The Kumps plan to “kick the doors wide open”
Members of the Kumps family from the municipalities of Gimli and Rockwood are under no illusion about their chances of an all-out victory when they hit the game show stage this fall and duke it out with a rival family on Family Feud Canada: they’re simply going to win.
With steely Viking determination and a take-no-prisoners attitude, Lisa Bardal, who co-runs the family-owned Neil Bardal Funeral Home in Winnipeg, Stonewall and a dozen other Interlake communities, summed it up succinctly:
“We’re going to kick the doors wide open,” she said.
Bardal said she remembers watching the original American version of the game show at the time when Richard Dawson hosted it and became rather notorious for kissing participants.
Bardal’s niece, Brittany Isfeld, who has a reputation for initiative and never shies away from an opportunity to put her beloved hometown of Gimli on the map, was behind the scheme to get her family into the game after she came across an advertisement from the popular Canadian television program seeking families for its new season.
Perhaps taking her cue from what she’s seen over the years as it relates to people and municipal planning permission – she’s worked in the municipal government world for years and is currently the economic & tourism development officer for the Town of Stonewall – Isfeld forged ahead without telling anyone then asked her family for forgiveness later when she found out the show was interested in having them compete.
“I did first and asked later, applying without anyone knowing. I had to make a one-minute video, so I filmed in Gimli in front of the Viking statue, at the ice-fishing village, and at the Crown Royal distillery. I guess that was enough to catch the producers’ attention. They called me and said they’d like to follow up with a Zoom interview – and that’s when I had to tell my family!” said Isfeld “Luckily, all the family members I asked agreed to be part of it.”
When asked how the family felt about that, Bardal said, “Woohoo.”
The Kumps family team consists of Isfeld, her aunty Julie Kumps, her aunty Lisa Bardal, her cousin Samantha Gregotski and her aunty Vicki Kasupski. Her cousin Graham Kumps is an alternate in the event a team member is unable to appear.
“This is all my mom’s side of the family,” said Isfeld. “My mom has been gone for 14 years and this is a neat way for us to do something together and for me to have this experience with my family.”
Family Feud Canada is a spin-off television game show of the popular 1976 American show. The Canadian version, which is going into its seventh season this fall on CBC and CBC Gem, is hosted by comedian and actor Gerry Dee. Two families compete for a grand prize worth $30,000 plus fast money awards. The object of the game is to guess what the most popular answer is to fun survey questions.
Studying surveys might be somewhat difficult, but it’s no deterrent to the Kumps. The team streams past shows on the CBC Gem App in order to bone-up on their lightning fast cerebral reflexes and decision-making prowess.
“We all work really well under pressure,” said Bardal. “We’ll wing it and we will win it.”
The show is flying the Kumps team to Toronto where filming will take place at the CBC, and is also providing accommodation for them.
Right now, the family is putting the finishing touches on its wardrobe and practising strategy.
“From watching older episodes, I’m realizing there’s a strategy to where you place your players. First and second rounds are single points then they go to double and triple points. Then there’s fast money,” said Isfeld. “My family held a meeting and we played a bit. We’re also practising on our lunch hours. We’re getting our wardrobe together, which has to be approved by the show.”
Another cool thing about being chosen to appear on the show is the fact that it’s New Iceland’s 150th Anniversary this year, said Isfeld, and they’d love to promote that, as well as an elbows-up Canadian can-do attitude.
And should the Kumps win the grand prize, Isfeld said the tentative plan is to buy or build a toast factory. Yes, toast, because the family has an abiding love for toast.
Bardal said she has a Ninja toaster that has an air fryer and a toast and a bagel setting.
“It makes the best toast. It’s crispy on the outside and squishy in the middle with lots of butter,” said Bardal.
Isfeld added that she would likely use her portion of the prize money to take her partner and child on a trip as she loves to “make memories.”
Although she doesn’t yet have a firm date as to when they’ll appear, Isfeld said filming takes place in August and the show will run some time in the fall.
Watch Family Feud Canada on CBC Gem.
