# Stupidest Answer on a Quiz Show **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 16, 2003, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122 "2003-04-16T17:33:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/81 "2004-05-12T04:34:59Z")
I believe **Strainger** was referring to the fact that Ray Charles did not **write** _Georgia on My Mind_. He may have made it famous (or maybe it made him famous)by performing it, but it was in fact written by Hoagy Carmichael (music) and Stuart Gorrell (lyrics). ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/82 "2004-05-12T05:16:26Z")
“Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” contestant after having won around 15-20K or so - Which of these characters in literature are based on a real person? Dr. Livingston, Sherlock Homes or Tarzan? Contestant: “Tarzan!” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/83 "2004-05-12T07:10:57Z")
I can’t remember what show it was on, but there was a question where you were supposed to answer the common last name of two famous people based on their occupation and first name. The clues were patriot Benjamin and singer Aretha. The player guessed Washington. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/84 "2004-05-12T07:41:58Z")
Not the stupidest, but kind of amusing: I was watching Wheel of Fortune - it had gotten to the point where the puzzle obviously had the word “barbecue” in it, but not all the letters had been turned yet. The contestant spun, and rather than guess the puzzle, decided to ask for a letter to get a little more money before solving the puzzle. She said, “Give me a Q”, and promptly lost. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/85 "2004-05-12T10:10:21Z")
In this case, it wasn’t so much the answer as what the woman had said shortly before which made it dumb. The show was _Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?_. The contestant had already used one lifeline saying she wasn’t sure what the answer was because she was an “intellectual.” With no more than $1,000 on the line, the question is “In Shakespeare’s _Romeo and Juliet_, what was Juliet’s last name?” She used the 50-50 lifeline to take away two answers and was, of course, left with “Capulet” and “Montague”. After some deliberation, she picks “Montague,” saying among other things, Shakespeare would never name a character Juliet Capulet. I was watching with my family, and none of us could believe it. If it hadn’t been for that comment about being an intellectual, we would have shrugged it off, but I hate to think what it must have been like for her the following day. Murphy’s Law strikes again! If you call yourself an intellectual where enough people can hear you, you’re going to something incredibly stupid in the near future. CJ ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/86 "2004-05-12T10:11:00Z")
I can’t beleive the thread has made it this far and no one has mentioned **Street Smarts** , a show that thrives on stupid answers. Frank: How many stars does the U.S. flag have. Contestant: 32 Frank: And what do the stars mean? Contestant: One for each state. Frank: So there’s 32 states? Contestant: Yes The funny part was how confident she was through this whole conversation. Similarly… Frank: How many states are there in the United States? Contestant: 50… no wait, Alaska and Hawaii make 52 ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/87 "2004-05-12T10:22:07Z")
> [@bluecanary](#): > > When I was watching _The Weakest Link_ I really did ROFL. Here’s why: > > **The question:** > "In orienteering, what small object do competitors take with them, to blow in an emergency? > > **The dumbass contestant’s answer** > > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > > “A gun” > > Heard anything stupider than that? More stupider than that? Orienteering? Ain’t that the sport where people get themselves lost on purpose? ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/88 "2004-05-12T10:25:25Z")
> [@bluecanary](#): > > What sort of question is “how many eggs do you eat with breakfast?”!?!? they survey a hundred people and ask them the following questions ---
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/89 "2004-05-12T12:05:56Z")
On _The $10,000 Pyramid_, the word was “python.” The cluegiver said, “He’s a British rock singer, his first name is Marty.” ---
**Author:** ![Ross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@Ross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ross)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/90 "2004-05-12T12:52:59Z")
Private Eye’s [Dumb Britain](http://www.private-eye.co.uk/content/showitem.cfm/issue.1105/section.dumb) section is a regular spot dedicated to this stuff. This issue someone said that the commonest surname in the United Kingdom was “Patel”. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/91 "2004-05-12T13:20:45Z")
> [@](#): > > This issue someone said that the commonest surname in the United Kingdom was “Patel”. To be fair, I’ve read somewhere that Patel is the most common surname in Scotland (which has a larger Asian population than you might think). That said, the Scottish General Registry Office website says that the most common surnames are actually Smith, Brown and Wilson (in that order), and that Smith has been number one since the early registers. How boring. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/92 "2004-05-12T13:31:58Z")
