Transcript 5/9/2008 - Valerie Bashura (sunflower)

[BBTranscriptTeam]

Valerie Bashura (sunflower)
East Hartford, CT
Internal auditor

Valerie has an eclectic background - she's been a figure skater and then a Zamboni driver, and now she's an internal auditor known as "Ms. Fraud-fighter". She liked driving the Zamboni the best. She's had a couple of accidents with it - crashing into the wall "a little bit". The one thing left to do is to become a millionaire. Her boyfriend Robert is in the relationship seat. He's wearing a T-shirt that reads, "Val is my millionaire cutie!"

$100 - In a popular slumber party game, players take turns responding to which of these daunting questions?

A - Truth or dare?
B - Work or play?
C - Love or luck?
D - Uncle Ben's or Rice-a-Roni?

$200 - In a classic Eartha Kitt song, who is urged to "hurry down the chimney tonight"?

A - Tarzan Baby
B - Wolfman Baby
C - Santa Baby
D - Zorro Baby

$300 - Which of these kitchen doodads is for stirring drinks?

A - swizzle stick
B - candy thermometer
C - zester
D - basting brush

Valerie knows this one very well.

$500 - In the Washington, D.C. memorial honoring him, what U.S. president is depicted in a wheelchair?

A - George Washington
B - Thomas Jefferson
C - Abraham Lincoln
D - Franklin Roosevelt

Roosevelt is the only president Valerie knows that was in a wheelchair during his lifetime but she also knows that Lincoln is depicted sitting down on his monument. She doesn't want to use a lifeline but she doesn't want to go home with nothing. She makes D her final answer.

$1K - On the TV series "Murder, She Wrote," Angela Lansbury played an amateur detective who was also a famous what?

A - soap star
B - mystery novelist
C - pastry chef
D - defense attorney

$2K - Which of these animal terms comes from a Latin word meaning "to gnaw"?

A - primate
B - amphibian
C - rodent
D - crustacean

Valerie told herself she was going to study Latin words, but she didn't.

$4K - A shout-out to its home turf, Rutgers Unviersity officially identifies itself as "The State University of" what?

A - Missouri
B - New Jersey
C - Pennsylvania
D - Delaware

$8K - A hand gripping the Holy Grail is depicted on pints of what Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor?

A - Vermonty Python
B - From Russia with Buzz
C - Neapolitan Dynamite
D - Karamel Sutra

Valerie has been to the Ben & Jerry's factory and she's a conosseur of their products but she doesn't know this, so she wants to ask the audience.

ATA results:
A - 81%
B - 2%
C - 9%
D - 8%

Valerie said backstage that she was going to be the person who didn't know the answer but the whole audience would. She had a guess based on the Monty Python movie but the ice cream flavor didn't sound familiar.

$16K - A long-necked stringed instrument resembling a mandolin, the bouzouki originated in what country?

A - Spain
B - Ethiopia
C - Chile
D - Greece

If valerie had to guess she would say it sounds Greek. It doesn't sound Spanish in any way which leaves out Spain and Chile. She makes D her final answer. Meredith said that Robert looked very worried, but he shouldn't have.

Commercial break

Meredith says that as an internal auditor Valerie knows something about money.

$25K - "April is the cruelest month" is a line from what famous poem?

A - To His Coy Mistress
B - The Waste Land
C - How Do I Love Thee?
D - Song of Myself

Valerie has no idea and wants to use a lifeline and call Jen, a former contestant on the show. Jen made it to $25K also. Valerie reads the question then repeats the quote. Jen immediately says, "The Waste Land." Before the call can be concluded Valerie makes that her final answer.

Valerie was hoping to win at least this amount. She loves to bake and would like to open a bakery and make wedding cakes and other special occasion cakes. Meredith says that as an auditor she deals with dough so there's a connection.

$50K - Melanite is a deep-black variety of what gemstone?

A - garnet
B - amethyst
C - sapphire
D - topaz

Valerie feels that she should know this because she worked in a jewelry store for a while but they didn't sell melanite. She doesn't know enough even if she got it down to two answers, so she would like to switch the question.

When the answer is revealed Valerie says that if she had been sitting at home that's the one she probably would have guessed.

$50K (STQ) - Cayenne, Sugarloaf and Red Spanish are three popular varieties of what?

A - watermelon
B - pear
C - peach
D - pineapple

Valerie says that if she guesses wrong she still gets $25K. She asks for the 50/50, which leaves B and D. Those were the two she was leaning toward. She makes B her final answer and leaves with $25K.

Commercial break

ANSWERS:
$100 - A (Truth or Dare)
$200 - C (Santa baby)
$300 - A (swizzle stick)
$500 - D (Franklin Roosevelt)
$1K - B (mystery novelist)
$2K - C (rodent)
$4K - B (New Jersey)
$8K - A (Vermonty Python)
$16K - D (Greece)
$25K - B (The Waste Land)
$50K - A (garnet)
$50K (STQ) - D (pineapple)

[MarleysGh0st]

Congratulations, Val!

$500 - In the Washington, D.C. memorial honoring him, what U.S. president is depicted in a wheelchair?

A - George Washington
B - Thomas Jefferson
C - Abraham Lincoln
D - Franklin Roosevelt

Roosevelt is the only president Valerie knows that was in a wheelchair during his lifetime but she also knows that Lincoln is depicted sitting down on his monument. She doesn't want to use a lifeline but she doesn't want to go home with nothing. She makes D her final answer.

You scared me, there! Good for you, resisting the Hotseatitis!

$4K - A shout-out to its home turf, Rutgers Unviersity officially identifies itself as "The State University of" what?

A - Missouri
B - New Jersey
C - Pennsylvania
D - Delaware

A shout-out to my alma mater!

$8K - A hand gripping the Holy Grail is depicted on pints of what Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor?

