the contestant coordinators. Looked as if they were going for personality instead. Several people at the show I attended were out of costume, and before the taping started, a stagehand walked around with a box of props like big glasses, Mardi Gras beads, and funny hats, and handed them out to those that were in normal clothing.