Newsmakers: Howie Mandel, Billy Zane

Newsweek, February, 2006 by Sean Smith, Nicki Gostin

Howie Mandel

Deal or no deal," the wildly successful NBC game show, is back. Host Howie Mandel talked with NEWSWEEK's Nicki Gostin.

Do you think the show celebrates greed?

I think individual contestants celebrate greed. Actually, if you get greedy the game doesn't go well for you.

Don't you think it's weird that a person who wins $3 million will probably be making more money from the show than you?

Nobody, nobody , can walk away with more than me.

How did you get the job?

When they first called me, I said absolutely not. Then they said there were 26 bikini models--that helped. I was heading to a deli, so I said, "If you want to buy me a pastrami sandwich, I'd be more than happy to sit and listen to what you have...