WWTBAM Bored

Chris Ngoon
Santa Clarita, CA
Introduced as a competitive trivia player since he was 15, playing just for fun and to be the "king of all trivia," and now finally doing it for real money.

Topic Tree (pre-randomized):
10 Geeky Jobs
9 Before They Were Stars
8 Showbiz Hat Trick
7 A Helping Hand
6 Alternate Titles
5 Fun with Pencils
4 Claim to Fame
3 Sacred Cow
2 Don't Do This
1 Traveling Insults

Topic Tree: (Randomized)
7 A Helping Hand
10 Geeky Jobs
8 Showbiz Hat Trick
1 Traveling Insults
4 Claim to Fame
5 Fun with Pencils
9 Before They Were Stars
2 Don't Do This
6 Alternate Titles
3 Sacred Cow


Question 1 - Level 3 Sacred Cow
A popular myth says Japan's Kobe beef is so tender because the pampered cows listen to classical music, drink beer and get regular what?
A. Facials B. Manicures
C. Massages D. Oprah episodes

Spoiler

Chris: "If the beef is so tender, it's probably because the muscles are so relaxed, so if it is based on relaxation" it would be massages.

Answer and value

C. Massages
Value: $100
Bank: $100

Question 2 - Level 6 Alternate Titles
"The Poker Night" and "Blanche's Chair in the Moon" were earlier versions of what Tennessee Williams play?
A. The Glass Menagerie B. A Streetcar Named Desire
C. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof D. Suddenly, Last Summer

Spoiler

Chris figured out loud that "Blanche's Chair in the Moon" would be a reference to Blanche DuBois

Answer and value

B. A Streetcar Named Desire
Value: $10K
Bank: $10100

Question 3 - Level 2 Don't Do This
According to the AARP, Jell-O shots, mud wrestling and the Dougie are all things you should never do when?
A. After you turn 50 B. While eating ice cream
C. Before deep sea diving D. In the vicinity of bears

Answer and value

A. After you turn 50
Value: $3000
Bank: $13100

Question 4 - Level 9 Before They Were Stars
In 1984, what 16-year-old future Action hero co-starred in a breakdancing instructional video entitled "Breakin' in the USA"?
A. Jet Li B. Vin Diesel
C. Dwayne Johnson D. Jason Statham

JTQ 1

Chris "I'm afraid I don't know"

Answer and value

B. Vin Diesel
Value: $500 jumped
Bank: $13100

Question 5 - Level 5 Fun with Pencils
Although they can be hard or soft, which of the following pencils is the hardest?
A. 8H B. 4H
C. HB D. 9B

Spoiler

Chris: HB I think is somewhere in the middle. It stands for zero. I'm trying to remember, it goes from H to B. A standard #2 is 2B. I think that's pretty soft.
Cedric, jokingly "That's what I was thinking"
Chris: My parents are engineers. They use all sorts of pencils
Cedric: I went to public school, we just got one pencil.
Chris: I don't know what the B stands for. HB's center. 4H... 8H should be harder than 4H. Whether or not to risk it now.
Cedric: You know a lot about pencils. More than most people.
Chris: I'm going to say A, 8H, final answer.
Cedric then said how Chris went through a great deal of deduction, a lot of pencil knowledge, erasing , re-wrote, went back and erased again, rewrote... and he got it!

Answer and value

A. 8H
Value: $1000
Bank: $14100

Commercial break

Cedric said that last question was "some pressure" and that needed a commercial break afterwards.
Chris "Bartender, I need a drink. Please"

Question 6 - Level 4 Claim to Fame
In order to commemorate their unique history, the area code "321" was given to what county in 1999?
A. Brevard County, FL B. Cook County, IL
C. Kings County, NY D. Imperial County, CA

Spoiler

Chris (pondering) unique history. OH!, it's probably in reference to the space shuttle launch at Cape Canaveral.

Answer and value

A. Brevard County, FL
Value: $2000
Bank: $16100

Question 7 - Level 1 Traveling Insults
If you're trying to make someone feel bad, it is often said that you're laying a what on them?
A. Embarrassment journey B. Guilt trip
C. Shamecation D. Humiliation expedition

Spoiler

Chris "I've had many a one-way ticket on this ride"

Answer and value

B. Guilt trip
Value: $7000
Bank: $23100

Question 8 - Level 8 Showbiz Hat Trick
Who is the only person to win an Oscar, Emmy and a Tony in the same year?
A. Mel Brooks B. Whoopi Goldberg
C. Audrey Hepburn D. Bob Fosse

