Friday, March 09, 2007
USI graduate is big winner on “Deal or No Deal”
 The morning after Anteia Greer ‘04 was shown winning $402,000 on the television game show “Deal or No Deal,” she found out she is losing her job.Greer has a bachelor’s degree in interpersonal communications from USI and currently resides in Dyersburg, Tennessee. Her appearance on the game show was filmed in early February and broadcast March 4. The next day, she received an email letting her know that she was out of work. The human resources agency she works for lost its contract with the Tennessee state government. That morning, Greer learned, Rosie O’Donnell chatted about her on “The View.” “She was telling about how much money I won and talking about my energy,” Greer said. “I have a lot of energy and I like to talk.” Keeping the secret of her winnings for a month was “probably the hardest thing in my life I’ve had to do,” she said. In response to O’Donnell’s comments, Greer wrote to Barbara Walters, producer of “The View.” “I’m going to be the next Star Jones,” she said. “Deal or No Deal” producers had fun with Greer’s Afro hairstyle. “It’s all about the fro,” she said. “It’s different, it’s unique, and it’s me. That’s my personality.” Producers, models, and even the banker sported an Afro during taping. “You could see through the glass that he put one on.” If “The View” doesn’t pan out, Greer plans to stay in social services work. “I love being around people and motivating them,” she said. “I also want to buy a house, and I’m kind of looking toward Indianapolis, but that might change tomorrow or next week.” While at USI, Greer was a student worker in the Multicultural Center. Pamela Hopson, director of the Multicultural Center, said, ““I am so happy for her. I feel like I was the contestant because those who know that she worked in our office have been calling.” Greer said she owed a special thank you to Dr. Leigh Anne Howard, associate professor of communication studies. “All those speech classes paid off,” she said. “She made us get up in front of classes and do hands-on activities and things you normally would not do. If I had never taken those speech classes, I would have been scared to be on national TV.” |
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