Transcript 05/05/08 Loren Hammonds

[BBTranscriptTeam]

Loren Hammonds
New York, NY
Musician

Loren counts today as his third time on national TV.
Friday’s appearance was his second.
When Loren was twelve, he was a junior vocalist on “Star Search.”
He lost by a ¼ star.

Loren has all of his lifelines.

$2K In ads, the drugstore product Tinactin is said to be “tough actin” in the treatment of what condition?
A. Dandruff
B. Acne
C. Eczema
D. Athlete’s foot

$4K The 2007 Jamie Foxx movie “The Kingdom” is primarily set in what country?
A. India
B. Saudi Arabia
C. Argentina
D. Australia

$8K “Ionization chamber” and “photoelectric” are the two most common types of what household device?
A. Smoke detector
B. Blender
C. Garbage disposal
D. Clothes dryer

$16K What is the one U.S. state that shares its borders with U.S. states whose names all start with a vowel?
A. Florida
B. Texas
C. Wisconsin
D. Washington

ATA
4% A. Florida
14% B. Texas
16% C. Wisconsin
66% D. Washington

$25K Although it’s about a failed relationship, what song inspired an urban legend about Phil Collins witnessing a drowning?
A. Sussudio
B. One More Night
C. Take Me Home
D. In the Air Tonight

commercial break

$50K At over 3,000 square miles, the largest lake in Central America is located in what country?
A. Costa Rica
B. Guatemala
C. Nicaragua
D. Honduras

PAF – Donna, Loren’s sister

Donna says she doesn’t know as time expires.

STQ

$50K The Danjon Scale of Brightness measures the brightness of what
A. Sunspots
B. Automobile headlights
C. Lunar eclipses
D. Paper color

50/50 leaves B. Automobile headlights and C. Lunar eclipses.

$100K The word “utopia,” referring to an ideal or perfect place, comes from the name of a fictional island in a work by whom?
A. Sir Thomas More
B. Daniel Defoe
C. Jonathan Swift
D. John Milton

Loren decides to leave with $50K.

commercial break

Answers:
$2K D. Athlete’s foot
$4K B. Saudi Arabia
$8K A. Smoke detector
$16K D. Washington
$25K D. In the Air Tonight
$50K C. Nicaragua
$50K C. Lunar eclipses
$100K A. Sir Thomas More

[Appa23]

Thank goodness that I do not see the switched $50k question. It seemed much tougher and more obscure than any similar level question in months.

The Nicaragua question is just part of the geography study list for trivia games and game shows (e.g. capitals, highest/lowest, highest peaks, lakes, . . .)

Maybe it is because I was a Political Philosophy major in college, but isn't that last question ridiculously easy?

[ulysses5019]

I was a physical education major at SC (pre-porky days) and I knew it. But I read the book in high school.

[silvercamaro]

One of my favorite college courses as called "The Philosophy of Utopian Fiction."

[ulysses5019]

My favorite class was "Infield Fly Rule: Fact or Fiction".

[silverscreenselect]

The Nicaragua question is just part of the geography study list for trivia games and game shows (e.g. capitals, highest/lowest, highest peaks, lakes, . . .)

The Panama Canal was almost built in Nicaragua because there would have been a good bit less work required because of Lake Nicaragua. However, opponents of the Canal were able to use the story of a possible volcanic eruption threat near the canal route to get the project scrubbed in the early 1900's.

A Nicaraguan stamp of that era depicted a smoking volcano near the lake, which was offered as "proof" the threat existed, although the actual volcano was over 100 miles away and practically dormant. Instead, the US Senate voted to proceed with the Panama Canal project.

[NellyLunatic1980]

Dream stack for me on the first 11 questions... but then this came along:

$100K The word “utopia,” referring to an ideal or perfect place, comes from the name of a fictional island in a work by whom?
A. Sir Thomas More
B. Daniel Defoe
C. Jonathan Swift
D. John Milton

I would've been out with $25K and all four lifelines on the table. Before the choices ever came up, I said John Milton.

ARRRRGH!

[peacock2121]

Thank goodness that I do not see the switched $50k question. It seemed much tougher and more obscure than any similar level question in months.

The Nicaragua question is just part of the geography study list for trivia games and game shows (e.g. capitals, highest/lowest, highest peaks, lakes, . . .)

Maybe it is because I was a Political Philosophy major in college, but isn't that last question ridiculously easy?

totally ridiculously easy

totally

[earendel]

Loren Hammonds
New York, NY
Musician

Loren counts today as his third time on national TV.
Friday’s appearance was his second.
When Loren was twelve, he was a junior vocalist on “Star Search.”
He lost by a ¼ star.

IIRC he lost to a younger girl.

Loren has all of his lifelines.

That's an accomplishment lately.

$4K The 2007 Jamie Foxx movie “The Kingdom” is primarily set in what country?
A. India
B. Saudi Arabia
C. Argentina
D. Australia

Although the name could be metaphorical, only one of the four is an actual kingdom.

$16K What is the one U.S. state that shares its borders with U.S. states whose names all start with a vowel?
A. Florida
B. Texas
C. Wisconsin
D. Washington

ATA
4% A. Florida
14% B. Texas
16% C. Wisconsin
66% D. Washington

Loren could only think of Oregon as bordering Washington, forgetting about Idaho.

$25K Although it’s about a failed relationship, what song inspired an urban legend about Phil Collins witnessing a drowning?
A. Sussudio
B. One More Night
C. Take Me Home
D. In the Air Tonight

So why is it called "In the Air Tonight" if it's about a drowning? I remember hearing this urban legend but I would have had to use my ATA to get the right answer (assuming the audience came through).

