"Pathetic Contestants"

[Odyssey]

Pathetic use of lifelines and pathetic banter would have to come into play for a contestant to truly be pathetic to me. Anyone can miss a question.

[Bob78164]

It would also take more than one wrong answer to be pathetic.

What edition of WWTBAM are you watching, where contestants have an opportunity to answer more than one question incorrectly?

The one where they ask for help if they're not confident they know the answer to a question.

Remember the woman who used all of her lifelines and walked away with $300? (And was correct to do so, because she would have missed the $500 question.) --Bob

[Odyssey]

It would also take more than one wrong answer to be pathetic.

What edition of WWTBAM are you watching, where contestants have an opportunity to answer more than one question incorrectly?

The one where they ask for help if they're not confident they know the answer to a question.

Remember the woman who used all of her lifelines and walked away with $300? (And was correct to do so, because she would have missed the $500 question.) --Bob

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! Pretty pathetic, huh?

[christie1111]

What edition of WWTBAM are you watching, where contestants have an opportunity to answer more than one question incorrectly?

The one where they ask for help if they're not confident they know the answer to a question.

Remember the woman who used all of her lifelines and walked away with $300? (And was correct to do so, because she would have missed the $500 question.) --Bob

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! Pretty pathetic, huh?

Yes, I feel very sympathic about her performance. (See how that sounds better?)



There but for the grace of....Uh oh, better not pull religion into it.

[andyrinny]

There but for the grace of....Uh oh, better not pull religion into it.

I thought religion was already in it. Weren't some people calling other people Christian haters?

[melleon]

Remember the woman who used all of her lifelines and walked away with $300? (And was correct to do so, because she would have missed the $500 question.) --Bob

I was a witness to this gal's hotseat performance. One of her questions was about snowshoes and she had lived in Florida her entire life and never seen snow. But also, This was WIAW where there was not a test, only an interview. She was great to watch because of her enthusiasm, and seemed happy with the $300. And there was more to her story than was aired.

[andyrinny]

I thought religion was already in it. Weren't some people calling other people Christian haters?

On further thought, I was mixing up the "pathetic contestants" thread with the "one of the best contestants ever" thread. My bad.

[frogman042]

It would also take more than one wrong answer to be pathetic.

What edition of WWTBAM are you watching, where contestants have an opportunity to answer more than one question incorrectly?

The one where they ask for help if they're not confident they know the answer to a question.

Remember the woman who used all of her lifelines and walked away with $300? (And was correct to do so, because she would have missed the $500 question.) --Bob

Wasn't she the 'walk in and play' promotion gimmick contestant? I didn't see the episode, but from various comments I think I remember she didn't even really understood the game or wasn't familiar with the show. I think she acts as a control - no other player has ever played the game like that - so I think she demonstrates that even what some would call 'pathetic contestants' who would fit the description of 'just show up'. I would venture to guess that there are few to none that fit BiT's description of "so many on the daily "millionaire" show just show up", let alone many.

As a viewer at home, you see a very small slice of the contestants on the show, from a couple of minutes to maybe 20-30 minutes - if they do really well. Being in the green room all day you get to see them in a much broader way. Some did very well, some ended up with only $1K, one was kidnapped by space aliens sometime after time ran out on her first stint in the H.S. never to be seen again. IMO, none were pathetic, some were more relaxed than others, some where a bundle of nerves. Some were clearly trivia buffs, some had more knowledge than others - but there was not one of them who wasn't smart, wasn't there to play the game as best as possible and everyone of them had spent time thinking about the game. I would venture to guess that my group was typical and not atypical – others who have been on the show can confirm or counter my assertion.

Weird things happen in the H.S. - there is a joke about just sitting in it drains 30 pts off of your I.Q. I think it is hard to understand how easy it is to screw up given all the factors involved.

There seems to be an undercurrent that somehow a lot folks who get on (especially SyndiBAM) are somehow either not worthy or that TPTB are screening for 'pathetic contestants' or screening out the people who are more deserving to play. Folks like us, on the bored, tend to obsess about the game and try to think of all aspects of it - most of the folks who get on are not on the bored, they may or may not obsess about the game as much as we do, that doesn't mean that they didn't earn their spot in the H.S.

Although I can only speak for myself, I've noticed a pattern of that those of us who have been on the show tend to defend the players against the 'Pathetic Contestants' remark. I suspect that is because a) it someway denigrates everyone who has been on SyndiBAM - because they went through the same selection process, b) because they have a richer understanding of their fellow players from the time they spent together and know that what you see broadcast is only a very small slice of who that person is and c) there is a bit of the 'there but for the grace of God go I'.

