Transcript 11/28/2007 - John Sharpe (carryover)

[BBTranscriptTeam]

John Sharpe
West New York, NJ
Pastor

John has spent his whole life playing it safe, but somewhere deep down he's yearned to be more gutsy, throw caution to the winds. Today is that day. Meredith asks him why he doesn't like to take risks. John replies it's his nature. Cars beep their horns at him because he drives under the speed limit. But today is going to be a radical departure. John is wearing a cross necklace that belonged to his father, who wore it every day of his life.

John has all his lifelines available.

$2K - Named for distilleries in northern Britain, Glenlivet, Glenfiddich and Glenmorangie are all brands of what spirit?

A - rum
B - vodka
C - scotch
D - vermouth

John doesn't drink at all. Meredith asks if he's allowed. He says no. This would be a good question for the audience, so he decides to ask them.

ATA results:
A - 3%
B - 5%
C - 87%
D - 5%

John applauds the audience. Those are very good odds.

$4K - In a marine forecast, which of the following is commonly measured in knots?

A - tidal range
B - wind speed
C - wave height
D - visibility

$8K - Arthroplasty, the surgery often called "joint replacement," is most commonly performed on which of these body parts?

A - elbow
B - ankle
C - shoulder
D - knee

John said he was going to throw caution to the winds. He's torn between two answers. He knows it's performed "down there, somewhere". He makes "D" his final answer. After the answer is revealed Meredith asks if John feels free.

$16K - The 2007 movie "The Hoax" recounts the true story of Clifford Irving's 1971 forgery of what famous American's memoirs?

A - Charles Lindbergh
B - J.D. Salinger
C - Al Capone
D - Howard Hughes

John doesn't throw caution to the winds, asking to call "Sean Peacock" a young member of the congregation where John pastors. Sean doesn't sound very excited about being called. John paraphrases the question, then pauses before reading the possible answers. John asks, "Do you have an answer?" and Sean answers, "No." Time runs out before Sean can come up with anything. John asks for the 50/50, leaving C and D. Meredith baits John by saying that a few minutes ago he was ready to throw caution to the winds. John agrees and says "Even if I lose I've had the pleasure of meeting you." John makes "D" his final answer and the audience applauds before Meredith can tell John he's right.

Commercial break

John's risk-taking paid off. John's mom Shirley is in the relationship seat. Shirley says that when John was young he loved trivia games.

$25K - Which of the following is the name of the largest city in two U.S. states despite not being the capital of either?

A - Lexington
B - Portland
C - Birmingham
D - Kansas City

John was a pastor in Kentucky and knows Lexington isn't the largest city there, and that Topeka is the largest city in Kansas. He's pretty sure Birmingham isn't the largest city in Alabama, so he goes with "B" as his final answer. John looks very surprised when Meredith tells him he's right. Meredith then says, "Now you've gone really wild."

$50K - What Broadway musical is based on "7 1/2 Cents," a Richard Bissell novel about labor strife?

A - The Pajama Game
B - Bye, Bye Birdie
C - Sweet Charity
D - Carousel

John's seen "Bye, Bye Birdie" and knows that's not it, and "Sweet Charity" sounds too sweet. He mulls over "Carousel" and rejects it, leaving only "The Pajama Game." He goes with that as his final answer. There's a smattering of audience applause before Meredith tells him he's right. "You have God on your side," Meredith quips.

$100K - The name of a radical Muslim fundamentalist group, "hamas" is the Arabic word for what?

A - truth
B - zeal
C - belief
D - might

John thinks "zeal" is way too obvious and his gut is telling him it's "truth". He decides to switch the question. The answer is the one John thought it couldn't be.

$100K (STQ) - A phillumenist is a person who collects what?

A - dolls
B - matchbooks
C - seashells
D - spoons

John thinks it might be "matchbooks" because "lumen" is light. Even $25K is a lot of money so he'll take the chance and make "B" his final answer. Meredith says, "You don't need matchbooks because you're on fire!"

Commercial break

During the break John told Meredith that was a lot of money. The money will go to help the building fund for his church, which celebrates its 100th anniversary next year. He also wants to give to the Reformed Church World Service, which helps needy people around the world. And his mom wants him to buy her a car.

$250K - Published in 1913, the world's first known crossword puzzle featured what phrase as its first clue?

A - Such and nothing more
B - A written acknowledgement
C - What bargain hunters enjoy
D - A river in Russia

John said he knows he said that he was willing to take wild chances but his guess would be a 1 in 4 chance and someone told him it would be stupid to take that chance. He decides to walk away with his $100K.

ANSWERS:
$2K - C (scotch)
$4K - B (wind speed)
$8K - D (knee)
$16K - D (Howard Hughes)
$25K - B (Portland)
$50K - A (The Pajama Game)
$100K - B (zeal)
$100K (STQ) - B (matchbooks)
$250K - C (What bargain hunters enjoy)

[jarnon]

I liked Pastor John. Glad he did well.

