Transcript 2/10/2012 - Michael Walsh (carryover contestant)

[BBTranscriptTeam]

Michael Walsh
New York City, NY
Bartender

Last time Michael said he didn't get much sleep because he kept waking up and Googling things. He didn't get any more rest last night because there were more things to Google. He does feel more confident this time. Michael wants to go to law school and open his own restaurant - maybe a fast food place with a clown mascot. Meredith tells him that's already been done. Michael has already banked $42,500 and has one lifeline remaining (JTQ).

Topic Tree: (randomized)
Creepy Names
Food History
It's Elemental
Deep Thoughts
Dynamic Duo
Alaska Wildlife
Couch Time
Geographical Justice
Popularity Contest
Company Namesakes

Question #6 (Dynamic Duo)
In 2011, Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul reunited as judges on what talent competition show?
A - The Voice
B - American Idol
C - America's Got Talent
D - The X Factor

Michael watches a lot of TV but he's not big on competition shows. He does see a lot of commercials and he thinks he knows the answer.

Spoiler

Answer: D (The X Factor)
Value: $3,000
Bank: $45,500

Question #7 (Deep Thoughts)
According to the famous quote by Socrates, what type of life is not worth living?
A - unfurnished
B - undressed
C - unnatural
D - unexamined

Michael doesn't know this particular quote but

Spoiler

"unfurnished" sounds a little too materialistic for Socrates, as does "undressed", although Michael jokes that an undressed life is worth living. "You dirty boy, you," Meredith replies

.

Spoiler

Answer: D (unexamined)
Value: $7,000
Bank: $52,500

Question #8 (It's Elemental)
Krypton is well-known as the name of Superman's home planet, but here on Earth, krypton is a gas often used in what?
A - fire extinguishers
B - air conditioners
C - fluorescent lamps
D - hot air balloons

"It's certainly not

Spoiler

D, because that's helium"

, Michael says. He also doesn't believe it's

Spoiler

B, because that's freon

. He was leaning toward

Spoiler

fluorescent lamps

.

Spoiler

Answer: C (fluorescent lamps)
Value: $100
Bank: $52,600

Meredith didn't think that was the answer.

Question #9 (Food History)
During World War II, what brand of food went unsliced for a time because metals, including slicing blades, went to the war effort?
A - Ritz crackers
B - Vlasic pickles
C - Wonder bread
D - Hostess cupcakes

Michael says that

Spoiler

Ritz crackers and Hostess cupcakes aren't really sliced, and he's leaning toward C

.

Spoiler

Answer: C (Wonder bread)
Value: $10,000
Bank: $62,600

commercial break

Two weeks ago Michael was sitting where the audience is now. Meredith says it could happen to anyone in the audience. Michael's brother Brian and friend William are on the relationship bench. Meredith asks if Michael has promised them anything if he wins big. William says they will celebrate tonight. Brian says they don't ask for much.

Question #10 (Creepy Names)
What band named itself after a 1963 Italian film starring Boris Karloff?
A - Black Sabbath
B - Talking Heads
C - The Grateful Dead
D - They Might Be Giants

Michael doesn't think it's

Spoiler

D, and "Black Sabbath" seems to have Biblical origins

. He's not sure so he jumps the question.

Spoiler

Answer: A (Black Sabbath)
Value: $5,000
Bank: $62,600 (unchanged)

CLASSIC MILLIONAIRE

$100K - Given its 140-character limit, a single Twitter tweet is not long enough for the first sentence of which of these novels?
A - Anna Karenina
B - Moby-Dick
C - Pride and Prejudice
D - The Catcher in the Rye

Michael has read two of these novels (actually 1-1/2 - he's read The Catcher in the Rye and half of Moby-Dick). He doesn't remember enough about either one to rule them out. He says

Spoiler

Moby-Dick is the obvious choice because it's so long - then he remembers that the first line was "Call me Ishmael" which rules it out

. He can't remember the first sentence of The Catcher in the Rye but he assumes it's something about Holden Caufield. Michael's dad told him to trust his gut but also not to be greedy, and he told him the latter a lot more than the former. It's been a wonderful experience. Meredith asks if Michael is leaning toward any one and Michael says

Spoiler

Pride and Prejudice

. It's a 50/50 chance to either win $100,000 or lose slightly less than $40,000. He decides to walk away.

Spoiler

D (The Catcher in the Rye)

[SportsFan68]

Question #6 (Dynamic Duo)
In 2011, Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul reunited as judges on what talent competition show?
A - The Voice
B - American Idol
C - America's Got Talent
D - The X Factor

Michael watches a lot of TV but he's not big on competition shows. He does see a lot of commercials and he thinks he knows the answer.

