# Stupid fucking morons on "Millionaire" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 21, 2000, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228 "2000-01-21T16:10:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/121 "2000-02-06T05:31:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by RM Mentock: > \*\ ***\voguevixen\** > > How would you have handled the Iron Horse question, so that it wasn’t shoddy? > \\*\* I wouldn’t have made one of the choices “Motorcycle” without first checking to make sure if it was a valid answer. I mean if all it took was a phone call then why wasn’t it done before the question was approved? * * * _One week only! Special Valentine’s Candy Heart Sig Line!_ **"OU KID"** ---
**Author:** ![suiyobi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e8cbc/32.png) [@suiyobi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suiyobi)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/122 "2000-02-06T05:38:00Z")
if i remember correctly, oprah asked a question to which the answer was “honda civic” and then the guys got the civics. * * * the hog squeal of the universe is coming from my modem! ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/123 "2000-02-06T06:58:00Z")
Huh? Is my post “invisible” on anyone else’s screen? You can read it if you click and highlight the text. (How the heck did I do that?!?!) ---
**Author:** ![boli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e99b99/32.png) [@boli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boli)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/124 "2000-02-06T08:48:00Z")
Rosie O’Donnell was the one that gave away a car. She is obsessed with the show, and felt so bad for the two guys that missed on the first question, that she had them both on and gave them cars. ---
**Author:** ![krish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c57346/32.png) [@krish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krish)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/125 "2000-02-07T06:33:00Z")
Is it true that Regis is going to be on MadTV next week to parody Millionaire? ---
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/126 "2000-02-07T04:18:00Z")
I hate when someone ends up with $32,000 and Reege says, “Tough luck”. WTF?? Like the 24 year old teacher who won $32,000 tonight. It’s probably more money than he makes in a year! Doesn’t Regis realize that not everyone has two fucking TV shows and money in the bank? God, he’s an arrogant fucker! :mad: * * * “Don’t look at me–I’m irrelevant.” ---
**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:** [February 7, 2000, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/127 "2000-02-07T04:52:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by **\voguevixen\** : > **Huh? Is my post “invisible” on anyone else’s screen? You can read it if you click and highlight the text. (How the heck did I do that?!?!)** Sorry, my fault. Well, mine and the new respond-and-quote feature. My sig has been invisible. Like this one. I’ll get rid of the dashes, that should fix it. Anyway, my point about the Iron Horse mixup was–nobody had a single clue that anybody would not know that trains were called Iron Horses. They didn’t know they should have called, so of course they didn’t. And they didn’t twig to the motorcycle reference until the contestant mentioned it–surely, that’s why all the contestants talk so much now, isn’t it? \ rocks\ ---
**Author:** ![Sparticuz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Sparticuz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparticuz)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/128 "2000-02-07T09:29:00Z")
I like Regis. He gave one rambling, take up the entire show, contestant the look of death and they didn’t edit it out. I’ve liked him ever since. That’s all I have to say. * * * “Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions” -Oliver Holmes ---
**Author:** ![Frankie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@Frankie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frankie)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/129 "2000-02-07T17:43:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Dewaholic: > \*\*I hate when someone ends up with $32,000 and Reege says, “Tough luck”. WTF?? Like the 24 year old teacher who won $32,000 tonight. It’s probably more money than he makes in a year! Doesn’t Regis realize that not everyone has two fucking TV shows and money in the bank? God, he’s an arrogant fucker! :mad: > \*\* Well dew- He actually mentioned it one time and I thought it was rude. He said something like “Well normally you don’t know how much people appreciate the money, but you know that guy will REALLY appreicate it! Thats alot of money for him…” * * * -Frankie “Mother Mercy, can your loins bear fruit forever?/Is your fecundity a trammel or a treasure?” -Bad Religion ---
**Author:** ![Frankie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@Frankie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frankie)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/130 "2000-02-07T17:45:00Z")
Oh and BELGIUM??? WTF??? * * * -Frankie “Mother Mercy, can your loins bear fruit forever?/Is your fecundity a trammel or a treasure?” -Bad Religion ---
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/131 "2000-02-08T04:41:00Z")
Frankie: > [@](#): > > Well, he actually mentioned it one time and I thought it was rude. Personally, I think either comment is rude. I find him entertaining, but he lacks tact. That’s all I’m saying. If I were on that show, I would jump out of that chair and _tongue-kiss_ Regis if I won as little as $1,000 (and I don’t find him appealing)! No “tough luck” there. I would leave with more money than I went there with. * * * “Don’t look at me–I’m irrelevant.” ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/132 "2000-02-08T20:31:00Z")
FOX is now scared of _Millionaire_. Last night, they moved _That 70’s Show_, one of my favorites, from Tuesday to Monday. But they haven’t moved _The X-Files_ yet and I hope they don’t. * * * \>\< DARWIN \> \_\_ **L\_\_\_L** ---