$16K - The 2007 movie "The Hoax" recounts the true story of Clifford Irving's 1971 forgery of what famous American's memoirs?

A - Charles Lindbergh
B - J.D. Salinger
C - Al Capone
D - Howard Hughes

Even if he hasn't heard of the movie, he might have remembered the original incident. Too bad he didn't, because his PAF was disappointing.

$50K - What Broadway musical is based on "7 1/2 Cents," a Richard Bissell novel about labor strife?

A - The Pajama Game
B - Bye, Bye Birdie
C - Sweet Charity
D - Carousel

He cleverly reasoned it out.

$100K - The name of a radical Muslim fundamentalist group, "hamas" is the Arabic word for what?

A - truth
B - zeal
C - belief
D - might

Hamas is actually the Arabic acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya (Islamic Resistance Movement). In Hebrew, the word hamas means violence, which is even more fitting.

[earendel]

John Sharpe
West New York, NJ
Pastor

John has spent his whole life playing it safe, but somewhere deep down he's yearned to be more gutsy, throw caution to the winds. Today is that day. Meredith asks him why he doesn't like to take risks. John replies it's his nature. Cars beep their horns at him because he drives under the speed limit. But today is going to be a radical departure.

OK, John, but don't go too crazy and lose the big money.

$2K - Named for distilleries in northern Britain, Glenlivet, Glenfiddich and Glenmorangie are all brands of what spirit?

A - rum
B - vodka
C - scotch
D - vermouth

John doesn't drink at all. Meredith asks if he's allowed. He says no.

I don't drink, either, but I've heard of these. Plus "northern Britain" is Scotland, and which of the four is most likely to come from there?

$16K - The 2007 movie "The Hoax" recounts the true story of Clifford Irving's 1971 forgery of what famous American's memoirs?

A - Charles Lindbergh
B - J.D. Salinger
C - Al Capone
D - Howard Hughes

John doesn't throw caution to the winds, asking to call "Sean Peacock" a young member of the congregation where John pastors. Sean doesn't sound very excited about being called. John paraphrases the question, then pauses before reading the possible answers. John asks, "Do you have an answer?" and Sean answers, "No." Time runs out before Sean can come up with anything. John asks for the 50/50, leaving C and D. Meredith baits John by saying that a few minutes ago he was ready to throw caution to the winds. John agrees and says "Even if I lose I've had the pleasure of meeting you." John makes "D" his final answer and the audience applauds before Meredith can tell John he's right.

The way John read the question and given that he called a "young person", I thought sure he had someone who was going to Google the answer and come up with it.

$25K - Which of the following is the name of the largest city in two U.S. states despite not being the capital of either?

A - Lexington
B - Portland
C - Birmingham
D - Kansas City

Portland came to my mind before the answers were revealed.

$50K - What Broadway musical is based on "7 1/2 Cents," a Richard Bissell novel about labor strife?

A - The Pajama Game
B - Bye, Bye Birdie
C - Sweet Charity
D - Carousel

I would have had no idea, but with all my lifelines, I'd use one. It's a high-dollar question but one that the audience might know, so ATA first to see what the results are.

$100K - The name of a radical Muslim fundamentalist group, "hamas" is the Arabic word for what?

A - truth
B - zeal
C - belief
D - might

John thinks "zeal" is way too obvious and his gut is telling him it's "truth". He decides to switch the question. The answer is the one John thought it couldn't be.

OTOH this one was no problem.

$100K (STQ) - A phillumenist is a person who collects what?

A - dolls
B - matchbooks
C - seashells
D - spoons

John thinks it might be "matchbooks" because "lumen" is light. Even $25K is a lot of money so he'll take the chance and make "B" his final answer. Meredith says, "You don't need matchbooks because you're on fire!"

As we watched, elwing came up with the same answer using exactly the same logic (I had stopped the tape before John answered in order to transcribe the question and answers).

During the break John told Meredith that was a lot of money. The money will go to help the building fund for his church, which celebrates its 100th anniversary next year. He also wants to give to the Reformed Church World Service, which helps needy people around the world. And his mom wants him to buy her a car.

So John is pastor of an RCA (Reformed Church of America, which had its origins in Holland during the Reformation and came to the US when New Amsterdam was settled) congregation. The RCWS has been in the business of helping the world's poor for quite some time. It's nice to know that they're going to get a big chunk of this money.

$250K - Published in 1913, the world's first known crossword puzzle featured what phrase as its first clue?

A - Such and nothing more
B - A written acknowledgement
C - What bargain hunters enjoy
D - A river in Russia

John said he knows he said that he was willing to take wild chances but his guess would be a 1 in 4 chance and someone told him it would be stupid to take that chance. He decides to walk away with his $100K.