Spoiler

Answer: D (The X Factor)
Value: $3,000
Bank: $45,500

ATA

$100K - Given its 140-character limit, a single Twitter tweet is not long enough for the first sentence of which of these novels?
A - Anna Karenina
B - Moby-Dick
C - Pride and Prejudice
D - The Catcher in the Rye

Michael has read two of these novels (actually 1-1/2 - he's read The Catcher in the Rye and half of Moby-Dick). He doesn't remember enough about either one to rule them out. He says

Spoiler

Moby-Dick is the obvious choice because it's so long - then he remembers that the first line was "Call me Ishmael" which rules it out

. He can't remember the first sentence of The Catcher in the Rye but he assumes it's something about Holden Caufield. Michael's dad told him to trust his gut but also not to be greedy, and he told him the latter a lot more than the former. It's been a wonderful experience. Meredith asks if Michael is leaning toward any one and Michael says

Spoiler

Pride and Prejudice

. It's a 50/50 chance to either win $100,000 or lose slightly less than $40,000. He decides to walk away.

Spoiler

D (The Catcher in the Rye)

I can't believe I know this by process of elimination! Moby Dick is the easiest -- "Calll me Ishmael." Anna Karenina is the one about happy families being alike, unhappy families are different in their own way. I just read the first few pages of Pride and Prejudice the other day, and it starts off something like, "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man must be in want of a wife," well within the 140 limit.

[earendel]

Michael Walsh
New York City, NY
Bartender

Last time Michael said he didn't get much sleep because he kept waking up and Googling things. He didn't get any more rest last night because there were more things to Google. He does feel more confident this time. Michael wants to go to law school and open his own restaurant - maybe a fast food place with a clown mascot. Meredith tells him that's already been done. Michael has already banked $42,500 and has one lifeline remaining (JTQ).

Question #10 (Creepy Names)
What band named itself after a 1963 Italian film starring Boris Karloff?
A - Black Sabbath
B - Talking Heads
C - The Grateful Dead
D - They Might Be Giants

Michael doesn't think it's

Spoiler

D, and "Black Sabbath" seems to have Biblical origins

. He's not sure so he jumps the question.

Spoiler

Answer: A (Black Sabbath)
Value: $5,000
Bank: $62,600 (unchanged)

No idea. I can eliminate C and D but that's it. I might as well ATA because heading into "classic" Millionaire that lifeline loses its usefulness quickly.

$100K - Given its 140-character limit, a single Twitter tweet is not long enough for the first sentence of which of these novels?
A - Anna Karenina
B - Moby-Dick
C - Pride and Prejudice
D - The Catcher in the Rye

Michael has read two of these novels (actually 1-1/2 - he's read The Catcher in the Rye and half of Moby-Dick). He doesn't remember enough about either one to rule them out. He says

Spoiler

Moby-Dick is the obvious choice because it's so long - then he remembers that the first line was "Call me Ishmael" which rules it out

. He can't remember the first sentence of The Catcher in the Rye but he assumes it's something about Holden Caufield. Michael's dad told him to trust his gut but also not to be greedy, and he told him the latter a lot more than the former. It's been a wonderful experience. Meredith asks if Michael is leaning toward any one and Michael says

Spoiler

Pride and Prejudice

. It's a 50/50 chance to either win $100,000 or lose slightly less than $40,000. He decides to walk away.

Spoiler

D (The Catcher in the Rye)

I knew "Call me Ishmael", but that's the extent. I'll JTQ.

[MarleysGh0st]

$100K - Given its 140-character limit, a single Twitter tweet is not long enough for the first sentence of which of these novels?
A - Anna Karenina
B - Moby-Dick
C - Pride and Prejudice
D - The Catcher in the Rye

Michael has read two of these novels (actually 1-1/2 - he's read The Catcher in the Rye and half of Moby-Dick). He doesn't remember enough about either one to rule them out. He says

Spoiler

Moby-Dick is the obvious choice because it's so long - then he remembers that the first line was "Call me Ishmael" which rules it out

. He can't remember the first sentence of The Catcher in the Rye but he assumes it's something about Holden Caufield. Michael's dad told him to trust his gut but also not to be greedy, and he told him the latter a lot more than the former. It's been a wonderful experience. Meredith asks if Michael is leaning toward any one and Michael says

Spoiler

Pride and Prejudice

. It's a 50/50 chance to either win $100,000 or lose slightly less than $40,000. He decides to walk away.

Spoiler

D (The Catcher in the Rye)

I can't believe I know this by process of elimination! Moby Dick is the easiest -- "Calll me Ishmael." Anna Karenina is the one about happy families being alike, unhappy families are different in their own way. I just read the first few pages of Pride and Prejudice the other day, and it starts off something like, "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man must be in want of a wife," well within the 140 limit.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains."

Oh, wait, that's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

[Estonut]

Question #8 (It's Elemental)
Krypton is well-known as the name of Superman's home planet, but here on Earth, krypton is a gas often used in what?
A - fire extinguishers
B - air conditioners
C - fluorescent lamps
D - hot air balloons

"It's certainly not

Spoiler

D, because that's helium"

, Michael says. He also doesn't believe it's

Spoiler

B, because that's freon

. He was leaning toward

Spoiler

fluorescent lamps

.

Spoiler

Answer: C (fluorescent lamps)
Value: $100
Bank: $52,600

Spoiler

Ummm, there's a reason they're called hot air balloons, Michael...