Deal or No Deal Island Season 2 was down to the final three players. Courtney “CK” Kim, David Genat, and Alexis Lete all took part in the final excursion. Seeing familiar faces from the game either help or sabotage the final trio was a blast.
In the end, CK was eliminated because she took the longest to complete the challenge. Both Lete and David had three cases. Lete’s total was $5.5 million. However, David needed his final case to be worth more than $1.8 million to beat Lete and play the Banker. He received that case from Phillip Solomon, and its value was $2 million. Still, Lete played an excellent game, displaying both her athleticism and social strategy.
Lete joined Reality Tea writer Kim Stempel to discuss what she is taking away from this experience, why she respects Dr. Will Kirby, and her feelings about Phillip giving David the highest case.
How did Alexis Lete feel going into the finale with David Genat in Deal or No Deal Island Season 2?
Kim Stempel: When it was down to you and David, did you feel like you had the highest case total?
Alexis Lete: I was worried, because the people that were holding the cases were not all on my alliance, right? So, David had really two people, Dickson [Wong] and La Shell [Wooten]. And I only had Phillip. So, I knew the odds weren’t in my favor, but I was hopeful that I played a clean and honest enough game. That I didn’t screw anybody over. That they would really be pushing for me to win and be willing to, you know, give David lower cases so that they could help me win.
Why Parvati Shallow passing the torch was “iconic” for Alexis Lete in Deal or No Deal Island Season 2
Kim Stempel: Right. During the final challenge, were you surprised that Parvati [Shallow] helped build your bridge and that Dickson gave you the highest case?
Alexis Lete: I was worried about both of those (laughs). And, you know, I was hesitant that Parvati [Shallow] would work with me, but I wasn’t so devastated if she didn’t. Because I already knew everybody else was going to screw over CK. So, I wasn’t, timewise, worried about being the one that went home if she didn’t help me.
Kim Stempel: Right.
Alexis Lete: I was surprised that she did it so easily, though. You know, she was really … she gave me a smile, she told me I had a great Temple, and I asked her if she would be willing to pass the torch, and she said she was down, which was also surprising to me.
Looking back it’s such a cool thing. I didn’t know how bad*ass a player Parvati was, but since being on the show, I’ve had so many people talk about it. And I’ve done some research on it, and to have her help me, and talk about passing the torch to me is kind of iconic.
So, I’m like, Wow. I’m … I’m really happy that she made that decision, and I’m honestly honored that she made that decision because it’s something that I do want to do. You know, I want to go on other shows, so the passing of the torch is, you know, maybe just the beginning of the Black Widow tradition being carried on.
Kim Stempel: Black Widow 2.0!
Alexis Lete: Yeah! Yeah! Just a little different spin on it, but yeah!
Why Alexis Lete felt “betrayed” in Deal or No Deal Island Season 2
Kim Stempel: How did you feel about Phillip giving David his highest case?
Alexis Lete: Betrayed.
Kim Stempel: Yeah.
Alexis Lete: Devastated. Bitter. Confused. Upset. It didn’t make sense to me. Still doesn’t make sense to me. You know, I’ve had seven months to process this. I would have never done that to someone I considered my friend.
The game is one thing. And me and Phillip worked with each other in the game, but when we were on the island, that was my closest friend as well. I mean, we were with each other the whole time, living together, telling each other, you know, different stuff that happened.
With like, Oh my gosh. I can’t believe David told me this. Oh, I can’t believe Parvati told me this. You know, like chatting in our dome together. It has been hard to understand why somebody would do that because, to me, that was an act of somebody so desperately wanting to be liked and on the good side of other people. They were willing to betray someone that they had a real relationship with.
I think it’s just a lesson that in real life, you need to find people that are willing to do for you what you are for them. And if they’re not, you shouldn’t accept that person in your life.
Alexis based her game on her “integrity” in Deal Or No Deal Island Season 2
Kim Stempel: Why was it important for you to play the game with integrity?
Alexis Lete: Because if I didn’t, people would have seen me as a huge threat in the game. Going in, I didn’t want people to look at me, see my 6-foot, muscular, athletic stature, and say, Oh sh*t. She needs to go home.
I wanted them to see my stature and say, She can help me win challenges. And the minute that I decided to lie, or if I cheated, that would have all gone out the window. So, to me, playing with integrity meant being someone that others can trust and rely on.
Kim Stempel: Right.
Alexis Lete: So, that was my whole gameplay. You know, I want people that rock with me to know that I’ll take them to the end. I fully intended to do the last challenge with Phillip.
Phillip wanted the $75k over, you know, being top three. [The] possibility of winning millions of dollars, and that was his decision. But if I could have had it my way, it would be me and Phillip and someone else, because I am a highly loyal person. I have played the game honestly, how I play life. And I have an audience of one. You know, I want to be cool with God, and I want to be cool with myself, and anybody else I’m okay with not being cool with.
