WWTBAM Bored

Mike Bailey (BB: feederofthefish)
Cary, NC
Matress salesman
Says he has something special he wants to do when he reaches a certain amount in his bank, but is keeping it a secret.

His "+1" is his girlfriend Katie

Question 1 -
To improve Google's search results, the Googlebot system "crawls" through billions of websites each day, thus earning it what nickname?
A. Goldfish B. Spider
C. Eagle D. Kangaroo

Answer and value

B. Spider
Value: $500
Bank: $500

Question 2 -
Foreshadowing a 1980s brand war, a character in Steinbeck's "The Wayward Bus" said "It's the same stuff. You can't tell" what apart?
A. Oreos and Hydrox B. Tylenol and Bayer
C. Budweiser and Miller D. Pepsi and Cola-Cola

ATA

A. 13% B. 12%
C. 10% D. 65%
That was also the way he was leaning

Answer and value

D. Pepsi and Cola-Cola
Value: $15K
Bank: $15500

Question 3 -
Fearing that he could shatter at any moment, King Charles VI of France refused to let anyone touch him because he thought he was made of what?
A. Wood B. Glass
C. Steel D. Brick

Answer and value

B. Glass
Value: $3000
Bank: $18500

Question 4 -
Only ever bestowed upon two people, what's the highest-possible rank of the United States Army?
A. Brigadier General B. Major General
C. General of the Armies D. Commander General

JTQ

Mike first apologizes on air to his Dad who is from the Army

Answer and value

C. General of the Armies
Value: $2000 jumped
Bank: $18500

Question 5 -
In the early years of cable, who was dubbed "America's Team," since almost all of their baseball games were shown nationally on TBS?
A. Padres B. Marlins
C. Braves D. Astros

Answer and value

C. Braves
Value: $25K!
Bank: $43500

We find his secret is the plan to propose to his girlfriend on air, which he does now, and she says yes.

First commercial break

Question 6 -
Due to stricter rules up north, what are you generally allowed to do in a U.S. passport photo but never in a Canadian one?
A. Wink B. Squint
C. Smile D. Photobomb

Answer and value

C. Smile
Value: $7000
Bank: $50500

Question 7 -
Asthmatics may want to avoid what state, since the American Lung Association says it's home to more than ten of the country's most polluted cities?
A. Florida B. Texas
C. New York D. California

+1

He said ten cities in one state seems a lot and that he is leaning towards California but wants to bring his girlfriend down as the +1 lifeline. She said this is not her expertise but if he believes it is California then she will go along.

Answer and value

D. California
Value: $1000
Bank: $51500

Question 8 -
Based on the architecture in the country that inspired his name, it'd be appropriate for what son of Mariah Carey to have his room filled with minarets?
A. Moroccan B. Argentine
C. Roman D. Thai

Spoiler

Mike said he is pretty sure and would go with C. Roman final answer

Answer and value

A. Moroccan
Value: $not revealed
Bank: LOST ... Mike left with $1000

Second commercial break

Question 4 -
Only ever bestowed upon two people, what's the highest-possible rank of the United States Army?
A. Brigadier General B. Major General
C. General of the Armies D. Commander General

JTQ

Mike first apologizes on air to his Dad who is from the Army

Answer and value

C. General of the Armies
Value: $2000 jumped
Bank: $18500

I woulda got this one for the wrong reason. I thought it was Washington and Eisenhower.

Question 5 -
In the early years of cable, who was dubbed "America's Team," since almost all of their baseball games were shown nationally on TBS?
A. Padres B. Marlins
C. Braves D. Astros

Answer and value

C. Braves
Value: $25K!
Bank: $43500

My Mom was a Braves fan until 1993.

Question 8 -
Based on the architecture in the country that inspired his name, it'd be appropriate for what son of Mariah Carey to have his room filled with minarets?
A. Moroccan B. Argentine
C. Roman D. Thai

Spoiler

Mike said he is pretty sure and would go with C. Roman final answer

Answer and value

A. Moroccan
Value: $not revealed
Bank: LOST ... Mike left with $1000

I was mad and sad. He had a $43,000-some bank, plenty to buy a very nice ring and some left over, and he says the second-worst answer. I think Argentine would have been the worst.

BBTranscriptTeam wrote:We find his secret is the plan to propose to his girlfriend on air, which he does now, and she says yes.

He waited until he had enough winnings to buy her a nice ring. In the meantime, he puts a cheap ring on her finger.

BBTranscriptTeam wrote:Due to stricter rules up north, what are you generally allowed to do in a U.S. passport photo but never in a Canadian one?
A. Wink B. Squint
C. Smile D. Photobomb

Answer and value

C. Smile
Value: $7000
Bank: $50500

I assume all four are prohibited in Canada.