Personally, I consider myself lucky having had the opportunity to be on BAM and these comments don't bother me - I wish they weren't made because I think that they are, in general, inaccurate, but I can also understand why some might feel they way they feel.

One last point/request: I think the recent batch of contestants have all been very good, regardless of the outcome. Gordon did extremely well, as did Clyde - I was a rooting for them harder because I know them, but I don't think we need to knock the other players to make their star shine brighter. So, my request is, for those of you who think that there were many players who were pathetic or just 'showed up' - name names. Which ones and what specifically made you think that way and why? What percentage of the pool you drew from for your sample did they make up?

---Jay

[mrkelley23]

The one that The Others produce.

Oh, wait, wrong thread.

[MarleysGh0st]

As a viewer at home, you see a very small slice of the contestants on the show, from a couple of minutes to maybe 20-30 minutes - if they do really well. Being in the green room all day you get to see them in a much broader way. Some did very well, some ended up with only $1K, one was kidnapped by space aliens sometime after time ran out on her first stint in the H.S. never to be seen again.

Hmmmm? Can we hear more of this story?

[secondchance]

As a viewer at home, you see a very small slice of the contestants on the show, from a couple of minutes to maybe 20-30 minutes - if they do really well. Being in the green room all day you get to see them in a much broader way. Some did very well, some ended up with only $1K, one was kidnapped by space aliens sometime after time ran out on her first stint in the H.S. never to be seen again.

Hmmmm? Can we hear more of this story?

Not from Frogman- wouldn't they have magnetized his brain on their way out?!? Duh.

[Jeemie]

I think The Damn Clock is probably more pressure-inducing that anything else TPTB have created for the show.

I went nuts at WDW's Play-It solely because I was focused on the clock, and used LLs on easy questions...therefore ending my run at $1K because I really could have used LLs I wasted earlier on.

If there hadn't been a clock, I would have been fine.

I still have a concern about the clock should I ever get on...but I've been practicing reading questions and answering them quickly.

I can forgive "pathetic contestants" if they've been made "pathetic" by TDC.

[frogman042]

As a viewer at home, you see a very small slice of the contestants on the show, from a couple of minutes to maybe 20-30 minutes - if they do really well. Being in the green room all day you get to see them in a much broader way. Some did very well, some ended up with only $1K, one was kidnapped by space aliens sometime after time ran out on her first stint in the H.S. never to be seen again.

Hmmmm? Can we hear more of this story?

The Prime Directive states I can only refer you to this link and nothing else: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10020

[MarleysGh0st]

As a viewer at home, you see a very small slice of the contestants on the show, from a couple of minutes to maybe 20-30 minutes - if they do really well. Being in the green room all day you get to see them in a much broader way. Some did very well, some ended up with only $1K, one was kidnapped by space aliens sometime after time ran out on her first stint in the H.S. never to be seen again.

Hmmmm? Can we hear more of this story?

The Prime Directive states I can only refer you to this link and nothing else: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10020

Okay, we did discuss that contestant before. (There were also some other remarkable highlights in that transcript thread you referenced in that one.)

But you never gave us a hint about the space aliens!!!

[andyrinny]

As a viewer at home, you see a very small slice of the contestants on the show, from a couple of minutes to maybe 20-30 minutes - if they do really well. Being in the green room all day you get to see them in a much broader way. Some did very well, some ended up with only $1K, one was kidnapped by space aliens sometime after time ran out on her first stint in the H.S. never to be seen again.

Hmmmm? Can we hear more of this story?

The Prime Directive states I can only refer you to this link and nothing else: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10020

I'm unbound by the Prime Directive, and trying to follow this. Do I have it right:

1. Barbara Mayhall Hunter began her hotseat run towards the very end of the 9/24/08 episode, and should have carried over to 9/25/08, but in fact the 9/25/08 episode began with a new contestant (George Maddocks), and Barbara's continuation never aired.

2. While the show normally displays a hotseater's list of question categories at the beginning of a hotseat run, the show did not display Barbara's list.

3. On George's 1st question, he let TDC run down to one second before answering, flustering Meredith greatly.

4. The TPTB released a still photo displaying George's 1st question, with TDC showing one second left. But instead of George, the still photo shows a blonde female in the hotseat facing that question.

If that's all correct, I have these questions: Was Barbara the blonde shown in the picture, or is the blonde's identity a mystery? Where, how, etc. did TPTB release the photo with the blonde? Finally, were the space aliens pathetic, and if so, what definition of "space aliens" are you using?

