August 10, 2009, - 10:35 am

Who Wants to Be a Moron Non-Millionaire?

By Debbie Schlussel

****  SCROLL DOWN (or click on full post link) FOR UPDATE  ****

Is it just me . . . or did you notice the first contestant on last night’s prime-time return of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” was a complete moron?  The show, hosted by Regis Philbin, returned to ABC, last night, to mark its tenth anniversary.

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purplemountainmajesty

The contestant, Brad Abbey, is symbolic of how stupid today’s 20-somethings are.  He couldn’t figure out the answer to the second question, and usually the first three questions are extremely easy.  The question was, which Crayola crayon color takes its name from the song, “America the Beautiful”?  The very obvious answer was “Purple Mountain’s Majesty,” and none of the other answers came even close to the lyrics of “America the Beautiful.”

But, as test after test and survey after survey shows, America’s high school, college, and grad school students are morons–completely ignorant of important facts of American history.  So, I guess we can’t expect them to know the lyrics of “America the Beautiful,” anymore.

I bet this guy would’ve aced a question about MTV’s “The Hills,” though.  He left with only $1,000.  Shocker.

***

Another question (which another contestant got) to which I thought the answer should be kinda obvious:  To which movie did Barack and Michelle Obama go on their first date?  I knew the answer, but even if you didn’t, it should have been obvious, of course, that they went to the race card playing, race-baiting movie, “Do the Right Thing,” brought to us by bigot and anti-Semite Spike Lee.

The contestant first guessed, “When Harry Met Sally,” which is kinda funny, since there ain’t a shred of romance in the Obama marriage, unlike the theme of that movie.  Then, even worse, the contestant–using the double dip lifeline–guessed “Driving Miss Daisy.”  Ha!  Like the Obama’s would ever see a movie about a Black guy who is the chauffeur for a Jewish lady (and the Jewish lady is nice to him and stands up for him)–not the Obama’s kind of movie.

****  UPDATE:  Forgot to mention that I once auditioned for “Millionaire,” the daytime version, hosted by Meredith Vieira.  At a hunting and fishing store at a local shopping mall, we had to take a test of 60 questions in like 10 or 12 minutes, and you could get no more than 5 wrong to get an interview.  I got one wrong.  The questions were fairly easy.  When I got to the line, I was the only female, and most of the people in line were dweebs.  I got in some friendly conversations with people in the line while waiting.

Then, I met with some snobby-looking (and snobby-acting) producer with a pashmina scarf wrapped around her (it was summer).  She asked me what I’d tell Meredith about myself and if I was shy on camera.  I said no.  She said, you’ll hear from us with a postcard if we are interested.  I never heard.  Then, I found out from a friend connected to the show that they realized who I was and didn’t want a conservative on the show.  Figures.

I also heard from a contestant, asking me if I would be one of his lifelines.  I said yes and asked why he contacted me.  He said he read that I’d passed the test on some dweeby “Millionaire” message board and sent me the link.  To read the personal attacks on me by people in line, you’d think it was the e-mail I get from Muslims, lefties, fat people, and Palinmessiah followers.




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17 Responses

I didn’t see the show. I didn’t even know Regis was returning to prime time. I do know I have dealt personally with the public school system in my community over the lack of education and the end product that is graduating every year. It’s frustrating–two weeks late homework accepted, teachers who can’t even display they understand the subject matter, and administrators sweeping issues under the rug and citing what the school does right.

I went to the Churchill Memorial in Fulton, Missouri last month, and my eigth grader had no idea who Churchill was or what the Berlin Wall was. He thought it was art–a sculpture. I about exploded, and this comes after an interest in World War II. World War II has been dumbed down to a video game–not a chess match of political ideas that led to the cold war. It’s just so sad.

Clay on August 10, 2009 at 11:35 am

Can’t stand this show. I much prefer the rapid fire questions on Jeopardy, they can either answer the question in a couple of seconds or not then move on to the next one.

tempus fugit on August 10, 2009 at 11:55 am

Hey, you know what you should do, look down your snobby nose at the ‘morons’ who don’t happen to know the answers to the questions you do! I bet the pressure of being on the show helped them remember the lyrics to a song that no one has sung since grade school, too.

