# I timed "Who wants to be a millionaire?!!"....... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 6, 2000, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721 "2000-04-06T12:46:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jackas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@jackas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackas)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2000, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721/1 "2000-04-06T12:46:00Z")
This may be of some interest to someone: I was at home one night and after a number of beers decided to time ‘Who wants to be a millionaire’ to find out exactly how much content was actually “entertainment”. This basically constituted starting my stop-watch when a question was asked and stopping it when the contestant gave their first definate answer. The results from the hour long program are as follows: Actual ‘Entertainment’ - 12 minutes Stuff in between ‘Entertainment’ - 30+ minutes Advertisements - 15 minutes I watch this show all the time because I love yelling at the TV, beating the arm of my sofa and becoming frustrated when the host drags it out for all it’s worth. Does anyone else feel this way? ---
**Author:** ![danielnsmith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c89c15/32.png) [@danielnsmith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danielnsmith)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2000, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721/2 "2000-04-06T13:11:00Z")
Well, I don’t like the show. But if you want to have fun, use your stop watch to time how much time is actually spent playing football during the next Super Bowl. I think you might find that Millionare is a better deal. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2000, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721/3 "2000-04-06T13:15:00Z")
My roommate once recorded a football game, starting the VCR at kickoffs and lineups (just before hiking the ball) and stopped it when the ref whistled the play to stop. It was about 20 minutes long. It sure was nice to get rid of Madden’s stupid electronic pen marks. 😃 * * * Wrong thinking is punished, right thinking is just as swiftly rewarded. You’ll find it an effective combination. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2000, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721/4 "2000-04-06T16:07:00Z")
15 minutes of ads? That’s odd, there should be an average of 20 minutes; but during the day, 22 minutes. Here, just beat that stupid game easily. Just watch the stupid patterns of the game. If you notice, for example, the first four questions never ever have the same letter answer ever! Ha!..So, when you’re watching with someone and you see the first three questions were A,B,D just tell your friends that the next answer is going to be C. What a riot. ---
**Author:** ![cygnus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@cygnus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cygnus)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2000, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721/5 "2000-04-06T16:33:00Z")
Funny you should post this today. Just last night I was working on various tasks around the homestead, and checked the tv (which was already on) at 8 to see if there was anything showing that I could stand to leave on, or if it was time to switch to a book on tape. Came across WWTBAM (no cable, so limited choices) and thought, “Oh perfect!” Not visually intensive, occasional moments of interest, and lots of time to go downstairs/into the next room while working on my various chores. I would watch the question part and then, upon reaching commercial or other easily identifiable break (chatting up the contestant, etc) go off to another area of the house knowing I would have a good ten minutes before there would be any more questions. I went by instinct, not by the clock, and my timing was near perfect, though I did miss two or three questions once while engrossed in the fascinating sorting of clothes in the laundry room. I got lots done all over the house without wasting any time waiting for Regis to get on with it. Your numbers align with what I would have guessed. * * * But I don’t want to pay the penalty. I just want to go home. ---
**Author:** ![Dirty\_Devil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Dirty\_Devil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dirty_Devil)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2000, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721/6 "2000-04-06T16:58:00Z")
I’d like to know how much time is wasted on dead air while the stupid contestents sit there and think about the answer, and think, and think, and think. I swear, there’s nothing more boring than watching somebody sitting down, silent, with a blank look on there face, for what seems like hours on end. And then when they try to reason with themselves out loud about which answer’s are right or not. No one gives a shit! State your answer and shut up about it. And by the way, I think Regis should be shot, buried, dug up and then shot again. But hey, that’s just my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Dirty\_Devil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Dirty\_Devil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dirty_Devil)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2000, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721/7 "2000-04-07T05:19:00Z")
I’d like to know how much time is wasted on dead air while the stupid contestents sit there and think about the answer, and think, and think, and think. I swear, there’s nothing more boring than watching somebody sitting down, silent, with a blank look on there face, for what seems like hours on end. And then when they try to reason with themselves out loud about which answer’s are right or not. No one gives a shit! State your answer and shut up about it. And by the way, I think Regis should be shot, buried, dug up and then shot again. But hey, that’s just my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Dirty\_Devil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Dirty\_Devil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dirty_Devil)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2000, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721/8 "2000-04-07T23:59:00Z")
