Asshat Contestants on "Millionaire"

[Voyager]

@RickJay

“Jeopardy!” on the other hand is designed to appeal to trivia heads, which is why they concentrate on presenting a really huge number of questions - you could in theory have 61 questions presented in a single game, which is about one every 22 seconds of air time (and faster than that if you discount intro and conversation.) In that context you NEED some bright people or else the show’s pace slows down.

You can tell the kind of contestants that Jeopardy wants by the number of Dopers who have been on it.

When I tried out they specifically said that the producers liked it when you cleared the board, since the audience got to see all the questions. We cleared the board on my show, and they reran it.

They never said not to jump up and down and act like a Wheel contestant. I wonder what would happen if anyone ever did that. They’d probably stop taping and give the person the bum’s rush right out of Sony studios.

[Inigo_Montoya]

@Diogenes the Cynic

I read somewhere that they screen for the “middle.” Supposedly they screen out like the top third and the bottom third and select for an “average” intelligence. If that’s true, it’s scary because if the people on the show are the “middle,” I shudder to think what kind of dunces are on the bottom.

Must be George Carlin who illuminated us with something like, “Think about how dumb the average guy is, and now realize that half the people you see walking around are dumber than that.”

[want2know]

@Chez Guevara

There seem to be differences in recruitment methods between the US & the UK.

As far as I’m aware, in this country everything is done by phone. You call a premium rate number and are given a (recorded) question. If you answer correctly you leave a contact number so that someone can get back to you if you are one of the chosen few.

From all the correct submissions for a given show, 100 are picked for a call back. You are asked a question which demands a numerical answer. The 10 people who are nearest to the correct answer for their question in percentage terms are then invited to be contestants.

That’s how it was when I got on the show and I’m pretty sure things haven’t changed.

On the original Regis Philbin version, it was done by phone. Now, unless you’re fortunate enough to have a contestant tryout in your area, you have to travel to NYC (at your own expense) just to take the test. If you’re selected, you pay your own way back there to appear on the show. If you just win the $1,000, you’ve lost money on the deal.

[ltfire]

@John Mace

Charles Dickens?

Oooo…we’re sorry John, but your answer has to be in the form of a question…

[Captain_Carrot]

How is “Charles Dickens?” not a question? You mean “your answer must be in our specific form of question”.

[don_t_ask]

Here you can watch Survivor “star” Richard Hatch attempt to answer 11 times 12 on a celebrity edition of Australian Millionaire.

[John_Mace]

@garygnu

No, no. It was Charles Dikkens, the well-known Dutch author.

No, you’re thinking of Charles Van Dorkens. He was the Quiz Show guy.

[rayh]

@John Mace

No, you’re thinking of Charles Van Dorkens. He was the Quiz Show guy.

Didn’t he write Chariots of the Bermuda Triangle? Or something.

[Wee_Bairn]

So glad for this thread, I was debating myself trying to decide which type contestant is most annoying, and can’t decide. My choices are:

The Contestant who wants to remind us he’s not really an idiot by saying “I was positive it was ‘A’, I just wanted to verify it” when the audience poll comes back at 98% for A to the question “what is the name of Ernie’s best friend on Sesame Street?”. Uh if you knew, why waste a lifeline?

Smug assholes who want to regale with why they know the answer to the most simple of questions…Well I just bought a new Jaguar, so I know the answer is D, motor oil".

Smugger (?) assholes who want to regale us with anedoctes of their life explaining why they know a question, which has nothing to do with the question, e.g. “I just back from a two week cruise of Fiji, so I know the answer is C, Mount Rushmore”.

Still other smug assholes who start off by saying something like “I know the complete works of Renoir, but not this particular painting”.

