Can You Keep The Mule?

The classic game show 'Let's Make a Deal' is returning to television, with comedian Wayne Brady replacing the legendary Monty Hall as emcee. I vaguely remember watching 'Let's Make a Deal' in my youth, which I believe was on syndication along with such other second-tier shows such as "The Joker's Wild" and "Card Sharks". It wasn't nearly as exciting as "Press Your Luck" (with the Whammies) or intellectually stimulating as "Sale of the Century", but sure beat watching soap operas.

The show, which had a charm even with its tacky set decor, made two impressions upon me:

1) Always make the trade for the U.S. Savings Bond with President McKinley. Multiple times Monty would offer up the McKinley savings bond for a set of appliances or something similarly modest, and usually the poor sap would turn down what would be revealed to be a bond worth $5000 at maturity.

2) The "gag", or loser prize was often a donkey. As the curtain flew open, the poor beast just stood there in front of a floral background while the trumpet played circus music. But couldn't you turn to the host and exclaim, "Yeah! I happen to own a farm and this donkey is exactly what I needed. Thank you!" Or pump your fist and say, "Yes! I just won myself a $1000 animal. Is that bridle included or should I just rustle up some rope from the stage?" Didn't this sort of scenario happen in The Simpsons when Bart won an elephant?