By Joanne Rodgers,
Bruce Peninsula Press
On 25 January 2023, community members across the Peninsula tuned in to CBC’s Family Feud to cheer on its newest TV celebrities, the Cunningham family five member team comprising of sisters Connie Clark, Linda Bain, Doris Jackson, and Lenora Clark and Connie’s daughter Mary-Jane Hewitt.
No strangers to the Northern Bruce community, the Cunninghams delivered a fun filled half hour for local viewers, down to the nail biting few seconds as all awaited to find out if the local team had succeeded in gaining the 200 points to win the Fast Money prize of $10,000. And yes they did! With 234 points, they won $10,000! Split five ways, they say the money was a welcomed Christmas bonus. Winning on the first night gave them an opportunity for a repeat performance. However their luck did not hold out for the second night.
Connie Clark said the team saw the edited version of their performance for the first time along with everyone else and it was interesting to see which of their many jokes and stories made it on air. With team members residing in both the North and South Peninsula and growing up on the family homestead in Adamsville, they had lots of stories and information on the Bruce. They needed material for three shows since they might have the opportunity for two call backs.
Wiarton Willie, a model borrowed from the Wiarton Chamber of Commerce, evolved into their mascot with Host Gerry Dee making jokes about it being a dead stuffed animal. Their cute stories of rural farm life including bulls and ducklings made Dee comment that he might have to become a vegetarian by the end of the show.
On the first episode, the team had seven correct answers in a row with no strikes, the host saying this was rarely seen on the show.
Clark, a fan of the American Family Feud and of the Canadian host Gerry Dee, said she saw the open casting call for the CBC edition of the game show before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the requirements was to send in a video, which Clark shot using her phone. One of eight siblings and with a large extended family there was lots of potential talent available. When the pandemic started Clark did not bother to submit the video. In the spring of 2022, she noticed a casting call again, so she submitted the video. Clark says she “did not really think they had a chance”, two weeks later she got a response from CBC expressing their interest.
Clark says “there was a lot of correspondence to provide family details, stories and interesting tidbits of life and points of interest on the Peninsula.” Then they had to do a Zoom audition. Clark says it was “so hard to choose the five participants and one alternate.” Finally it came down to availability. Sister-in-law Nancy Cunningham, the Team alternate and talented seamstress sewed T-shirts featuring the Peninsula logo for the team to wear for the on-line audition. The Zoom audition took place at the family homestead where Nancy and their brother Ron reside. Then it was a quiet summer, with basically the Game Show saying “don’t call us, we will call you.”
The call came in September 2022. Instigator and Team Captain Clark says “being on the show was a happy distraction everyone needs once a in a while”. Sandwiched between a funeral and a wedding, the team received their invitation from CBC to participate in the game show. Given the rollercoaster of life events, Connie asked the team if they wished to go for it, and got a resounding yes. They also had to sign a non-disclosure agreement, so everything had to be kept a secret.
The next step was to be outfitted with coordinating clothes for the live TV performance. With all that was going on at the time, they were extremely pleased that Josie’s of Wiarton was able to accommodate them afterhours for their fittings.
Then the big day arrived, they had to be at the CBC studio in Toronto between 7:30 a.m to 7:45 a.m one Sunday morning. They stayed overnight at a Toronto Hotel. The Wiarton Willie model accompanied the five of them on the trip and Clark said they took good care of him. They walked over to the Studio, all dressed and ready to go. Having a final audition that morning does not guarantee contestants a spot on the show.
When they arrived at the Studio, they were taken to the Green Room. There are about five families waiting for their final selection. Each family was assigned a producer who led them throughout the whole process from the application, to the selection, to actual filming of the show. Clark says they “loved working with their producer and hoped they made her proud of them.”
Prior to the live audience arriving, all the families were seated in the audience area and were told the rules, tips, and what to expect during filming, this took about an hour. Then it was back to the Green Room to await their turn. They got about two hours for preparation and practice and not much else. After the final audition, the producers select the families who will be on the show. At around 10:30 a.m they were picked to go first. Running on adrenaline, they competed and won. Then it was back to the Green Room to await the next call back. The filming of the two episodes took most of that Sunday.
Thoroughly loving the whole experience, Team Cunningham marveled at the energy level of everyone who worked there. They described it as a fun journey and were fascinated by the ‘behind the scenes’ look. They said the Toronto stay was a “great sister weekend.”
If you missed the episodes, they are available for streaming from CBC Gem.