Good for him! As for me, I guessed the right answer, but in the Hot Seat I'd have been using a lifeline. This doesn't strike me as an easy Google and although several of my PAFs are crossword devotees, I don't think they'll know it (I didn't), so it's time to STQ.

ANSWERS:
$2K - C (scotch)
$4K - B (wind speed)
$8K - D (knee)
$16K - D (Howard Hughes)
$25K - B (Portland)
$50K - A (The Pajama Game)
$100K - B (zeal)
$100K (STQ) - B (matchbooks)
$250K - C (What bargain hunters enjoy)[/quote]

[peacock2121]

Here is one of those MAWG slots that has to get filled.

There is hope!

[MarleysGh0st]

I didn't think John would make it to $25K, particularly after hearing his PAF call. He was very fortunate to get as far as he did. The lumen root of phillumenist seemed generous at $100K, too.

$250K - Published in 1913, the world's first known crossword puzzle featured what phrase as its first clue?

A - Such and nothing more
B - A written acknowledgement
C - What bargain hunters enjoy
D - A river in Russia

OTOH, what book of obscure trivia did the question writers dig this out of? Would there have been any reason for someone to know that, without having studied such a tome?

[Rexer25]

I didn't think John would make it to $25K, particularly after hearing his PAF call. He was very fortunate to get as far as he did. The lumen root of phillumenist seemed generous at $100K, too.

$250K - Published in 1913, the world's first known crossword puzzle featured what phrase as its first clue?

A - Such and nothing more
B - A written acknowledgement
C - What bargain hunters enjoy
D - A river in Russia

OTOH, what book of obscure trivia did the question writers dig this out of? Would there have been any reason for someone to know that, without having studied such a tome?

And more importantly, what is the answer?

[MarleysGh0st]

I didn't think John would make it to $25K, particularly after hearing his PAF call. He was very fortunate to get as far as he did. The lumen root of phillumenist seemed generous at $100K, too.

$250K - Published in 1913, the world's first known crossword puzzle featured what phrase as its first clue?

A - Such and nothing more
B - A written acknowledgement
C - What bargain hunters enjoy
D - A river in Russia

OTOH, what book of obscure trivia did the question writers dig this out of? Would there have been any reason for someone to know that, without having studied such a tome?

And more importantly, what is the answer?

Spoiler

SALES

[Rexer25]

I didn't think John would make it to $25K, particularly after hearing his PAF call. He was very fortunate to get as far as he did. The lumen root of phillumenist seemed generous at $100K, too.
OTOH, what book of obscure trivia did the question writers dig this out of? Would there have been any reason for someone to know that, without having studied such a tome?

And more importantly, what is the answer?

Spoiler

SALES

Thanks!

[Appa23]

John Sharpe
West New York, NJ
Pastor


$25K - Which of the following is the name of the largest city in two U.S. states despite not being the capital of either?

A - Lexington
B - Portland
C - Birmingham
D - Kansas City

John was a pastor in Kentucky and knows Lexington isn't the largest city there, and that Topeka is the largest city in Kansas.

I think that everyone here already knows that Topeka actually is the capital of Kansas. However, Wichita is the largest city in Kansas, followed by Overland Park, Kansas City, and Topeka.

I thought about Kansas City, KS (as a metroplex, including Overland Park), but then remembered St. Louis is larger than KC, MO.

Then, it clicked that I had seen this tidbit about Portland, ME and Portland, OR.

[NellyLunatic1980]

$2K: I also needed to ATA.

Everything else was Nihil Obstat® for me. The $250K was a great question that I was hoping would show up on the show sooner or later. The interesting thing is that all four of those clues were in the first puzzle. "Written acknowledgement" was the second clue and "such and nothing more" was the third clue. "River in Russia" appeared much later in the puzzle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:First_crossword.png

[MarleysGh0st]

Everything else was Nihil Obstat® for me. The $250K was a great question that I was hoping would show up on the show sooner or later. The interesting thing is that all four of those clues were in the first puzzle. "Written acknowledgement" was the second clue and "such and nothing more" was the third clue. "River in Russia" appeared much later in the puzzle.

I already thought this was too obscure for even a $1 million question. This additional information about the distractors makes it even more so. Sheesh!

[ghostjmf]

100K: Dunno. If it shares a Hebrew root (lotsa Arabic words do) I'm missing it. STQ

100K STQ: PAF

250K: No way, Jose. I supposedly still have ATA, but I'd use it for fun, then 50/50. Also "for fun". I have never read about this one. Then go home.

[ghostjmf]

I got "lumen = light" from that earlier clue too. But I didn't trust it at all at that level. If anything, it made it "too easy".