'Tontine' Holds Casting Call in St. Louis
The new reality competition,
Tontine, kicked off its casting tour in Dallas, Texas on June 30. Late last month, casting officials stopped by St. Louis Galleria, hoping to find eligible participants for the series.
Tontine, to be hosted by
Rob Mariano (
Survivor 4 and 8,
The Amazing Race 7), will have contestants taking on mental and physical challenges while traveling across all seven continents, including Antarctica. At the beginning of the competition, each contestant will be handed a key that can unlock a part of the $10 million dollar fortune. The contestants will compete for the possession of all 15 keys, and ultimately, the one who successfully does so wins the entire cash prize.
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The game has one major twist: the $10 million cash prize is actually all of the contestants' life savings pooled together. The main conflict of the show is that the 15 contestants will not know who among them contributed the most and has the most to lose, Mariano said.
"This is the ultimate gamble for the ultimate reward," casting director Tad Frank told the
South Side Journal.
Despite the risk, many aspiring contestants in St. Louis were determined to get on the show.
Jeremy Thomas of University City told the
South Side Journal that since he only has a net worth of a few hundred dollars, he has no worries about competing on
Tontine.
"Of course, I expect to win if chosen," he said.
If he wins, Thomas said he would use the money to help support his family and a nonprofit organization called You Make It Happen, which he operates. The organization provides programs for children about the consequences of violent action and finding nonviolent means to resolve conflicts. The organization also makes use of hip-hop music in its programs.
29-year-old Patrick McKamy from south St. Louis said that his life savings does not amount to much, which is why he is willing to “pay to play.”
"I don't have a lot, so I don't have a lot to lose," he said.
McKamy is no stranger to reality shows, as he has previously tried out for both
Deal or No Deal and
Fear Factor.
"I ate five, 12-inch Canadian night crawlers as part of trying to get on
Fear Factor," he said.
Warson Woods native Matthew Wyrick, 33, said he has no qualms about risking his life savings and competing against others for the chance to gain $10 million.
"If everyone chooses to get involved in the game, and they know the rules going in, then there should be no regrets," Wyrick said.
After St. Louis, the
Tontine casting team headed to The Block at Orange in Los Angeles and Eden Prairie Center in Minneapolis to continue the search. On Saturday, August 11, the show will be at the Otay Ranch Town Center in San Diego from 10am-6pm.
-Lisa Claustro, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: South Side Journal, www.jointhetontine.com
(Image Courtesy of South Side Journal)