What are Alexis Lete’s strengths in Deal or No Deal Island Season 2?
Kim Stempel: What do you think was your biggest asset in the game?
Alexis Lete: Probably my mental strategy. There’s so much luck involved that you can’t always depend on your physical abilities. And so, you have to look at a situation and understand how to pivot and to move through. And what relationships you need to work on and gain, and what relationships you need to maybe let die in the past.
Being that this game was so unpredictable and luck-involved, every challenge, I was staying up the latest out of everybody, making sure I was chatting with everybody. Making sure I was aware of what’s going on. And I don’t think they showed every aspect of my mental game because, you know, the show was centered around Parvati, David, and Dr. Will.
But there’s so much that I … I’m so excited to demonstrate in whatever reality competition show I do next because there’s a lot of Lete that I don’t think the audience got to see. And there’s a lot of Lete that I think other people can see themselves in, and so, I think that the mental aspect of the game is something that was probably the strongest aspect of my game.
What Alexis Lete is taking away from her time in DONDI Season 2
Kim Stempel: What are you taking away from this whole experience?
Alexis Lete: A lot (laughs). A lot! There’s so much. You know, I’ve developed some deep relationships from this. I’ve learned a lot of life lessons from this. I mean, more life lessons … in the three or four weeks we were there than I have within a span of five to 10 years.
I mean, it really expedited everything. [It] was hard in the moment, right? But fun to look back on and see how I can become a better version of myself, see how I can understand people more, and see how I can use what I learned there to dominate in real life.
The game is a reflection of real life. You have people that are mean, you have people that are nice. You have people that betray you in real life, you have people that support you. Everything that you saw on the show is not scripted. It’s not to make you feel a certain type of way. If it does make you feel a certain type of way, it’s because it’s real and raw, and that has happened to you before, too.
Kim Stempel: Yeah.
Alexis Lete: So, I’m going to take away life lessons that I probably wouldn’t have learned for many years. I’m going to take away relationships that I have built and I look forward to using again, and I’m going to take away encouragement for what’s next.
Alexis Lete keeps in touch with a surprising Deal or No Deal Island Season 2 cast member
Kim Stempel: That’s awesome! I love that. Who are you still in touch with from the show?
Alexis Lete: That depends. So, I didn’t go to the other finale where everybody was because one, I was with my family and watching with them. But I still chat with … love Seychelle [Cordero]. Love Dr. Will. I’m good friends with Storm [Wilson]. Me and Storm actually ran a marathon together.
Kim Stempel: Wow!
Alexis Lete: Yeah. Yeah. Would not recommend (laughs). I think mostly everybody in my alliance. I do not talk to Phillip because I do not accept people into my life that are people pleasers, and he showed me on the last challenge that he’s a people pleaser. And I have been screwed over very badly by people like that in my past, and … nice guy. Just not somebody that I’m particularly interested in developing a future relationship with.
A lot of the producers I’m excited to continue to chat with. You know, when I see them in person, everybody else, we’re very cool and cordial, of course.
I’d have to say Dr. Will, Seychelle, [and] Storm are the people that I’ve hung out with since the show, and people that if I’m in their city, I’ll definitely hit them up to hang out with more.
Kim Stempel: Oh, I love that! So, Dr. Will grew on you after all?
Alexis Lete: Dr. Will did! Dr. Will has a bad rep, but Dr. Will is real. You know, he invited everyone out to L.A. after the show, and he said, You guys. We’re going to go courtside at a Lakers game.
And while we’re on the show, I’m like, This guy is such a bullsh*tter. Like, shut up!
No, No. Me, Seychelle, [and] La Shell went and visited Dr. Will. He took us courtside to a Lakers game. He got us tickets to Sabrina Carpenter. Everything Dr. Will said on the show was real and honest. I respect Dr. Will for that because he could have totally been blowing smoke up our butts, and he didn’t. He’s one of the most real people who was on the show.
Kim Stempel: That’s so cool! He had a rough beginning, a rough entry.
Alexis Lete: He did! But he did that to himself. I mean, telling us that we’re the worst players ever on day two? Like, come on!
Kim Stempel: Lete, it was so nice to meet you. Congratulations on coming in second! I thought that you did awesome.
Alexis Lete: Aww, thank you so much, Kim. There will be more, I’m sure of it. I’ll hopefully see you again one day.
This interview was edited for clarity.
Deal or No Deal Island is streaming on Peacock.
TELL US – ARE YOU DISAPPOINTED THAT LETE DIDN’T PLAY FOR THE FINAL CASE IN DEAL OR NO DEAL ISLAND SEASON 2? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE LETE ON ANOTHER REALITY SHOW?