Match Game: Final question for the jackpot. Gene Rayburn: “\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Tennessee.” Dumb Girl: “Mississippi!” Gene Rayburn: “I think it’s safe to say you won’t be winning.” ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/93 "2004-05-12T18:29:27Z")
> [@blowero](#): > > Not the stupidest, but kind of amusing: > > I was watching Wheel of Fortune - it had gotten to the point where the puzzle obviously had the word “barbecue” in it, but not all the letters had been turned yet. The contestant spun, and rather than guess the puzzle, decided to ask for a letter to get a little more money before solving the puzzle. She said, “Give me a Q”, and promptly lost. “Barbeque” is a rather common variant of barbecue, with about 643,000 hits on Google, so I wouldn’ t call that contestant stupid. They just spell things differently than the WoF staff. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/94 "2004-05-12T20:02:07Z")
Last night(5-12) on Power Jeopardy, Maria something(Think she’s on CNN) Something like this: A: Moles feed on these that are global? Maria answers a computer worm. Real answer an earth worm! ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/95 "2004-05-13T00:17:57Z")
Can’t think of the name of the show, jump in if you recognize it. Husband and wife. Husband has a word on a card that he tries to get the wife to say by using other words to give her clues. This was a black couple with Southern roots. I say that because her accent made the whole incident funnier. Husband, holding a card with the word DEER on it. Husband…DOE. Wife…KNOB. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/96 "2004-05-13T00:46:30Z")
Yes, it was on [Urban Legend Game Show](http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/password.htm) ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/97 "2004-05-13T01:56:45Z")
Another _Family Feud_ moment, this one I remember actually seeing. It was the lightning round at the end, where one family member is asked 5 survey-questions, then they bring a second family member out and ask her the same 5 questions. (Duplicate answers receive a quick buzzer sound and Dawson asks them to try again.) With the first family member: “Name a state that begins with M.” “Mexico.” (survey said: 0) With the second family member: “Name a state that begins with M.” “Mexico.” \\ “Try again.” ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/98 "2004-05-13T05:51:16Z")
> [@tracer](#): > > With the first family member: > “Name a state that begins with M.” > “Mexico.” (survey said: 0) > > With the second family member: > “Name a state that begins with M.” > “Mexico.” > \\ “Try again.” Well, if the question didn’t specify which country was meant, [the response was perfectly valid](http://www.mexperience.com/business/states/state_edomexico.htm). **eenerms** posted: > [@](#): > > Last night(5-12) on Power Jeopardy, Maria something(Think she’s on CNN) > > Something like this: > A: Moles feed on these that are global? > > Maria answers a computer worm. > > Real answer an earth worm! In Maria Bartiromo’s defense, [the newswoman](http://www.daytradernews.net/in/daytrades/marialinks.html) was confused by the category title, and thought **MOLES** referred to the kind that work for the CIA, as opposed to the insectivores notorious for digging up gardens. I recall a celebrity episode of _Rock & Roll Jeopardy!_ which featured Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Go’s as one of the contestants. The category title was something like **HEAVY METAL** , and Jane was responding correctly to clues, but protesting that the songs were “not metal”. She didn’t realize that “metal” referred not to the style of music, but to the fact that the titles were “One _Tin_ Soldier”, “_Brass_ in Pocket”, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/99 "2004-06-24T03:21:22Z")
> [@astro](#): > > “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” contestant after having won around 15-20K or so - > > Which of these characters in literature are based on a real person? > Dr. Livingston, Sherlock Homes or Tarzan? > > Contestant: “Tarzan!” That sounds like the right answer to me. Sherlock Holmes was purely fictional. Dr. Livingstone was a real person, and therefore not a character in literature. It seems to be I’ve heard both sides of whether Tarzan was based on a true story or not, but I can’t remember how it was settled … so the answer is either Tarzan or none of the above. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122/100 "2004-06-24T03:41:00Z")
> [@Greg Charles](#): > > That sounds like the right answer to me. Sherlock Holmes was purely fictional. Dr. Livingstone was a real person, and therefore not a character in literature. It seems to be I’ve heard both sides of whether Tarzan was based on a true story or not, but I can’t remember how it was settled … so the answer is either Tarzan or none of the above. No, in fact Sherlock Holmes \*was \*based on a real person, [Dr Joseph Bell](http://www.siracd.com/work_bell.shtml) . [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-answer-on-a-quiz-show/169122.md?page=6)