JTQ 2

Chris quickly said this would have to be his second JTQ

Answer and value

D. Bob Fosse
Value: $15K jumped
Bank: $23100

Commercial break

Question 9- Level 10 Geeky Jobs
Best Buy's "Geek Squad" support team includes all but which of the following positions?
A. Double Agent B. Counter Intelligence Agent
C. Deputy Field Marshal D. Sleeper Agent

ATA

A. 26% B. 14%
C. 25% D. 35%

post ATA

Chris said he was thinking B at first but is doubting that because he feels Counter Intelligence Agent would be something for viral work
Double agent: maybe someone who specializes in two different areas
Deputy field marshal: Someone possibly going out there.
Sleeper agent: someone who provides nighttime service.
Chris then said "You know, it's been really nice being on this show and all, so I'm gonna have to say D, final answer.
Cedric: "You threw me, I thought you were about to walk away"
Chris: "I thought so too" (laugh)

Answer and value

D. Sleeper Agent
Value: $25K!
Bank: $48100

Question 10 - Level 7 A Helping Hand
In an 1898 letter, Annie Oakley offered to provide President McKinley with "a company of fifty lady sharpshooters" to help sort out what armed conflict?
A. Whiskey Rebellion B. Mexican-American War
C. Homestead Strike D. Spanish-American War

Spoiler

Chris dismissed Mexican-American as the 1840s, thought Whiskey Rebellion was around the Civil War. Homestead strike?
Spanish-American War was around that time I think. D. Spanish-American War. Final.

Answer and value

D. Spanish-American War
Value: known to be $5000
Bank: $53100

Question of the Day:
According to legend, the University of Miami's football team was named after what weather phenomenon, which delayed their first-ever game?
A. Blizzard B. Hurricane
C. Tornado D. Flood

QoD answer

B. Hurricane

Commercial break

Question 11 - $100K
Of these standard champagne bottle sizes, which is not named for a king?
A. Rehoboam B. Methuselah
C. Salamanazar D. Nebuchadnezzar

Spoiler

Chris: Methuselah, the oldest man, was he a king? Then read the other choices.
Asked how much he has banked. He did the math and said "the expectation value says I should actually walk"
Cedric asked about expectation value.
Chris said "but also, when will I ever get to do this again?"
Cedric said that expectations would work out in this particular scenario, if you bet on the curve and do not double not-not...
Chris "No more fooling around. For $100K or $25K, B, Methuselah, and that's my final, final answer"

Answer

B. Methuselah
Bank: $100K

Chris returns tomorrow with no lifelines remaining, going for $250K

Yay, Chris!

Question 4 - Level 9 Before They Were Stars
In 1984, what 16-year-old future Action hero co-starred in a breakdancing instructional video entitled "Breakin' in the USA"?
A. Jet Li B. Vin Diesel
C. Dwayne Johnson D. Jason Statham

JTQ 1

Chris "I'm afraid I don't know"

Answer and value

B. Vin Diesel
Value: $500 jumped
Bank: $13100

JTQ 1

Question 5 - Level 5 Fun with Pencils
Although they can be hard or soft, which of the following pencils is the hardest?
A. 8H B. 4H
C. HB D. 9B

Spoiler

Chris: HB I think is somewhere in the middle. It stands for zero. I'm trying to remember, it goes from H to B. A standard #2 is 2B. I think that's pretty soft.
Cedric, jokingly "That's what I was thinking"
Chris: My parents are engineers. They use all sorts of pencils
Cedric: I went to public school, we just got one pencil.
Chris: I don't know what the B stands for. HB's center. 4H... 8H should be harder than 4H. Whether or not to risk it now.
Cedric: You know a lot about pencils. More than most people.
Chris: I'm going to say A, 8H, final answer.
Cedric then said how Chris went through a great deal of deduction, a lot of pencil knowledge, erasing , re-wrote, went back and erased again, rewrote... and he got it!

Answer and value

A. 8H
Value: $1000
Bank: $14100

This was amazing! I enjoyed watching, after he got it right, of course.