Or what movie the Barack and Michelle saw on their first date? How dare they not know that one. Morons!

/eyeroll.

phases on August 10, 2009 at 1:27 pm

as one school superintendent has said:

“a high school diploma does not guarantee that the recipient can read or write, just that they attended school for the required amount of time.”

and as a teachers union president has said:

“we will worry about the students when they are union members”

ender on August 10, 2009 at 1:33 pm

I’m wondering if, based on knowledge of the song, the contestant was a moron or a liberal who knows as much about America and being an American as a monkey knows about quantum mechanics. 😀

He may not be stupid, just a kool-aid drinker 😀

Mistress_Dee on August 10, 2009 at 1:57 pm

Millionaire used to be a good show when it was based on answering questions to be qualified. Then minority groups complained there weren’t enough minorities and women and then it changed based on demographics not merit.

Debbie you obviously would have cleaned their clocks on that show. Too many morons in society want to justify their existence so they dumb it down.

CS: I know. I wrote a column on exactly this topic, ten years ago, just after “Millionaire” started. (They do this on other game shows, too–like “Jeopardy.”). DS

CaliforniaScreaming on August 10, 2009 at 2:14 pm

I don’t understand why these shows always cast people with low brain power. The producers must think it makes for better television or something, but I would be more entertained watching someone with intelligence answer tough questions and actually win the game. The other day I saw one and the contestant did not know how many planets were in the solar system (he guessed 12).

Hopewell on August 10, 2009 at 3:20 pm

Debbie I had the same experience as you when I tried out in NY in 2003. Our of a studio full of people, only 4 of us passed the test. I noticed over the last few years it has been dumbed way down.

MK750 on August 10, 2009 at 5:03 pm

Debbie, ABC won’t put you on. The existence of good looking right wing women incenses them, and everyone in the building would probably pretend to almost quit over you. But if you want I’ll go buy a camcorder and we can practice quizzing eachother on cam.

A1 on August 10, 2009 at 8:54 pm

People get nervous in front of cameras. Cut a break here.

Luke on August 11, 2009 at 12:05 am

Meaning,they do allow intelligent contestants – as long they’re Leftist,or at least somewhere in the “middle”( Whatever their Newspeak definitions of that are ).

Phineas on August 11, 2009 at 10:03 am

I found myself laughing and somewhat surprised as well, but then this is a young man who did not have the opportunity to attend public school in the sixties when they at least had some decent teachers back then and a curriculum that actually taught things about our country. The sad part is, if this country is ruined by the left, these kids won’t even know what they lost!
PS… I have not sung that song for many years either, and maybe it’s just me but you just don’t forget things (or lyrics) like that when you really care about your country!

Steve on August 11, 2009 at 10:10 am

I didn’t see the show either. I do respect Sarah Palin though.

Smile on August 11, 2009 at 7:42 pm

I have to laugh when I watch also. i am 62, and when I was 22, I could have answered almost as many millionaire questions as I answer now; maybe more as alzheimers is setting in lol. Anyway, it is a laugher about the stupidity of our public school systems. Oh, and I have always been proud of my country. What was the name of that movie they went to see??

Mike on August 13, 2009 at 11:43 am

As a 20 year old who isn’t claiming to be the smartest cookie in the bunch I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks the questions were dumbed down compared to the daytime version and the original primetime version.

I grew up watching the original and I can’t believe they had to dumb it down that much in only 10 years. Thats pretty sad.

But in all honesty I’d probably have a hard time with the first few questions as well thanks to that timer they added. Some people blow a head gasket in their brain under pressure. 🙁

Ben Yaka on August 14, 2009 at 9:14 am

Gee … rapacious liberal media outlets that purport to “Give Away” a million dollars rigging the game so only the feeble minded stand for the answers.

Amazing. Who’d a thought the show’s producers wouldn’t want to give away a million bucks? Why, it’s shocking!

Jack Mackenzie on January 19, 2011 at 12:35 pm

C,mon, Debbie, the Obamas did not realize that “Do The Right Thing”, Spike Lee was and is a bigot and anti-semite at the time.Don’t make a big production out of this now, they just wanted to see a movie,,,,I see all of Lee’s movies; it’s entertainment….

Harold Shalett

Harold Shalett on June 12, 2011 at 6:46 pm

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