Deal or No Deal Island Season 2 has been incredible. The remaining players on the Banker’s private island are being tested in new, and interesting, ways. Host and Game Master Joe Manganiello guides the competitors through the challenges. And he is the Banker’s intermediary when someone is playing against her in The Temple.
During the most recent challenge, each competitor had to leap off of one of three platforms over the water. They also had to snag a ring attached to a briefcase. Each contestant grabbed a case for someone else. The high-value cases meant that whoever had one was safe. Of course, the low-value cases meant those competitors were in jeopardy at The Temple. During The Temple, Courtney Kim (CK) was playing the Banker, when she engaged in an exchange with a spicy Phillip Solomon. It was … a lot.
Meanwhile, Dickson Wong, who played the Banker during Episode 4, made history. He added $5 million to the final case, which is a Deal or No Deal Island record. Then, he shocked everyone by breaking his word. He promised Dr. Will Kirby that he would eliminate CK. Instead, he took out his close ally, Storm Wilson.
This bold move was controversial because it put a bigger target on himself, and the Family alliance. This Alliance included Survivor star Parvati Shallow, along with Australian Survivor winner David Genat, and Maria-Grace Cook (M.G.). When Dr. Will played the Banker during the next episode, he eliminated M.G., sending shockwaves through the Family.
Dickson joined Reality Tea writer Kim Stempel to discuss his strategy thus far, and why Storm had to be eliminated from the game.
Dickson Wong had a strategy for Deal or No Deal Island Season 2
Kim Stempel: Congrats on successfully playing the Banker and adding $5 million to the final case. What was that like?
Dickson Wong: Oh my gosh. As a reality TV fan, that was everything I wanted and more. You know I played, in my opinion, the ultimate game of Deal or No Deal. I had the two biggest amounts at the end, which I thought was so cool. And I made a big blindside.
And as someone who watches Big Brother, Survivor … you see all these people. You know, like Parvati with the double idol play. You got Dan Gheesling blindsiding people. And just to be able to experience that and make a big move of my own, and hopefully make my mark on reality TV, I thought was really cool and it was such a surreal moment for me.
Kim Stempel: Did you have a strategy coming into the game?
Dickson Wong: Yeah. So, my strategy coming into the game was to kind of play this awkward nerd a little bit. Make it seem like I was socially awkward and then have people, I don’t want to say necessarily feel bad for me, but feel like, Hey, we can take this kid. He’s not going to make any moves. He’s just here along for the ride. And I think I did a pretty good job up to this point in the season.
Another one of my strategies going into the game was to always have two threats ahead of me. We saw last year that one threat wasn’t good enough, so I’ve always wanted to have at least two threats ahead of me. So that way … you know, if I am vulnerable, and I am up to possibly [be] eliminated, they’ll most likely go for someone who’s a bigger threat than me in the game.
Why Dickson Wong felt that Storm Wilson had to go home on Deal or No Deal Island Season 2
Kim Stempel: Why did you decide to eliminate Storm?
Dickson Wong: Yeah, so that’s a great question. You know, I see a lot of feedback on that. Storm was such a nice guy. And in this game, I said it to so many people, and we saw it last season. What you really have to do in this game is just be nice to people and make it to the end and win a challenge. And I thought Storm was doing a great job of that.
Everybody loved him at camp. Even my own alliance liked him. And you know it blindsided a few of them a little bit. And I don’t think they were a big fan of that. I felt like he was playing Jordan [Fowler’s] strategy – essentially floating to the end.
And the challenges in this game, they really matter, because the challenge last year was a physical challenge. And if you look at me, like in the scenario that it was me and Storm in that rope challenge, he’s killing me in it every time.
So, I just don’t understand why some people don’t see that he is a physical threat. The fact that he was a physical threat in this game, I took him out. You know, no one was going to take him out, I feel like, if I didn’t do it.
Kim Stempel: What did you think of Phillip [Solomon’s] rant at the most recent Temple?
Dickson Wong: So, I mean, I’m just kind of sitting there awkwardly, and I hear Phillip say this huge line, which you know, watching it now might be one of my favorite lines this entire season. And it’s definitely going to go down in reality TV. That was amazing. I mean, you wouldn’t expect it from Phillip because up to this point, he’s been very quiet.
Kim Stempel: Yeah.
Dickson Wong: A little timid. But the fact that we see Phillip turn his on switch on, saying, ‘Hey. You’re not going to talk to me like that. I’m coming after you if you’re coming after me.’ That was definitely something interesting to watch. Like I said, at this point in the show we haven’t seen Phillip get too wild yet.
Dickson Wong’s take on why Courtney Kim (CK) outed the High-Five alliance
Kim Stempel: Right! Were you surprised that CK blasted the High-Five alliance?