Question 8 - Level 8 Showbiz Hat Trick
Who is the only person to win an Oscar, Emmy and a Tony in the same year?
A. Mel Brooks B. Whoopi Goldberg
C. Audrey Hepburn D. Bob Fosse

JTQ 2

Chris quickly said this would have to be his second JTQ

Answer and value

D. Bob Fosse
Value: $15K jumped
Bank: $23100

JTQ 2

Question 9- Level 10 Geeky Jobs
Best Buy's "Geek Squad" support team includes all but which of the following positions?
A. Double Agent B. Counter Intelligence Agent
C. Deputy Field Marshal D. Sleeper Agent

ATA

A. 26% B. 14%
C. 25% D. 35%

post ATA

Chris said he was thinking B at first but is doubting that because he feels Counter Intelligence Agent would be something for viral work
Double agent: maybe someone who specializes in two different areas
Deputy field marshal: Someone possibly going out there.
Sleeper agent: someone who provides nighttime service.
Chris then said "You know, it's been really nice being on this show and all, so I'm gonna have to say D, final answer.
Cedric: "You threw me, I thought you were about to walk away"
Chris: "I thought so too" (laugh)

Answer and value

D. Sleeper Agent
Value: $25K!
Bank: $48100

ATA

Question 11 - $100K
Of these standard champagne bottle sizes, which is not named for a king?
A. Rehoboam B. Methuselah
C. Salamanazar D. Nebuchadnezzar

Spoiler

Chris: Methuselah, the oldest man, was he a king? Then read the other choices.
Asked how much he has banked. He did the math and said "the expectation value says I should actually walk"
Cedric asked about expectation value.
Chris said "but also, when will I ever get to do this again?"
Cedric said that expectations would work out in this particular scenario, if you bet on the curve and do not double not-not...
Chris "No more fooling around. For $100K or $25K, B, Methuselah, and that's my final, final answer"

Answer

B. Methuselah
Bank: $100K

Sayonara. Great going, Chris!

[quote]Question 5 - Level 5 Fun with Pencils
Although they can be hard or soft, which of the following pencils is the hardest?
A. 8H B. 4H
C. HB D. 9B

Spoiler

Chris: HB I think is somewhere in the middle. It stands for zero. I'm trying to remember, it goes from H to B. A standard #2 is 2B. I think that's pretty soft.
Cedric, jokingly "That's what I was thinking"
Chris: My parents are engineers. They use all sorts of pencils
Cedric: I went to public school, we just got one pencil.
Chris: I don't know what the B stands for. HB's center. 4H... 8H should be harder than 4H. Whether or not to risk it now.
Cedric: You know a lot about pencils. More than most people.
Chris: I'm going to say A, 8H, final answer.
Cedric then said how Chris went through a great deal of deduction, a lot of pencil knowledge, erasing , re-wrote, went back and erased again, rewrote... and he got it!

The numerical and HB scales are separate and different. We use the numerical scale in the U.S. and the HB is used in most other places.

http://www.pencils.com/blog/hb-graphite-grading-scale/

I was surprised that he knew so much about pencils.

I lost on question 2.

So funny what you know and why.

One of the many tests that you do for car paint finishes is a scratch test using different hardness of pencils. They have special test kits for this with the pencils all lined up so you start at the hardest and work your way down until it doesn't scratch the paint. They go into a specifically designed sled that is weighted so person to person variation is minimized.

Given the many times I had to scratch a paint panel with an 8H pencil, I knew this one easily.

Don't use that test for making body wash though.

Yea Chris! I've met Chris a couple of times, once at the Game Show Congress four or five years ago, and again at this year's Trivia Championships of North America in Vegas. He's a very bright guy, and you can tell it was no fluke that he made it so far on the show. I'm really impressed by the way he played.

Q1: Knew it.

Q2: Knew it.

Q3: Knew it.

Q4: No idea in the world, & wasn't sure audience would know a 1984 statistic. JTQ

Q5: At this point, I throw up onstage, if I'm the contestant. I know #2 is standard pencil, & I thought #1 was harder. If I had gone that way, I'd be a goner. I get all hung up in "what the heck does the HB stuff mean?". Assume "H" is for "hard". Don't think audience will know. JTQ again.


Q6: Had to think about it, then said "Oh" & got it.

Q7: Knew it.

Q8: Was pretty sure it was Fosse. But pretty sure is not "sure". But wasn't sure the audience, only choice I have left, would be more certain than me. Go for it.

Q9: Throw-up time again. Have never used their squad. Unless that was one of them who told me the USB port in the Google-produced tablet I've been thinking about (it has free 4-G connectivity for 2 years, along with built-in WiFi, but of course doesn't run Microsoft Office; it would solve my "need to connect to the internet, but don't want monthly smart-phone fees" problems, though) wasn't a USB port. It is. A USB port. Not that it will do me any good when all the stuff on my flashdrive is in Microsoftese. ATA here.

Q10: Knew it.

Q11: Knew it.

Q12: Pretty sure, & at this point would have gone with it. This run of questions is a very weird collection of "very easy" & "break the contestant". I was happy to see Uly's friend get this far on it.

I guess being a Nebraska football fan can help. Dwayne Johnson played for Miami during the 1995 Orange Bowl.

Jet Li and Jason Statham are not from the US. So, Vin Diesel is the easy answer.