**Author:** ![bigred1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9de0a6/32.png) [@bigred1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bigred1)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2000, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/133 "2000-02-10T00:09:00Z")
News flash on CNN today… (more worthless news to complain about)… Rosie O’Donnell was actually called for a lifeline. The show is to air this Sunday night. No mention of if she answered correctly though 😛 Beth ---
**Author:** ![krish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c57346/32.png) [@krish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krish)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2000, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/134 "2000-02-11T00:04:00Z")
Although some of its contestants may be “stupid fucking morons,” I find the show extremely entertaining. Otherwise, I wouldn’t spend an hour of my life watching it. _Newsweek_’s Peri had some memory tests for the first Millionaire from the show along with some others (a scholarship winner, Peri staff, etc.) The Millionaire had lower end scores on most of the tests. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2000, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/135 "2000-02-11T22:27:00Z")
Saw this at [Market Watch](http://www.marketwatch.newsalert.com/bin/story?StoryId=Cokjf0dicqujdtwLSBgLVBMfPCMu&FQ=AP&Title=Headlines%20for%3A%20AP%0A). It appears that WWTBAM is being sued by its insurance underwriters because “it claims the questions are too easy and they’re at risk of paying out too much prize money… In essence, Goshawk said it needed assurances that “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” would ask harder questions and select dumber contestants.” ---
**Author:** ![Konrad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f475e1/32.png) [@Konrad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Konrad)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2000, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/136 "2000-02-12T23:32:00Z")
Dave Barry did a nice column about how dumb the contestants on this show are: [http://www.herald.com/content/archive/living/barry/1999/docs/feb13.htm](http://www.herald.com/content/archive/living/barry/1999/docs/feb13.htm) ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2000, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/137 "2000-02-13T01:22:00Z")
Saw a story about the original British version on the local “news”. Same music, nearly-identical set, same style of computer graphics. Only the host was different and he was the one who originated “Is that your final answer?” He said Regis studied his style and took notes asking him “Can I use this? Can I say that? Is it all right with you?” The other guy seemed nicer and he hugged the female contestants more than Regis does. Regis did a parody for tonight’s _MAD-TV_, _Who Wants to Be President?_ “You said, ‘A: No new taxes.’ Is that your final answer?” WWTBAM now appears in 51 different countries. * * * \>\< DARWIN \> \_\_ **L\_\_\_L** ---
**Author:** ![SterlingNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@SterlingNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SterlingNorth)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2000, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/138 "2000-02-13T01:45:00Z")
Is it in any developing countries? ---
**Author:** ![krish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c57346/32.png) [@krish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krish)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2000, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/139 "2000-02-14T06:53:00Z")
The MADtv parody was great. Will Sasso did an excellent impersonation of Jesse Ventura. The Dave Barry column was hilarious, sspecially _The X-Files_ comment. Parodies are the future of WWTBAM. ---
**Author:** ![plank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@plank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plank)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2000, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228/140 "2000-02-15T23:17:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by jab1: > Saw a story about the original British version on the local “news”. Same music, nearly-identical set, same style of computer graphics. Only the host was different and he was the one who originated “Is that your final answer?” He said Regis studied his style and took notes asking him “Can I use this? Can I say that? Is it all right with you?” The other guy seemed nicer and he hugged the female contestants more than Regis does. > > . . . . . . . > > WWTBAM now appears in 51 different countries. The WWTBAM format was originally created by British TV company Celador, and has been syndicated worldwide. ‘The other guy’ is Chris Tarrant, who’s been around so long that, like the show, everyone both loves and hates him. Every time a contestant in another country wins the million, the UK press gets all excited, and criticisms are raised as to the difficulty of questions. Also public interest is renewed. No matter how much they hate the show, many people find it impossible not to be drawn in. It has the astoundingly simple mulitple-choice format mixed up with all the suspense and drama of ‘Alien’. Well, almost. Re: AT&T An entirely different programme, on which I occasionally work, runs a competition phone-in and the lines and administration are provided by a company called Broadsystems. I would be very surprised if they didn’t cover WWTBAM here too. The deal is that the caller is charged a nominal amount for the call, most of which goes to Broadsystems, with a percentage paid to the production company or broadcaster. (It has been suggested that far more money is made from punters calling in, than is actually given away on the show. Nice little earner.) I understand that 800 calls in the US are free, so it would seem fair to assume that the AT&T plug in the show is their recompense as they make no money from the thousands of calls made by the Teeming Millions. I suppose that would be millions of calls then. Also UK TV shows have to obey very strict guidelines regarding advertising during the programme. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-fucking-morons-on-millionaire/4228.md?page=8)