I’d like to know how much time is wasted on dead air while the stupid contestents sit there and think about the answer, and think, and think, and think. I swear, there’s nothing more boring than watching somebody sitting down, silent, with a blank look on there face, for what seems like hours on end. And then when they try to reason with themselves out loud about which answer’s are right or not. No one gives a shit! State your answer and shut up about it. And by the way, I think Regis should be shot, buried, dug up and then shot again. But hey, that’s just my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Dirty\_Devil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Dirty\_Devil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dirty_Devil)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2000, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721/9 "2000-04-08T00:01:00Z")
And a damn strong opinion it it is, too. ---
**Author:** ![Sweet\_Basil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@Sweet\_Basil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweet_Basil)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2000, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721/10 "2000-04-07T05:18:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by AWB: > \*\*My roommate once recorded a football game, starting the VCR at kickoffs and lineups (just before hiking the ball) and stopped it when the ref whistled the play to stop. It was about 20 minutes long. > \*\* Uh, er, Isn’t a regulation football game 48 minutes? Your pal must have only taped one half… Sweet Basil ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2000, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721/11 "2000-04-07T05:28:00Z")
> [@](#): > > And by the way, I think Regis should be shot, buried, dug up and then shot again. But hey, that’s just my opinion.\*\* I say we scalp 'im, then we tattoo 'im, then we hang 'im, and THEN we kill 'im! (Gratuitous Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure reference.) * * * “That’s impossible! Cartman doesn’t know a rainforest from a Pop-Tart!” “Yes I do! Pop-Tarts are frosted!” ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2000, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721/12 "2000-04-07T06:00:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Sweet Basil: > \*\* Uh, er, Isn’t a regulation football game 48 minutes? Your pal must have only taped one half…\*\* I thought it was more than 48. 🙂 Anyway, most of that time is spent not actually playing football, so it could be edited out–you know, when the clock is still running but the play hasn’t started. * * * rocks ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2000, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721/13 "2000-04-07T16:02:00Z")
DD, they can take as long as they want. Hours, if they want to. What this game needs is a clock so they can only take 1 minute per answer, now that would make things interesting. But its a show that came from England so maybe that’s how they do it. Imagine being in the gallery having to wait a half hour for an answer. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2000, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721/14 "2000-04-07T16:16:00Z")
_ **Sweet Basil:** Uh, er, Isn’t a regulation football game 48 minutes? Your pal must have only taped one half…_ Nope. A regulation game is 4 15-minute quarters for a total clock time of 60 minutes. But if a play doesn’t end with the ball carrier going out-of-bounds, no first down achieved, no injury, etc., the clock keeps running. All my friend recorded was actual ball movement, with a few seconds on either end of the play for some discontinuity. ## It was rather like an archive film, only at full speed, crisp picture, and no dramatic voice-over. Wrong thinking is punished, right thinking is just as swiftly rewarded. You’ll find it an effective combination. ---
**Author:** ![Zico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a88e4f/32.png) [@Zico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zico)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2000, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721/15 "2000-04-09T13:22:00Z")
TV shows which are made to fit a one hour slot are usually 43 or 44 minutes, allowing 16 - 17 minutes for advert breaks / crap. Oh the joys of commerical television. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721/16 "2000-04-10T05:03:00Z")
That is why handy has bought a vcr, which costs just as much as a regular vcr, that has commercial advance. When those commercials come on, the thing FFs right thru them. There is even a selection to make the screen blue when they come on & its FF’ing… I have a tv with commercial skip too, what a weird idea. ---
**Author:** ![Ophanim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8491ac/32.png) [@Ophanim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ophanim)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2000, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721/17 "2000-04-09T20:03:00Z")
There is supposedly only 9 minutes of actual “ball in play” time during a regulation Baseball game. I’ve never timed it myself. Also, many companies are trying to eliminate commercials altogether by using product placement. Which will probably be the worst thing ever! Remember the friends “pottery barn” episode? Imagine every episode revolving around product placement. Example: ::Friends:: Chandler “Joey! Those Nike uptempo’s are far inferior to my Reebok Air Max’s” Joey “What are you talkin about! Let’s just say they are both a fine product” ::Knock Knock:: Ross “Did I hear somebody say… Sony DV dash MR6 DVD player with remote control, s-cable interface, and pc-link?!” Joey “NO, but we are now! You got a DVD player made by Sony who have been making quality audio and video products since 1978? Let me ask you something? Is it available in different colors? What am I saying, of course it is! Most likely available in Muave Teal, Blue Lake, Grey, Semiclear Violet, and standard Black!” Ross “You know it!” Chandler “Say we could play it on our new Samsung 25 inch color T.V. with picture in picture, full menu, dolby surround sound simulation, and a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of only 299.95!” Joey “Yeah we got at (dubbed in) John’s retail in Westchester!” Ross “Actually I was thinking that we could go to my place and check it out on my new RCA Widescreed HDTV with multiple audio dubbing, s-port, and three way cable interfaces. All at the low low MSRP cost of 999.99, I got it on Ebay, the nations largest auctioning warehouse.” Chandler “We can take my fully loaded brand new Volks Wagon Passat.” Ross “Oh, so you finally got your own Passat!” End example: * * * ## **Ophanim** Not Voted, \*\*Coolest, Dumbest, Happiest, Drunkest, Surliest, Gayest, Most Godly, or anything else! \*\* Damn you all to HELL! Where’s my side of FUN!? Kisses! Ophy ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-timed-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire/15721/18 "2000-04-10T02:19:00Z")
> [@](#): > > I say we scalp 'im, then we tattoo 'im, then we hang 'im, and THEN we kill 'im! \ “I say we let him go” * * * Cecil said it. I believe it. That settles it.