BBTranscriptTeam wrote:Chris Ngoon
Santa Clarita, CA
Introduced as a competitive trivia player since he was 15, playing just for fun and to be the "king of all trivia," and now finally doing it for real money.

I always get a bad feeling when someone is introduced as being a trivia nut.

BBTranscriptTeam wrote:Question 3 - Level 2 Don't Do This
According to the AARP, Jell-O shots, mud wrestling and the Dougie are all things you should never do when?
A. After you turn 50 B. While eating ice cream
C. Before deep sea diving D. In the vicinity of bears

Answer and value

A. After you turn 50
Value: $3000
Bank: $13100

I'd add twerking to that list. OK, so what's a Dougie?

BBTranscriptTeam wrote:Question 4 - Level 9 Before They Were Stars
In 1984, what 16-year-old future Action hero co-starred in a breakdancing instructional video entitled "Breakin' in the USA"?
A. Jet Li B. Vin Diesel
C. Dwayne Johnson D. Jason Statham

JTQ 1

Chris "I'm afraid I don't know"

Answer and value

B. Vin Diesel
Value: $500 jumped
Bank: $13100

I'll JTQ.

BBTranscriptTeam wrote:Question 5 - Level 5 Fun with Pencils
Although they can be hard or soft, which of the following pencils is the hardest?
A. 8H B. 4H
C. HB D. 9B

Spoiler

Chris: HB I think is somewhere in the middle. It stands for zero. I'm trying to remember, it goes from H to B. A standard #2 is 2B. I think that's pretty soft.
Cedric, jokingly "That's what I was thinking"
Chris: My parents are engineers. They use all sorts of pencils
Cedric: I went to public school, we just got one pencil.
Chris: I don't know what the B stands for. HB's center. 4H... 8H should be harder than 4H. Whether or not to risk it now.
Cedric: You know a lot about pencils. More than most people.
Chris: I'm going to say A, 8H, final answer.
Cedric then said how Chris went through a great deal of deduction, a lot of pencil knowledge, erasing , re-wrote, went back and erased again, rewrote... and he got it!

Answer and value

A. 8H
Value: $1000
Bank: $14100

elwing had one of these in art class - she said it was almost impossible to get a line on paper using it.

BBTranscriptTeam wrote:Question 8 - Level 8 Showbiz Hat Trick
Who is the only person to win an Oscar, Emmy and a Tony in the same year?
A. Mel Brooks B. Whoopi Goldberg
C. Audrey Hepburn D. Bob Fosse

JTQ 2

Chris quickly said this would have to be his second JTQ

Answer and value

D. Bob Fosse
Value: $15K jumped
Bank: $23100

My trivia team has encountered this question on more than one occasion.

BBTranscriptTeam wrote:Question 9- Level 10 Geeky Jobs
Best Buy's "Geek Squad" support team includes all but which of the following positions?
A. Double Agent B. Counter Intelligence Agent
C. Deputy Field Marshal D. Sleeper Agent

ATA

A. 26% B. 14%
C. 25% D. 35%

post ATA

Chris said he was thinking B at first but is doubting that because he feels Counter Intelligence Agent would be something for viral work
Double agent: maybe someone who specializes in two different areas
Deputy field marshal: Someone possibly going out there.
Sleeper agent: someone who provides nighttime service.
Chris then said "You know, it's been really nice being on this show and all, so I'm gonna have to say D, final answer.
Cedric: "You threw me, I thought you were about to walk away"
Chris: "I thought so too" (laugh)

Answer and value

D. Sleeper Agent
Value: $25K!
Bank: $48100

I believe I'll use my 2nd JTQ.

BBTranscriptTeam wrote:Question 11 - $100K
Of these standard champagne bottle sizes, which is not named for a king?
A. Rehoboam B. Methuselah
C. Salamanazar D. Nebuchadnezzar

Spoiler

Chris: Methuselah, the oldest man, was he a king? Then read the other choices.
Asked how much he has banked. He did the math and said "the expectation value says I should actually walk"
Cedric asked about expectation value.
Chris said "but also, when will I ever get to do this again?"
Cedric said that expectations would work out in this particular scenario, if you bet on the curve and do not double not-not...
Chris "No more fooling around. For $100K or $25K, B, Methuselah, and that's my final, final answer"

Answer

B. Methuselah
Bank: $100K

Rehoboam was the son of Solomon and the first king of Judah (the divided monarchy). Salamanazar is a corruption of Shalmanezer, king of Assyria. Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon.

My bad feeling turned out to be unjustified. Chris is doing very well (not surprising, being a friend of Uly).