[frogman042]

Hmmmm? Can we hear more of this story?

The Prime Directive states I can only refer you to this link and nothing else: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10020

I'm unbound by the Prime Directive, and trying to follow this. Do I have it right:

1. Barbara Mayhall Hunter began her hotseat run towards the very end of the 9/24/08 episode, and should have carried over to 9/25/08, but in fact the 9/25/08 episode began with a new contestant (George Maddocks), and Barbara's continuation never aired.

2. While the show normally displays a hotseater's list of question categories at the beginning of a hotseat run, the show did not display Barbara's list.

3. On George's 1st question, he let TDC run down to one second before answering, flustering Meredith greatly.

4. The TPTB released a still photo displaying George's 1st question, with TDC showing one second left. But instead of George, the still photo shows a blonde female in the hotseat facing that question.

If that's all correct, I have these questions: Was Barbara the blonde shown in the picture, or is the blonde's identity a mystery? Where, how, etc. did TPTB release the photo with the blonde? Finally, were the space aliens pathetic, and if so, what definition of "space aliens" are you using?

Answering at great risk - hopefully this will not but me in further danger...
Your 4 point summary is correct
Barbara was not the blonde in the picture, was a grayish hair and was a long time teacher from WI. The photo was of Lyndsay Baldwin from Cos Cob, CT - which is really Greenwich, CT - but TPTB used Cos Cob because they thought that someone from Greenwich would not get the sympathy of the audience. As an aside, she had just moved to CT that year and was originally from Syracuse NY and considered that her home base. She was one of the 5 of us tagged for my original tape date (the other 3 were Myra, Patrick and Allyson). In person, Lyndsay was stunning - and the picture in question was I believe their promo for the new clock and I think that they wanted the drama of one second on the clock and an attractive contestant looking worried - which I think was unfair to Lyndsay since she never had that question nor did she end up in a situation like the picture was presenting.

Regarding the space aliens, I fear I've said too much - all I would add is I would cool it on the 'pathetic' remarks - they don't take to kindly to it and I wouldn't want to upset them.

[andyrinny]

Frogman - Thanks for the info and for wisking the aliens' wath. (Sorry, I was just overcome by a

Spoiler

wotacism

.)

[MarleysGh0st]

Regarding the space aliens, I fear I've said too much - all I would add is I would cool it on the 'pathetic' remarks - they don't take to kindly to it and I wouldn't want to upset them.

You'd think anyone capable of interstellar travel wouldn't have such fragile self-esteems.

[ulysses5019]

Regarding the space aliens, I fear I've said too much - all I would add is I would cool it on the 'pathetic' remarks - they don't take to kindly to it and I wouldn't want to upset them.

You'd think anyone capable of interstellar travel wouldn't have such fragile self-esteems.

Let's see how you feel after spending some time in a worm hole.

[Beebs52]

Regarding the space aliens, I fear I've said too much - all I would add is I would cool it on the 'pathetic' remarks - they don't take to kindly to it and I wouldn't want to upset them.

You'd think anyone capable of interstellar travel wouldn't have such fragile self-esteems.

Let's see how you feel after spending some time in a worm hole.

Those are some ugly-ass shoes.

[Rexer25]

You'd think anyone capable of interstellar travel wouldn't have such fragile self-esteems.

Let's see how you feel after spending some time in a worm hole.

Those are some ugly-ass shoes.

Then may I suggest you're wearing them incorrectly?

[ulysses5019]

You'd think anyone capable of interstellar travel wouldn't have such fragile self-esteems.

Let's see how you feel after spending some time in a worm hole.

Those are some ugly-ass shoes.

Heels will be hurt by this pronouncement.

[Thousandaire]

Regarding the space aliens, I fear I've said too much - all I would add is I would cool it on the 'pathetic' remarks - they don't take to kindly to it and I wouldn't want to upset them.

You'd think anyone capable of interstellar travel wouldn't have such fragile self-esteems.

Let's see how you feel after spending some time in a worm hole.

Are there atheists in worm holes?

[ulysses5019]

You'd think anyone capable of interstellar travel wouldn't have such fragile self-esteems.

Let's see how you feel after spending some time in a worm hole.

Are there atheists in worm holes?

Dunno, but I found Schrödinger's cat.

[Beebs52]

Let's see how you feel after spending some time in a worm hole.

Those are some ugly-ass shoes.

Heels will be hurt by this pronouncement.

Not the color, just the,well, shoes. Would Heels go for a lower, um, heel? Or a wedge?