BBTranscriptTeam wrote:Question 8 -
Based on the architecture in the country that inspired his name, it'd be appropriate for what son of Mariah Carey to have his room filled with minarets?
A. Moroccan B. Argentine
C. Roman D. Thai

Spoiler

Mike said he is pretty sure and would go with C. Roman final answer

Answer and value

A. Moroccan
Value: $not revealed
Bank: LOST ... Mike left with $1000

What a shame he didn't know the names of Mariah's twins or the meaning of "minaret." I hope the engagement survived this setback.

jarnon wrote:

BBTranscriptTeam wrote:Question 8 -
Based on the architecture in the country that inspired his name, it'd be appropriate for what son of Mariah Carey to have his room filled with minarets?
A. Moroccan B. Argentine
C. Roman D. Thai

Spoiler

Mike said he is pretty sure and would go with C. Roman final answer

Answer and value

A. Moroccan
Value: $not revealed
Bank: LOST ... Mike left with $1000

What a shame he didn't know the names of Mariah's twins or the meaning of "minaret." I hope the engagement survived this setback.

I guess he's never heard "Rock the Casbah." Hell, even mntetn has heard it once...

BBTranscriptTeam wrote:Mike Bailey
Cary, NC
Matress salesman
Says he has something special he wants to do when he reaches a certain amount in his bank, but is keeping it a secret.

I wonder what it might be...

BBTranscriptTeam wrote:His "+1" is his girlfriend Katie

BBTranscriptTeam wrote:Question 2 -
Foreshadowing a 1980s brand war, a character in Steinbeck's "The Wayward Bus" said "It's the same stuff. You can't tell" what apart?
A. Oreos and Hydrox B. Tylenol and Bayer
C. Budweiser and Miller D. Pepsi and Cola-Cola

ATA

A. 13% B. 12%
C. 10% D. 65%
That was also the way he was leaning

Answer and value

D. Pepsi and Cola-Cola
Value: $15K
Bank: $15500

Some people can, including me. I can remember the "Pepsi Challenge" booths back in the day and being able to pick Coke every time.

BBTranscriptTeam wrote:We find his secret is the plan to propose to his girlfriend on air, which he does now, and she says yes.

No surprise there.

BBTranscriptTeam wrote:Question 8 -
Based on the architecture in the country that inspired his name, it'd be appropriate for what son of Mariah Carey to have his room filled with minarets?
A. Moroccan B. Argentine
C. Roman D. Thai

Spoiler

Mike said he is pretty sure and would go with C. Roman final answer

Answer and value

A. Moroccan
Value: not revealed
Bank: LOST ... Mike left with $1000

So does he renege on his proposal?

SportsFan68 wrote:

Question 4 -
Only ever bestowed upon two people, what's the highest-possible rank of the United States Army?
A. Brigadier General B. Major General
C. General of the Armies D. Commander General

JTQ

Mike first apologizes on air to his Dad who is from the Army

Answer and value

C. General of the Armies
Value: $2000 jumped
Bank: $18500

I woulda got this one for the wrong reason. I thought it was Washington and Eisenhower.

This largely honorary rank tricked me, too. I was thinking of the five-star General of the Army. According to Wikipedia, Pershing wasn't given this rank until 1919, when WWI was over. Washington wasn't given the rank until the bicentennial! And although there is an unofficial six-star insignia, in the event that anyone is ever appointed to this rank again, it was only four-stars when Pershing held the rank. There were five men (including Eisenhower) appointed to the five-star rank of General of the Army during and after WWII.

SportsFan68 wrote:

Question 8 -
Based on the architecture in the country that inspired his name, it'd be appropriate for what son of Mariah Carey to have his room filled with minarets?
A. Moroccan B. Argentine
C. Roman D. Thai

Spoiler

Mike said he is pretty sure and would go with C. Roman final answer

Answer and value

A. Moroccan
Value: $not revealed
Bank: LOST ... Mike left with $1000

I was mad and sad. He had a $43,000-some bank, plenty to buy a very nice ring and some left over, and he says the second-worst answer. I think Argentine would have been the worst.

Minarets = Islamic architecture. I don't know how any of the wrong choices could be better or worse than the others.

More significantly, do they mean to say that Mariah really has four sons with those names!?

As for poor Mike and Katie, I suppose the proposal was a big hook for getting him on the show in the first place. On the other hand, since a contestant's companion now has the important responsibility of being a Plus One, it's probably not a good idea to distract her by springing a big surprise like this on her during the taping...at least until she's had her turn as a lifeline.

Welp--this is me. Ugh! Couple random tidbits--

So the whole time I was there the plan was for me to do it at the beginning to get it out of the way. About 30 minutes before I went on my producer told me the plan changed and I should wait until I had $20000 in my bank. Terry was supposed to tease a "unique way I like to celebrate" not "something I want to do" which tipped everyone off including my fiancee (yes we are still engaged!)