Assholes who like to play drama queen by acting like they are “reasoning out” a question they know the answer to by talking out loud and using their uncanny ability to point out why each of the three answers aren’t possible, especially when the reasoning is flawed, eg What is the capital of Germany? “I know it’s not Dusseldorf, because that’s in Belgium…”

Other smug assholes who when using the phone a friend make it obvious they are having the friend look on the internet (not against the rules, I know) by telling them certain words, instead of reading the question and the four choices, eg. “Bob…Bolivia…chief export…”

And a special mention to the smug asshole phone a friend who was “100% positive” and convinced this stupid girl that the Beast from the Ron Perlman Beauty and the Beast lived in a decaying mansion. I really think this guy tried to make this girl lose on purpose.

[Chez_Guevara]

@want2know

On the original Regis Philbin version, it was done by phone. Now, unless you’re fortunate enough to have a contestant tryout in your area, you have to travel to NYC (at your own expense) just to take the test. If you’re selected, you pay your own way back there to appear on the show. If you just win the $1,000, you’ve lost money on the deal.

Over here all expenses are paid (travel, hotel, food) except for alcohol. Maybe that system applied on your original Regis Philbin version as well, because the expenses only have to be paid for ten contestants per show. Plus any reserves.

The connections of the show certainly like drama queens, as Hampshire suggests. The first person to win £1 million in the UK was a woman called Judith Keppel. She is a well-spoken, relaxed lady who took the whole experience in her stride. I forget what she said when she got the £1m answer but it was something like “Wow. That’s jolly nice.” Something like that. Anyway, her demeanour was very cool.

It’s just a feeling I have but I got the impression afterwards that the producers would have appreciated a more demonstrative contestant than Mrs. Keppel as their first £1m winner. Of course, in the US, she might not even have got on the show if the criteria are not entirely knowledge based.

[astro]

That’s still on the air?

[RickJay]

@Chez Guevara

The connections of the show certainly like drama queens, as Hampshire suggests. The first person to win £1 million in the UK was a woman called Judith Keppel. She is a well-spoken, relaxed lady who took the whole experience in her stride. I forget what she said when she got the £1m answer but it was something like “Wow. That’s jolly nice.” Something like that. Anyway, her demeanour was very cool.

The first $1 million winner on the U.S. show still had the phone-a-friend lifeline when he was on the last question. He used it to call his Dad to tell him he was about to win a million bucks, and then answered it himself. It was a nice touch.

[Mince]

@Shoshana

Yikes! And he’s an attorney??

This isn’t exactly telling. Anyone can melt under the heat. Maybe he just focused on “The last…” “The last… Oh, that’s it.” Not aware that another “the last…” was on its way. At least he didn’t answer D: “I’m moving to Canada.” Who move to Canada anyway?

[Mister_Rik]

@Chez Guevara

I forget what she said when she got the £1m answer but it was something like “Wow. That’s jolly nice.” Something like that. Anyway, her demeanour was very cool.

It’s just a feeling I have but I got the impression afterwards that the producers would have appreciated a more demonstrative contestant than Mrs. Keppel as their first £1m winner. Of course, in the US, she might not even have got on the show if the criteria are not entirely knowledge based.

I wonder what would happen if the winning contestant got a stunned, pained look on his face clutched at his chest and collapsed to the floor, laid there for a few moments, and then jumped up yelling, “Kidding! Just kidding!”

[Jayn_Newell]

@RickJay

The first $1 million winner on the U.S. show still had the phone-a-friend lifeline when he was on the last question. He used it to call his Dad to tell him he was about to win a million bucks, and then answered it himself. It was a nice touch.

I saw that episode. IIRC he still had all his lifelines–that was the only one he used the entire time.

[fessie]

@RickJay

The first $1 million winner on the U.S. show still had the phone-a-friend lifeline when he was on the last question. He used it to call his Dad to tell him he was about to win a million bucks, and then answered it himself. It was a nice touch.

I was there. I was a contestant on the show, and everyone who’s waiting to tape sits in the green room (basement full of old couches), watching on closed-circuit. Best thing about the whole experience, watching the show w/a bunch of other trivia geeks, there were about 15 of us waiting for our turn.

