Not the deal. Real Housewives of Atlanta alum Claudia Jordan has joined a long list of former Deal or No Deal models that have voiced opposition to Meghan Markle’s comments about her experience on the show. Since the episode aired, former participants of the show and entertainment industry have questioned Meghan’s recollections. Heck, even Whoopi Goldberg has gotten involved.
The Duchess of Sussex made headlines, yet again, when she claimed participating on Deal or No Deal made her feel like a “bimbo.” The explosive comments were heard on a recent episode of Mehgan’s Archetypes podcast, during which Meghan discussed stereotypes against females with reality TV pioneer Paris Hilton.
Add RHOA alum Claudia to the lineup. As Suitcase Girl #1 for all four seasons of the show, Claudia only had good things to say about Deal of No Deal, and its Executive Producer Howie Mandel.
According to an article by Deadline, Claudia took to her Instagram Stories to write, “For clarity — yes getting a modeling gig on a game show isn’t necessarily about your intellect but every show the executive producers picked five models with the most outgoing and fun personalities to place mics on who they knew would engage with the contestants.”
A subsequent post read, “And Deal or No Deal never treated us like bimbos. We got so many opportunities because of that show.”
Claudia added that it’s all about perspective and showing up with the right attitude. She continued, “That’s the kind of opportunity that is what you make it. If you just show up and don’t engage then you’ll just get your check and not get much out of it but if you show up and seize your moments then there’s no limits to what you can do with the opportunity.”
The gig paid “all her bills” and Claudia credited the show as a stepping-stone in her career. Though she disagrees with Meghan, Claudia made it clear that her comments are not an “attack on Meghan cause Lord knows I’ve been defending this woman in the media for years and I still will but I just didn’t want any misunderstanding about the climate and environment on the Deal or No Deal set.”
According to Claudia, the atmosphere on the show was set by the higher ups. She claimed to be, “especially protective of Howie Mandel who was nothing but kind and respectful to all 26 of us.”
Deadline included Meghan’s original statements about the NBC game show. “I was surrounded by smart women on that stage with me, but that wasn’t the focus of why we were there,” she said on her podcast. “And I would end up leaving with this pit in my stomach, knowing that I was so much more than what was being objectified on the stage. I didn’t like feeling forced to be all looks and little substance. And that’s how it felt for me at the time, being reduced to this specific archetype.”
TELL US- WHAT DO YOU THINK OF CLAUDIA’S RESPONSE TO MEGHAN? WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO MEGHAN’S “BIMBO” COMMENTS?
[Photo Credit: Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images]
