Luke Olejniczak left the Banker’s private island with something worth far more than the measly dollar that ended up being in his “Deal or No Deal” case.
While brief, the private chef’s stint as a contestant on “Deal or No Deal Island” Season 2 served up “rich experiences,” including getting to do what he loves — fishing, cooking and running — in a tropical paradise.
And, it reaffirmed that Wisconsin is where he belongs, leaving him with a deeper love for his home state and its people.
“It was a blessing to be on the show. I was lucky to be a part of a star-studded cast,” he told the Journal Sentinel over the phone Thursday. “I will be remembered for the worst deal in ‘Deal or No Deal (Island)’ history. That’s worth something, right? You just roll up the carpet and move on with life.”
From his childhood home, Olejniczak tuned into the premiere Tuesday night with his parents (ICYMI: A recap of the episode can be found here).
What was it like seeing himself on TV? “It definitely built some perspective, right? It always seems like it could be someone else. It’ll never be you. But, it was kind of neat to see.”
We chatted with Olejniczak about his best — and worst — moments on the show, if there’s anything he would’ve done differently, and which contestants he’s rooting for now that he’s been eliminated.
Plus, the million-dollar question: Would Olejniczak ever do TV again?
What was Luke Olejniczak most proud of from his time on ‘Deal or No Deal Island’?
“I was most proud of how I conducted myself,” Olejniczak said. “I wasn’t any different on the show than I would be in real life. I just kept my Wisconsin values.”
While his debut was a “dumpster fire” — his words, not ours — at least no one could call him a “snake” or “manipulative,” he said.
“That’s not who I am and I wasn’t going to be that on the show,” he said.
What was most unexpected or surprising to Luke Olejniczak when he watched the premiere episode?
It was when David Genat said that he told teammates Olejniczak and New Yorker Seychelle Cordero to wait before going down the zipline during the season’s first excursion, Olejniczak said.
For context …
In a game, called the Banker’s Pyramid Scheme, there was a pyramid comprised of nearly $5 million worth of briefcases.
The three sides of the pyramid each represented a different strategy. While side one had the highest-value cases, to get to it, contestants would have to navigate a slippery and rocky path over water. To reach side two, with the medium-value cases, players would have to go through a longer-but-safer jungle path. Side three contained three red, unmarked cases: A steal, a swap and the lowest value in the game. Contestants would have to take a zipline to get to those.
The path each contestant selected not only determined the cases they could choose from, but also their team. Olejniczak teamed up with Genat and Cordero to take on side 3.
With a bird’s-eye view of the pyramid from the zipline’s tower, Genat seemed to think it best for him and his team to hold off on going down the zipline until they saw who snagged the $1 million case.
But, it looked like Olejniczak couldn’t wait, shouting, “Here we go, babyyy!,” on his descent. And, soon after, Cordero followed suit.
Olejniczak told the Journal Sentinel that, when he and Cordero got up on the tower to take the zipline, he didn’t hear Genat tell them to wait, noting that Genat “sure speaks quietly.”
“I didn’t hear that ever,” Olejniczak said.
On the show, Genat sarcastically remarked: “Strategic geniuses over here.”
“This is crazy,” Genat said in a cutaway. “Neither of them has seen anything. They’re just straight up the ladder, on the zipline and gone.”
Olejniczak was first to lock in his case.
Genat — who said he felt like he was partnered with “The Three Stooges” — mocked Olejniczak from the zipline tower, saying: “I’m the fastest out here. I don’t know what’s in my case, but I won.”
When watching the premiere, Olejniczak said that “Stooges” remark from Genat caught him off-guard.
After the game, it was time to unveil what each contestant had in their case. Olejniczak’s? He had the “steal.”
Genat revealed that his team’s “predetermined plan” — which didn’t air — was to take the highest-value case from the lowest-value grouping.
So, instead of stealing one of the not-yet-opened cases — which contained the highest values in the game — Olejniczak opted for the largest visible case value at that particular point. That decision, in part, landed his team in last place.
“At the end of the day, there’s no excuses,” Olejniczak said. “I should have been quicker on my thinking and I should have been smarter to go ahead and steal a case from the other group. And, I paid for it, as I should have.”
But, that’s the one thing he would’ve done differently on the show.
“I would’ve stole a case from the other group,” he said. “To be completely honest, I didn’t understand the case values. I didn’t realize what I was really doing at the time. I thought our plan was foolproof. That’s why I went with it. But, like I said, I should’ve put a little more thought into it and picked from the other group of cases.”
Did Luke Olejniczak know that David Genat and Parvati Shallow were ‘Survivor’ legends?
“Not a clue,” Olejniczak laughed. “I don’t watch a lot of TV. I don’t make time for that.”
When he did find out their credentials, he said he “really wasn’t that surprised.”
“I kind of just shrugged my shoulders and moved on,” he said.
