Group's garb part of fun at famous game show

Top, Jean Henkin grins as she displays her racy sign while waiting with fellow contestants to enter a taping of the "Let?s Make a Deal" games how at the Tropicana, 3801 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Jan. 28. Henkin was one of 41 senior citizens from four area community centers who attended a taping of the show. Left, show hopefuls gather beneath the Tropicana?s "Let?s Make a Deal" sign.Photos by Maggie Lillis/View Top, Jean Henkin grins as she displays her racy sign while waiting with fellow contestants to enter a taping of the "Let?s Make a Deal" games how at the Tropicana, 3801 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Jan. 28. Henkin was one of 41 senior citizens from four area community centers who attended a taping of the show. Left, show hopefuls gather beneath the Tropicana?s "Let?s Make a Deal" sign.Photos by Maggie Lillis/View Advertisement

A jester sat next to a queen of hearts, Indiana Jones hollered at the top of his lungs and the ketchup stayed close to his mustard companion in a stage at the Tropicana one recent Thursday.

Despite being dressed as a pregnant nun, Lilia Ffandino didn't get lucky from the game show gods at the Jan. 28 taping of the popular television show "Let's Make a Deal."

"I never win anything," the retiree and Centennial Hills resident said after the taping. "It was a great experience, though."

Ffandino and two friends attended the taping with the Centennial Hills Active Adult Center and three other city of Las Vegas community centers. A total of 41 people participated, but none went home with cash, prizes or hugs from the show's host, Wayne Brady.

The field trip started at about 9 a.m., when the group arrived at the casino and began a long morning of interviews and waiting for the 1 p.m. taping to begin.

The game show is based around deals offered to members of the audience by the host. The contestant then has the chance to keep the goods or can take a gamble on an offer behind a curtain. The show, which airs on CBS, is known for having an audience full of possible contestants in wacky garb.

Jean Henkin's costume consisted of a shower cap, a robe and a sign reading "Which way to the men's showers?" Henkin joked about the process of getting to the game show's finish line.

"All I can say is after this whole thing waiting in line, I'm gonna need a shower," she said, waving the bath loofah in her hand.

Once in the studio, producers played loud music and told audience members to be as boisterous and crazy as the outfits they donned.

Henkin and Ffandino said they were both fans of the game show, which has been in existence since 1963.

"It's interesting to see how they do everything," Ffandino said.

After about an hour of cheering and hoping to get a moment under the bright studio lights, the group rooted for another batch of wannabe contestants lining up for a later taping.

"It's like a celebration, a happy occasion," Ffandino said. "It's very entertaining."

Show producers said the episode, which is classified as show No. 1128, will air in the next few weeks. The air date schedule is listed on the "Let's Make a Deal" Web page at www.cbs.com. The Web site also includes ticket information for future tapings.

For more information about the Centennial Hills Active Adult Center, 6601 N. Buffalo Drive, and its schedule, visit www.lasvegasnevada.gov or call 229-6723.

Contact Centennial and Southeast View reporter Maggie Lillis at mlillis@viewnews.com or 477-3839.