By Eileen Brown
He left the family farm in Oklahoma to become a Navy doctor and eventually wear the rank of Rear Admiral, but his new book, “Reflections of a Mole,” focuses on his stint on the popular TV reality show, “The Mole.”
WILLIAM McDANIEL was the mole all right, but no one suspected such a worldly, charming man could be so conniving. He kept his cover and became the favorite among audiences here and in Canada, where folks are high on reality shows.
Bill will sign copies of his book this weekend, Dec. 8 and 9, from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Angelo’s Caffe on Pioneer Way. He actually wrote the book three years ago, but his contract with ABC prevented its publication for five years. That was up on Aug. 6 and when he heard from a Canadian station specializing in reality shows how “The Mole” is still the most requested show and how viewers loved him, he sent it off to the publisher.
He and 13 contestants spent seven weeks filming episodes in Italy and Switzerland. The series itself ran for 13 weeks.
On one leg of his trip, he was to take a train across the mountains. He had no jacket as his luggage was misplaced, so he stood on the platform in a thin shirt, freezing as a blizzard blew all around him on June 2. At the very start, he was plagued with worry about his mother who was quite ill. He thought he’d have to quit the project, but he persisted. That was the only bad experience he could recall.
The fourth or fifth day of shooting was the best time, he said. “We are in downtown St. Moritz, Switzerland, and my job was to sabotage someone but they didn’t know it,” Bill said. “I had to outfit people in funny costumes, men in ball gowns and even one in a bunny suit, and watched the faces of the very proper concierge and guests when we checked in.
“On the first day of the show I had to pair up with a brilliant lawyer from New York City named Darwin,” Bill recalled. “He was convinced I couldn’t be the mole because of my age and because, ‘he’s really slow mentally.’”
Nice job, Bill! “That’s when I had to do what an admiral never does — shut up and think about what you’re going to say before you’ve said it!”
Nowadays Bill and his wife SHIRLEY travel a lot and he is amazed at how people come up to him and say, “Weren’t you the mole?” One day Bill and Shirley were in a hat shop and just on hearing his voice, a couple came clear across the store to say, “Are you the mole?”
Contained in the 23 chapters of “Reflections of the Mole” are bits of family history and pages of how he fooled the rest of the players, most in their 20s and 30s. “I reminded them of their grandfather. I could not be executed,” he laughed.
How was he chosen for this role? Guess you’ll have to buy the book. Meet Bill yourself at Angelo’s this weekend and on Dec. 22, watch Fox Reality TV (Comcast channel 159) to see the entire season of “The Mole” featuring McDaniel.
A sisterhood
of sorts
Front Street in Coupeville is magical in these days before Christmas. Scratch the surface and you find an inspiring reason why. It has to do with sisterhood.
Meet DEB SCHOLZ CROCKER. “I opened my first store ‘One More Thing’ over six years ago,” she said. “MELANIE RICKEY VAAGEN and her husband DAVE moved to Coupeville in February 2006 to help open ‘Back to the Island.’ We opened ‘Beyond the Sea’ in 2007.
“We have been friends since we were 5 years old, and we are 50 now. Her mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2005 and I was driving her to her first radiation treatment when she told me, ‘Don’t you girls ever take for granted your friendship.’ She died six weeks later and Melanie and I made a commitment to be true to ourselves with her mom’s approval.
“We love Coupeville,” Deb continued. “And it’s not just about our stores. All of us know our customers and shop according to what we believe they need and would find interesting and amusing.
It’s about the collective efforts of women who value customer-based shopping.”
The women pledged to be true to their life’s mission and an important part of that is sensing when a heart needs comforting and someone is hurting. I felt an immediate bond with these angels on Front Street.
Women who own other businesses on Front Street are MISTY at Touch of Dutch, BARB at Blue Heron, CINDY at Aqua, RITA at Collections, KARLA at Honey Bear, SARAH at Scrapbooking, JUDY at Grace Cottage, ELAINE at Hunter Gallery, JAN at McGregor Pottery, JEANNETTE at Knead and Feed and ERIN at The Spa.
If in looking for the unusual this Christmas you also find a deeper understanding of commitment and friendship, you will have found the best gift of all.
Deb’s stores are staying open longer on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Help can’t wait
Think about giving and most of us think Red Cross but few know the Island County Chapter has moved into a building in downtown Oak Harbor. The Navy plans to demolish its home of many years on the hill overlooking the naval air station.
“We have begun the process of fixing up the new building,” said BARBARA JOHNSON, executive director, referring to their new location at 1150 SE Dock Street, Oak Harbor, “and expect to be working from there this week.”
“With this move come new opportunities and challenges,” said Johnson, “and my staff and I look forward to welcoming visitors at any time.”
Johnson said there will be an open house once they are settled.
Did you know donations can be made at their Web site? Go to www.islandredcross.org, download a form and mail it with your gift or use your credit card at the site.
They still have the same mailing address of P.O. Box 1588, Oak Harbor, WA 98277.
I’ll be back here on Dec. 12. Let me know who’s coming to your house over the holidays. Call me at 675-6611 or email lifeon
whidbey@yahoo.com.