Why Seychelle Cordero seemed so ‘venomous’ towards Luke Olejniczak
“Some of the things that happened on the island — which were huge to the story — never made it on film,” Olejniczak said. “For instance, Seychelle looked absolutely venomous towards me. There’s a reason for that.”
Ending up with the highest-value case in the excursion, Californian Sydnee Peck got to pick which contestant from the bottom team — Olejniczak, Ganet or Cordero — would face the Banker in the season’s first game of “Deal or No Deal”.
If that contestant would make a good deal with the Banker, they’d get to send one of their other two teammates home. If they made a bad deal, they would be eliminated.
Olejniczak made it abundantly clear on the show that he wanted to be the one to play.
Olejniczak told the Journal Sentinel that ahead of time, Peck informed him that she would be putting him up on the chopping block, as he wished.
After that, Olejniczak said he gave Genat a “gentleman’s handshake” and told him: “If I win in temple, I will not send you home.”
Olejniczak said he then had a face-to-face conversation with Cordero, giving her the heads-up that “if I win, you are going home.”
“She’s a New Yorker. She’s got spunk,” Olejniczak said. “But, she’s not a horrible person. She had reason to be upset. But, I was a little disappointed that the handshake between David and I never hit the footage because that was a big part of it. And, I would’ve stood by that handshake.”
Why did Olejniczak want to keep Genat around over Cordero? During their “very limited” interactions, Olejniczak thought Genat seemed more trustworthy.
“If I was going to create an alliance, I’d rather tie my kite string to David’s than Seychelle,” he said. “I think Seychelle would be loyal. But, I mean, I think David is going to pull you further if you had to rely on somebody.”
What was Luke Olejniczak’s favorite moment that aired?
Olejniczak’s case dedication to his father.
When it came time for Olejniczak to select his own case for his game of “Deal or No Deal,” he went with No. 7.
He said it represented the seven national titles won by former football coach Nick Saban. Six of those were won during his tenure with Alabama Crimson Tide, a team Olejniczak’s dad is a huge fan of.
“Roll Tide, baby!” Olejniczak said on the show. “Woo!”
Is there anything Luke Olejniczak would have done differently in his game of ‘Deal or No Deal’?
Nope!
While it was “apparent” that the Banker’s $218,000 offer was a good one — and if it was, Olejniczak would’ve gotten to stay and send Cordero home — part of Olejniczak would’ve felt guilty, he said.
“She really didn’t do anything wrong,” he said. “And, I kind of felt that it’s probably more right that I go home.”
If it was “destiny” for him to continue in the competition, he said, the No. 7 case he had chosen would have pulled him through.
“It didn’t. I went home. That’s the way it should’ve been. And, Seychelle got to play on,” he concluded.
Now that Luke Olejniczak has been eliminated, who is he rooting for?
While Olejniczak doesn’t have “ill will” toward any of his fellow contestants, he said, there are a couple he holds in “high regard.”
His No. 1 would be Rock, who he talks to weekly. That’s who he wants to see win the whole darn thing.
“He could have came from Wisconsin,” Olejniczak said. “He calls it like it is. He’s trustworthy. He has dignity. I would trust that guy with the keys to my house and the credit cards in my wallet.”
But, he wouldn’t mind seeing Genat “do some damage” as well. Olejniczak has kept in touch with him, too, to an extent, as well as La Shell Wooten.
What else Luke Olejniczak got to do while on the Banker’s island
The contestants were instructed to bring things to keep themselves entertained during down time, Olejniczak said. While most brought books, word puzzles and Sudoku, he said, he brought fishing poles and his walleye tackle.
While he didn’t catch any fish on the Banker’s island, he “pounded the heck” out of ’em later when he went out with a guide. He even got to cook his catches with a local chef.
“It was a beautiful time,” he said.
He also smoked fine cigars and ran his “ass off,” doing five to 10 miles a day.
“Come on, did I really lose?” he said.
What was it like going back to everyday life after ‘Deal or No Deal Island’?
“I was ready for it. I really was,” Olejniczak said. “Beyond the rich experiences I got from just the overall time there, I got perspective in the fact that I really am where I belong.”
While people fantasize about living in a tropical destination, he said, “I love it here in Wisconsin.”
“I absolutely love Eagle River. I love the people of Wisconsin. I love everything about this area.”
His first stop when he got back? Kwik Trip, naturally.
It was “phenomenal” to see his folks and friends again, he said, and his dogs, who ran to him when they saw him.
“I’m very much excited to get back to something that I’m good at that’s called cooking,” Olejniczak said.
In addition to putting on his private dinners, he’s looking forward to getting back onto the icy lake for walleye fishing, as well as tracking with his two scent hounds.
Would Luke Olejniczak ever do TV again?
“I think we should stick to what we’re good at,” Olejniczak said. “I’m gonna stick to the cooking and working with my dogs. I’m not saying no, but it’s very unlikely I will ever be on reality television again.”
And, why’s that?
“Let’s face it, I’m not very good,” he said. “And, furthermore, it takes me away from the place that I love and the people that I love.”