That particular contestant, Kevin (forget his last name) got on the show that day because he’d made it through the selection process a while back but then bombed at the end - I can’t remember for sure, but I think he might’ve been on during the “Fastest Finger” configuration, and not made it to the chair. At any rate, he wrote the producers every single week for something like a year, and they finally gave in and put him on.

The producers were SO thrilled that Kevin won, they’d been desperate for a winner, and he was a really neat guy, a truck driver who said he was going to give the money to his Mom. That show taped on one of their last days that season (they aired it out of order for ratings sweep).

Ahh, yes – looks, charm, charisma, intelligence – what can I say??? BWAHAHA

Honestly, I will tell you what I noticed about my fellow contestants – we were all, all of us, the kind of people who feel comfortable striking up a conversation with total strangers, like on an elevator. Moderately attractive, or distinctively goofy (one guy was just really odd, I’d’ve thought he was mentally disabled except he won more money than I did). But friendly and easy-going.

The reason for that is partly for the cameras, but I’ll tell you the other reason - the producers and their assistants have to spend a couple of days with you. They lead you around in a little pack, like kindergartners, telling you what to do when. They want people who will not give them headaches or be a PITA.

I think that’s why my husband didn’t get picked - his score was probably higher than mine (I thought they took the top 10%), but you can tell from a mile away that he’s contentious. The only reason I took the test in the first place is I was giving him a ride to the tryouts in downtown Chicago. Cracked me up that I wound up being the one on the show.

I won $16k. Don’t ever say Pelican Brief around me.

[Chez_Guevara]

@Phase42

I wonder what would happen if the winning contestant got a stunned, pained look on his face clutched at his chest and collapsed to the floor, laid there for a few moments, and then jumped up yelling, “Kidding! Just kidding!”

Director: Cut!! Mr. Jones, we’ve been through this 7 times at rehearsal. When you win the cash, jump into the audience and climb over peoples’ heads to reach your loved one. Smother her with kisses then ravish her on air in gratitude for your good fortune. Try to make it last until the ad break. Thank you. Ready, everybody? OK. Take 23 and…Action!

@fessie

Don’t ever say Pelican Brief around me.

And I’m sure Tunisia is a very nice place for a holiday. But I’m never going there. Ever.

[fessie]

@Chez Guevara

And I’m sure Tunisia is a very nice place for a holiday. But I’m never going there. Ever.

Were you happy with your performance? As soon as I finished, it was like “Gee, that was fun - now let’s do it again & I won’t be so terrified this time.” How did you do? I was thrilled with my winnings; $16k isn’t impressive compared to a lot of players, but it had a huge impact on my life (which is completely different now). It was enough.

Re: expenses, when I played in 2002 they covered the costs & gave a per diem, but I think we were the last group to get that deal.

[ElvisL1ves]

@Chez Guevara

And I’m sure Tunisia is a very nice place for a holiday. But I’m never going there. Ever.

Nor am I ever going to go see the “Spirit of '76” painting, ever again.

[Chez_Guevara]

@fessie

Were you happy with your performance? As soon as I finished, it was like “Gee, that was fun - now let’s do it again & I won’t be so terrified this time.” How did you do? I was thrilled with my winnings; $16k isn’t impressive compared to a lot of players, but it had a huge impact on my life (which is completely different now). It was enough.

I had mixed feelings.

My appearance was in April, 2001. At that time I had been taking part in pub quizzes for about 10 years. The Tunisia question (concerning colonial masters - France rather than Italy) is a bread & butter question in that environment. I can’t understand how I got the question wrong. Forgive my immodesty.

I knew that Tunisia was colonised by the French before the show. I knew that Tunisia was colonised by the French after the show. I just didn’t know it during the show.

I reached £64k with all lifelines intact but fell back to the benchmark of £32k after getting the question wrong (and phoning a friend).

I am very, very happy with this. The cash solved a couple of problems. It is only every now and again I think of North Africa. My ultimate thought on the matter was that I didn’t get the wrong answer.

I got the wrong question.