Transcript 01/14/10 - Matt Velazquez (carryover)

[BBTranscriptTeam]

Matt Velazquez
Southington, CT
Senior at Columbia University

Matt's girlfriend, Andrea, is a student at the University of Dayton. She's skipped out on a test to be in the audience, today. Matt's dad, Nelson, is also in the audience.

Question Topics:
* Paper Work
* Raccoons
* Government
* Geometry
* Powerful Women
* Classic Lit
* Funny People
* (CELEBRITY Q)
* (Cable TV)
* (World Cuisine)
* (At the Bookstore)
* (Jay Leno)
* (Band Names)
* (Stands for What?)
* (Idioms)

$15,000 * Funny People
Git-R-Done Productions is the production company of what popular comedian?

A: Cedric the Entertainer B: Dane Cook
C: Larry the Cable Guy D: Carrot Top

Answer

C: Larry the Cable Guy ( 18 )

$25,000 * Classic Lit
Which of these classic novels was first published when the author was only twenty years old?

A: The Scarlet Letter B: Robinson Crusoe
C: The Last of the Mohicans D: Frankenstein

With 5 seconds left, Matt decides to Double Dip.

Matt's first answer is

Spoiler

C: The Last of the Mohicans

.
Matt's second answer is

Spoiler

B: Robinson Crusoe

.

Answer

D: Frankenstein ( 2 )

Matt drops to $5,000,

[MarleysGh0st]

Here's an article about Matt's appearance. Looks like a simple cut & paste from the press release.

http://www.newbritainherald.com/article ... 631878.txt

[doitneatly]

Matt Velazquez
Southington, CT
Senior at Columbia University

Matt's girlfriend, Andrea, is a student at the University of Dayton. She's skipped out on a test to be in the audience, today. Matt's dad, Nelson, is also in the audience.

Question Topics:
* Paper Work
* Raccoons
* Government
* Geometry
* Powerful Women
* Classic Lit
* Funny People
* (CELEBRITY Q)
* (Cable TV)
* (World Cuisine)
* (At the Bookstore)
* (Jay Leno)
* (Band Names)
* (Stands for What?)
* (Idioms)

$15,000 * Funny People
Git-R-Done Productions is the production company of what popular comedian?

A: Cedric the Entertainer B: Dane Cook
C: Larry the Cable Guy D: Carrot Top

Answer

C: Larry the Cable Guy ( 18 )

$25,000 * Classic Lit
Which of these classic novels was first published when the author was only twenty years old?

A: The Scarlet Letter B: Robinson Crusoe
C: The Last of the Mohicans D: Frankenstein

With 5 seconds left, Matt decides to Double Dip.

Matt's first answer is

Spoiler

C: The Last of the Mohicans

.
Matt's second answer is

Spoiler

B: Robinson Crusoe

.

Answer

D: Frankenstein ( 2 )

Matt drops to $5,000,

To me, this fellow was a funny mix of caution and risk. To wit,

In his first episode, his comments made it pretty clear that he spent his first two lifelines on "confirmation" answers, instead of being willing to go with his gut. But then going for $25k, he was willing to take the risk on a question he apparently had no clue about.

However I didn't watch this episode, maybe he actually thought he had an inkling?

[MarleysGh0st]

To me, this fellow was a funny mix of caution and risk. To wit,

In his first episode, his comments made it pretty clear that he spent his first two lifelines on "confirmation" answers, instead of being willing to go with his gut. But then going for $25k, he was willing to take the risk on a question he apparently had no clue about.

However I didn't watch this episode, maybe he actually thought he had an inkling?

No, I don't think he expressed any reasoning for his two guesses. I applaud him for being willing to use the Double Dip. Too many contestants are too risk adverse to consider it, these days.

[Brit Canuck]

I applaud him for being willing to use the Double Dip. Too many contestants are too risk adverse to consider it, these days.

The problem is, he lost $10,000 because he was willing to take the risk and use it.

50:50 would have been much more useful, eliminating one of his two wrong answers, but that went the way of Phone A Friend long ago now.
So my initial stance on ditching Classic Lifelines remains the same - a costly mistake for the show.
No more big winners = bye bye Nielsens.

[MarleysGh0st]

I applaud him for being willing to use the Double Dip. Too many contestants are too risk adverse to consider it, these days.

The problem is, he lost $10,000 because he was willing to take the risk and use it.

50:50 would have been much more useful, eliminating one of his two wrong answers, but that went the way of Phone A Friend long ago now.
So my initial stance on ditching Classic Lifelines remains the same - a costly mistake for the show.
No more big winners = bye bye Nielsens.

Yes, he lost in this case, but at most* levels of the prize ladder, the Double Dip offers a substantial expected value (on average) over walking away. I will cheer those who take the risk, particularly since that seems to be so rare.

*(Unfortunately, tinkering with the prize levels has changed that, for some of the middle tier questions.)

Since Matt did not say that he could eliminate any of the choices, the 50/50 would have been no different than the DD, in this case.

[NellyLunatic1980]

$25,000 * Classic Lit
Which of these classic novels was first published when the author was only twenty years old?

A: The Scarlet Letter B: Robinson Crusoe
C: The Last of the Mohicans D: Frankenstein

I was reasonably sure that Shelley was very young when she wrote Frankenstein. Pretty sure that Hawthorne and Cooper were much older, so A and C are out. Had no clue about Defoe. I did pick the right answer, but in the HS, I most likely would've burned the DD.