# Asshat Contestants on "Millionaire" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 15, 2006, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asshat-contestants-on-millionaire/372879 "2006-09-15T19:59:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asshat-contestants-on-millionaire/372879/81 "2006-09-28T13:20:14Z")
[QUOTE=blinkingblinking] This is a interesting thread. But why is this in the pit? [/QUOTE] So we can use expletives when describing our discontent when a poster fails to use an ‘an’ in front of a word that begins with a vowel. I kid, I kid. ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asshat-contestants-on-millionaire/372879/82 "2006-09-28T14:05:05Z")
It’s not just the contestants. I just watched an episode the other day: $25,000 question: “When viewed from the front, which president on Mt. Rushmore appears furthest to the right?” (paraphrasing from memory) Answer options (like this is a surprise)–George Washington, Theodore Roosavelt, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln. The contestant didn’t know (how does _that_ happen?) and chose to “Ask The Audience.” 60% (the overwhelming majority) picked Roosavelt. The contestant went with it, and went home with $1,000. I can buy that ONE person might not know the order of the faces on Mt. R, but SIXTY PERCENT OF THE AUDIENCE??? Good cripes! ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asshat-contestants-on-millionaire/372879/83 "2006-09-28T14:24:44Z")
The order? I have a hard time remembering which four were on there. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asshat-contestants-on-millionaire/372879/84 "2006-09-28T14:58:58Z")
[QUOTE=Uncommon Sense] The order? I have a hard time remembering which four were on there. [/QUOTE] Yeah, this one didn’t surprise me at all. I think the only reason I knew the right answer is that the summer reality series “Treasure Hunters” made a stop there, and made a big point out of the fact that the presidents are not in chronological order. The audience probably assumed they were. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asshat-contestants-on-millionaire/372879/85 "2006-09-28T15:56:44Z")
[QUOTE=Dijon Warlock] Roosavelt, [/QUOTE] /Gaudere It’s Roosevelt. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asshat-contestants-on-millionaire/372879/86 "2006-09-29T03:29:22Z")
[QUOTE=fessie] /Gaudere It’s Roosevelt. [/QUOTE] Ah, but which one? :dubious: 🙂😛😃 ---
**Author:** ![Taber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@Taber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taber)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asshat-contestants-on-millionaire/372879/87 "2006-09-29T04:41:04Z")
[QUOTE=fessie] /Gaudere It’s Roosevelt. [/QUOTE] But I thought the point was that it’s not Roosevelt, it’s Lincoln 😛 ---
**Author:** ![5que](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/3bc359/32.png) [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asshat-contestants-on-millionaire/372879/88 "2006-09-29T14:25:24Z")
[QUOTE=Raza] About a dozen years ago I heard a radio report that paraphrased a study by saying that less than half of American adults know how long it takes the Earth to go around the Sun. I couldn’t believe it, so I started giving my students (ages 25 and up, all with at least a high school education) the question for extra credit, along with the choices 24 hours; 7 days; 29 days; 365 days. Only about 30% got it right. Certainly, that is a lot easier than the Earth-Sun distance. [/QUOTE] Well, it’s a trick question. Everyone knows the Sun goes around the Earth. What do I win, Alex? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asshat-contestants-on-millionaire/372879.md?page=4)