I definitely rushed my lifelines. I knew the Pepsi one, the military one I had narrowed down to 2 choices and figured one was made up. Just wasnt sure which. And I basically called my +1 down to tell her what I was going to pick. What was I thinking? So realistically I couldve gotten to Mariah with 2 lifelines.

I visited my dad in the Middle East every summer for 8 years so I am familiar with minarets but its like that part of the question disappeared for me. When Moroccan popped up I thought "oh i think its Roman" and that choice popped up! I just rushed it. If Id taken a breath and went through it again (which they preached to me to do like 5000 times) I wouldve been fine or at least just walked.

I spent the whole drive home apologizing profusely to my fiancee but she was just happy. My poor dad sat through two whole days of shooting. During the commercial I lamented to Terry that I felt bad about buying a cheap ring off Etsy and he pointed to his ring and said "this $250 ring has lasted me 25 years. Its not the cost its the meaning." Little different for a girls ring I think but I appreciated the sentiment.

Oh and of course the show got preempted in my market on my air date--doh! I will find it on reruns one of these days.

Well, congratulations on getting your shot on the show, at least, Mike. That's a dream that many of us will never get to fulfill.

So, there you are preparing to play for life changing amounts of money, with a need to keep a clear mind, to follow a strategy, to carefully read and analyze the questions, etc. And in the background, the APs are still running around with their ideas of what makes good television, and distracting you with last minute changes of plans.

Q2: I did not know this was in Steinbeck, but its the most famous choice up there, so take a breath & go for it. I drink Diet Coke, & even the other forms of diet coke, called "Coke One" & whatever where they've made it sweeter taste wrong to me, so I believe I could pass the test with real Pepsi & Coke if they keep the sweetness proportion they do in their diet products.


Q4: Gut says "C". Meanwhile I'm having The Brigadier (Brigadier Lethbridge-Stuart), not Britain's head military honcho on the show, from Dr. Who, the exiled-to-earth section of Tom Baker's Dr. years, rattling in my head, plus Gilbert & Sullivan's "he is the very model of a modern Major General". Presumably also not head honcho either. But both British. JTQ


Q5: Absolutely no idea. Probably +1 won't be sports buff either. ATA


I only am playing this game with comments on the answers I didn't know, as I have browser comment-space trouble with transcribing the Qs. But I do want to say here that I gasped at that Q8 wrong answer. Player seemed a lot smarter than that. Now we know you are, feederofthefish. But under a lot of stress. I wish they wouldn't do that to players.

When I was a contestant, trying to remember all the producer's instructions was certainly stressful. Sounds like you had it worse:

feederofthefish wrote:The stories they want you to tell change frequently and that can wreak havoc. I had my producer call me out of the green room at least 3 times to tell me they were going to change the story they wanted me to play up and when I got on the show it was something totally different than what we'd discussed.

With all the excitement of the show and your engagement, it's not surprising you overlooked the "minaret" clue and just tried to remember Mariah's son's name.

Most important, congrats on your engagement! You've got yourself a prize more precious than however much money you might have won. And you know she's forgiving.

You'll also have a unique engagement story, complete with video. (Ask your local station when they'll broadcast it. My episode was preempted too, and the Philly station showed it soon after, but my friends in other cities had to wait months to see it.)

feederofthefish wrote:Welp--this is me. Ugh! Couple random tidbits--

So the whole time I was there the plan was for me to do it at the beginning to get it out of the way. About 30 minutes before I went on my producer told me the plan changed and I should wait until I had $20000 in my bank. Terry was supposed to tease a "unique way I like to celebrate" not "something I want to do" which tipped everyone off including my fiancee (yes we are still engaged!)

I definitely rushed my lifelines. I knew the Pepsi one, the military one I had narrowed down to 2 choices and figured one was made up. Just wasnt sure which. And I basically called my +1 down to tell her what I was going to pick. What was I thinking? So realistically I couldve gotten to Mariah with 2 lifelines.

I visited my dad in the Middle East every summer for 8 years so I am familiar with minarets but its like that part of the question disappeared for me. When Moroccan popped up I thought "oh i think its Roman" and that choice popped up! I just rushed it. If Id taken a breath and went through it again (which they preached to me to do like 5000 times) I wouldve been fine or at least just walked.

I spent the whole drive home apologizing profusely to my fiancee but she was just happy. My poor dad sat through two whole days of shooting. During the commercial I lamented to Terry that I felt bad about buying a cheap ring off Etsy and he pointed to his ring and said "this $250 ring has lasted me 25 years. Its not the cost its the meaning." Little different for a girls ring I think but I appreciated the sentiment.

Sounds like a fun run at it, at any rate. That whole - stop and take a breath - thing gets the best of us, at times. Best of luck to you and your fiancé.