$50K At over 3,000 square miles, the largest lake in Central America is located in what country?
A. Costa Rica
B. Guatemala
C. Nicaragua
D. Honduras

PAF – Donna, Loren’s sister

Donna says she doesn’t know as time expires.

It's called Lake Nicaragua - and once upon a time it was thought that the lake would be part of a trans-Nicaraguan canal similar to the Panama Canal.

STQ

$50K The Danjon Scale of Brightness measures the brightness of what
A. Sunspots
B. Automobile headlights
C. Lunar eclipses
D. Paper color

50/50 leaves B. Automobile headlights and C. Lunar eclipses.

Good for Loren for going for it. I wouldn't have seen this question, but had it been in the stack I'd have had to either PAF or STQ. Let's say I STQ and get Loren's other $50K question.

$100K The word “utopia,” referring to an ideal or perfect place, comes from the name of a fictional island in a work by whom?
A. Sir Thomas More
B. Daniel Defoe
C. Jonathan Swift
D. John Milton

Loren decides to leave with $50K.

Right in my wheelhouse! So I'd be looking at the $250K question with PAF and 50/50 remaining.

All in all Loren made a good run.

[MarleysGh0st]

$16K What is the one U.S. state that shares its borders with U.S. states whose names all start with a vowel?
A. Florida
B. Texas
C. Wisconsin
D. Washington

ATA
4% A. Florida
14% B. Texas
16% C. Wisconsin
66% D. Washington

He couldn't even try to eliminate any of the other choices? It would only take knowing one other bordering state that starts with a consonant!

$25K Although it’s about a failed relationship, what song inspired an urban legend about Phil Collins witnessing a drowning?
A. Sussudio
B. One More Night
C. Take Me Home
D. In the Air Tonight

Here's where I'd use the ATA and hope it's not too obscure for the audience.

$50K The Danjon Scale of Brightness measures the brightness of what
A. Sunspots
B. Automobile headlights
C. Lunar eclipses
D. Paper color

And I'm glad I knew the first $50K question, because it'd be embarrassing to be defeated by an astronomy question.

[earendel]

Here's where I'd use the ATA and hope it's not too obscure for the audience.

$50K The Danjon Scale of Brightness measures the brightness of what
A. Sunspots
B. Automobile headlights
C. Lunar eclipses
D. Paper color

And I'm glad I knew the first $50K question, because it'd be embarrassing to be defeated by an astronomy question.

I don't think this is something the audience would be likely to know - you'd probably be better off calling a Google PAF.

[MarleysGh0st]

I don't think this is something the audience would be likely to know - you'd probably be better off calling a Google PAF.

Definitely. I meant that I would have used my ATA on the Phil Collins question.

[Appa23]

$25K Although it’s about a failed relationship, what song inspired an urban legend about Phil Collins witnessing a drowning?
A. Sussudio
B. One More Night
C. Take Me Home
D. In the Air Tonight

So why is it called "In the Air Tonight" if it's about a drowning?

I imagine that the legend is based on the lyrics:

Well, if you told me you were drowning
I would not lend a hand

[MarleysGh0st]

$25K Although it’s about a failed relationship, what song inspired an urban legend about Phil Collins witnessing a drowning?
A. Sussudio
B. One More Night
C. Take Me Home
D. In the Air Tonight

So why is it called "In the Air Tonight" if it's about a drowning?

I imagine that the legend is based on the lyrics:

Well, if you told me you were drowning
I would not lend a hand

Yes, that line along with others, according to Snopes, has led to a number of different urban legend explanations.

[gsabc]

The bright flame of burning lifelines would be lit for me on the $25K and both $50K questions. I'm embarrassed that there have been two astronomy questions recently where I haven't had a clue. Never heard of the Danjon scale.

If I made it through, the $100K is a piece of cake. I really think the writers have been stealing from the Capcom cellphone game. A version of this question is on it. Several other recent show questions have also been very similar to the cellphone game's, both in subject and wording.

[MarleysGh0st]

Never heard of the Danjon scale.

Neither had I. That's no "93 million miles to the sun" question, that's for sure!

[Bob Juch]

Never heard of the Danjon scale.

Neither had I. That's no "93 million miles to the sun" question, that's for sure!

No, because I knew the answer and didn't confuse miles and kilometers.

[tanstaafl2]

He ended up doing reasonably well but once again stumbled his way through geography questions that probably cost him a shot at a lot more. A remarkably simple 16K costs him the ATA. Of course I would have promptly burned it at 25K and don't know if it would have been sufficient there or not.

Then he burns the PAF, STQ and 50/50 at 50K where I would have never had to use any of them or have to see the remarkably difficult second Q on the Danjon scale because I am not as much of a geo nitwit as most of the country seems to be.

The second 50K Q was one of those that you have either heard of and know or simply have to guess as any choice could potentially be correct. The fact that two answers were related to astronomy seemed a bit suspicious though. Now if they had said Farnsworth and/or Munsell I might have gone with paper color...

But if he has a skilled google PAF left, instead of burning the PAF on geography, it becomes quite easy to get the answer.

But I give him credit for going for it after the 50/50.

In PT BAM that could easily have been the million dollar Q and was as hard or harder than many million dollar Q's that were on the PT version. Although having successfully gone for it at 50K it was a shame to see him not get the 100K Q.

If he hadn't burned all those lifelines on geography questions then maybe he could have gone a lot deeper...

[Kazoo65]

This was an easy stack for me. The only one I had problems with was the STQ-which I wouldn't have seen because I knew the first $50l Lake Nicaragua comes up on J! a lot-as does "Utopia", the subject of the $100K, which I also knew.


You can tell it's sweeps month-the stacks are easier and TPTB are desperate to give money away.