Dickson Wong: I’m not going to say I was necessarily surprised by that. One thing that I will say is during the challenge itself, I was completely blindsided that she took me out. Not took me out, but she picked me to go for a low value, because … we were in the same domes.
And, as you can see from the show, domes were basically working together. You got the blue dome working together. You got the yellow dome working together. And the red dome was working together, too. So, the fact that I didn’t take her out when I could have taken her out and chose Storm instead, was due to the fact we were in the same dome. And it kind of blindsided me there.
And the fact that she did call them out, I’m not really shocked about, because she was talking to Parvati. I’m just standing there, kind of awkwardly like, You know, this is probably good for my game. CK and Parvati were very close in the game, too. So, the fact that she was telling Parvati this, I felt very, very safe going into Temple that night.
Kim Stempel: What do you think tipped CK over the edge into spilling all this information? Just the frustration that [Alexis] Lete wouldn’t go for a case for her? Or was it just building up for a while?
Dickson Wong: I mean, that’s a really good question. Me and CK, we were sleeping in the same dome but that doesn’t necessarily mean we talk strategy all the time. We were close, we did speak to each other just to keep each other in the loop and stuff like that. But I do think the reason why she kind of spiraled a little bit was because of the fact [Alexis] Lete didn’t have her back necessarily. And I think with CK, you can see that she really wants to have that ride-or-die person that has her back.
Dickson Wong’s favorite moment so far isn’t a shock
Kim Stempel: What has been your favorite moment from the game so far?
Dickson Wong: I mean, I’m not trying to be biased, but I mean my $5 million case is my favorite moment. I won $5 million … for the team. And I took out Storm, too. Again, people aren’t saying [he] is a big threat. But in my opinion, he was a huge threat in the game because he was a very physical person.
I mean, he said he was throwing the challenges. One thing that I will say is that I sit on the bench every single morning and drink my coffee, and him, Lete, and Phillip work out right in front of me. So, it’s like I see you guys working out. And Storm’s like, ‘Yeah. I’m throwing the challenges.’ It’s like, No, Storm. I can tell you’re a physical threat in this game.
But, yeah. I took Storm out. I won $5 million and it was a great night for me. That was my favorite moment of the season so far and again, not trying to be biased there.
Who does Dickson think will make it to the Deal or No Deal Island Season 2 finale?
Kim Stempel: If you’re looking at everyone right now, who do you think has the best chance of making it to the finale if you had to pick two people?
Dickson Wong: Can I choose myself?
Kim Stempel: Yeah!
Dickson Wong: So, I mean I’m gonna say myself because again, I feel like my strategy is working so far. I’ve got Parvati and David in the game right now. They’re obviously bigger threats than me, and I got Will in the game, too, who’s a bigger threat than me. Lete’s a bigger threat than me. So, I feel like at this point, I’m sitting very smooth.
Who wouldn’t want to take me to the end and beat me in a challenge? I mean, come on! I’ve shown that I haven’t been necessarily the best at challenges in this season so far, and the strategy is working. I mean … in this scenario, I would declare myself probably the biggest threat between me, Seychelle [Cordero] and La Shell [Wooten].
In the scenario that it’s me, David, and Parvati, and someone gets to choose one of us in the Family, I mean, let’s be real. They’re going to choose David probably because he’s great at challenges. Or, they’re going to choose Parvati, because they know she’s a legend in Survivor. So, I feel like I have still a great chance of making it to the end.
And I think the other person, too, is Lete because Lete had a lot of great connections. She played a very, very honest game. And I think a lot of people know whenever you’re playing with someone who’s very virtuous and has this desire to want to do the right thing every time. That’s someone that you want to work with in the game.
Dickson Wong is thrilled to have Dr. Will on Deal or No Deal Island
Kim Stempel: How do you feel about Dr. Will throwing some of the challenges on purpose?
Dickson Wong: So, you know the one thing that I did know about Dr. Will coming in was that he never won a challenge in Big Brother. The season that he did win, he played such a great social game that someone carried him to the end and he won the game. Still a great player, one of the greatest players in Big Brother. But I figured he wasn’t going to be a big threat in challenges.
In the scenario that Dr. Will was vulnerable in the Temple [when] I played, I probably still wouldn’t have taken Dr. Will out, just because … I want to leave people in the game that I can take in a challenge. So, I felt like Dr. Will, no offense Dr. Will … you’re a little older, Dr. Will, so I could probably take you in a challenge. Seychelle, I could probably take in a challenge. CK, who I left in the game … I have a better chance of beating CK in a challenge than I do Storm. So, for me, Dr. Will coming to the game was a great thing because I wasn’t afraid of Dr. Will.
This interview was edited for clarity.
Deal or No Deal Island is streaming on Peacock.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF DEAL OR NO DEAL ISLAND SEASON 2? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF DICKSON’S GAMEPLAY SO FAR?
