Identity: fake contestants?

I like the show, but I can't help getting the feeling that the entire
thing is staged. I swear, the contestants and their families and
friends come off as actors. Is NBC so desperate for the show to succeed
that they're staged the first run of episodes?

David Levy...

No. Per Section 509 of Title 47 of the United States Code, that would
be a federal crime.

karl...

Haven't seen Identity but after looking at a single episode of Deal or No
Deal it seemed like the contestants had been selected and coached for their
TV Quotient. Their patter, look and mannerisms were just too polished. I'm
sure they are as vetted for individual and demographic appeal as a Survivor
or any other 'reality' show contestant is.

Agent Smith...

That's waht I thought. And you don't want to break this law, because if
you do, FBI agent Rob Morrow will hunt you down like a dog, and Gray Morrow
will draw about it in a comic book.

Rob Jensen...

Except that Gray Morrow died a few years ago.

Agent Smith...

That's how serious they are about hunting you down.

-- Rob

Invid Fan...

They may have used the same contestants in a run through, so they'd be
use to the format.

kaydigi...

Same thing I thought. The first contestant was already cracking jokes before
he answered 1 question.

elf...

Well, Eve Plumb was on Penn's radio show yesterday and told the story of

Jim O'Connell...

Yeah - but did you notice that on Friday's show Penn twice slipped up
and referred to the contestants as "actors"?

how she was required to sign a notarized statement that she was a painter
and not a bull rider, sumo wrestler or any of the other occupations listed
on the board. This was done to ensure there was only one of each of the
occupations and there was no overlap which could cause the contestant to
question the results afterward. Ever since the quiz show scandals of the
1950's (see the film Quiz Show) broadcasters have been very vigilant about
making sure that game shows are on the level. They know their credibility
would go right out the window if it was discovered that there was anything
shifty going on. It's OK for the show to be as deceptive as they want
because that's part of the game, but you can be sure that nobody will be
misrepresented on that show.