A - Vermonty Python
B - From Russia with Buzz
C - Neapolitan Dynamite
D - Karamel Sutra

Valerie has been to the Ben & Jerry's factory and she's a conosseur of their products but she doesn't know this, so she wants to ask the audience.

ATA results:
A - 81%
B - 2%
C - 9%
D - 8%

Valerie said backstage that she was going to be the person who didn't know the answer but the whole audience would. She had a guess based on the Monty Python movie but the ice cream flavor didn't sound familiar.

Oh, dear! I won't say you have to see this movie, but a lot of us consider it one of our cult classics!

$25K - "April is the cruelest month" is a line from what famous poem?

A - To His Coy Mistress
B - The Waste Land
C - How Do I Love Thee?
D - Song of Myself

Well, I'd probably have used the ATA here, but I suspect the answer won't have been overwhelming, so the PAF might have been needed, too.

$50K - Melanite is a deep-black variety of what gemstone?

A - garnet
B - amethyst
C - sapphire
D - topaz

Valerie feels that she should know this because she worked in a jewelry store for a while but they didn't sell melanite. She doesn't know enough even if she got it down to two answers, so she would like to switch the question.

When the answer is revealed Valerie says that if she had been sitting at home that's the one she probably would have guessed.

I knew garnet was black, so that seemed like the logical choice. Is there an unusual black variety of those other gems, though? I wasn't certain.

$50K (STQ) - Cayenne, Sugarloaf and Red Spanish are three popular varieties of what?

A - watermelon
B - pear
C - peach
D - pineapple

And I hope I didn't STQ, because this would make me way to STQ Back. I hadn't heard of any of these varieties. Or of any variety name for pineapples, either.

[peacock2121]

Paula type comments first:

- You were very fun to watch.

- I loved that you were having a great time.

- I loved how you were tempted to use a LL and then checked your gut and went with it.

- You looked so cute and happy and perky.

Question about your thought train for the 50K:

What had you think it would be pear? Did you think there were popular varieties in addition to bosc, bartlett and anjou? Did you not know those varieties?

Congratulations!

[sunflower]

Paula type comments first:

- You were very fun to watch.

- I loved that you were having a great time.

- I loved how you were tempted to use a LL and then checked your gut and went with it.

- You looked so cute and happy and perky.

Question about your thought train for the 50K:

What had you think it would be pear? Did you think there were popular varieties in addition to bosc, bartlett and anjou? Did you not know those varieties?

Congratulations!

LOL...thank you! I was trying very hard to be cute, happy and perky so I'm glad it worked!

I SWORE I had heard of a red spanish pear! I didn't think it was common, I hadn't heard of the other two in the context of either pear or pineapple, so I went with it...

It doesn't seem most people knew this answer, I watched it with 40 - 50 people and I think 75% said pear when the answers first popped up (a lot said watermelon too). So I guess I don't feel as bad, since it doesn't appear to be common knowledge.

[peacock2121]

Paula type comments first:

- You were very fun to watch.

- I loved that you were having a great time.

- I loved how you were tempted to use a LL and then checked your gut and went with it.

- You looked so cute and happy and perky.

Question about your thought train for the 50K:

What had you think it would be pear? Did you think there were popular varieties in addition to bosc, bartlett and anjou? Did you not know those varieties?

Congratulations!

LOL...thank you! I was trying very hard to be cute, happy and perky so I'm glad it worked!

I SWORE I had heard of a red spanish pear! I didn't think it was common, I hadn't heard of the other two in the context of either pear or pineapple, so I went with it...

It doesn't seem most people knew this answer, I watched it with 40 - 50 people and I think 75% said pear when the answers first popped up (a lot said watermelon too). So I guess I don't feel as bad, since it doesn't appear to be common knowledge.

I would agree that it is not common knowledge. When your 50/50 left pear and something else, I was pretty sure it would be the something else. If I had heard of or thought I had heard of red spanish pear, I would have done the same thing you did.

[sunflower]

Congratulations, Val!

$500 - In the Washington, D.C. memorial honoring him, what U.S. president is depicted in a wheelchair?

A - George Washington
B - Thomas Jefferson
C - Abraham Lincoln
D - Franklin Roosevelt

Roosevelt is the only president Valerie knows that was in a wheelchair during his lifetime but she also knows that Lincoln is depicted sitting down on his monument. She doesn't want to use a lifeline but she doesn't want to go home with nothing. She makes D her final answer.

You scared me, there! Good for you, resisting the Hotseatitis!

$4K - A shout-out to its home turf, Rutgers Unviersity officially identifies itself as "The State University of" what?

A - Missouri
B - New Jersey
C - Pennsylvania
D - Delaware

A shout-out to my alma mater!

$8K - A hand gripping the Holy Grail is depicted on pints of what Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor?

A - Vermonty Python
B - From Russia with Buzz
C - Neapolitan Dynamite
D - Karamel Sutra

Valerie has been to the Ben & Jerry's factory and she's a conosseur of their products but she doesn't know this, so she wants to ask the audience.

ATA results:
A - 81%
B - 2%
C - 9%
D - 8%

Valerie said backstage that she was going to be the person who didn't know the answer but the whole audience would. She had a guess based on the Monty Python movie but the ice cream flavor didn't sound familiar.

Oh, dear! I won't say you have to see this movie, but a lot of us consider it one of our cult classics!

$25K - "April is the cruelest month" is a line from what famous poem?

A - To His Coy Mistress
B - The Waste Land
C - How Do I Love Thee?
D - Song of Myself

Well, I'd probably have used the ATA here, but I suspect the answer won't have been overwhelming, so the PAF might have been needed, too.

$50K - Melanite is a deep-black variety of what gemstone?

A - garnet
B - amethyst
C - sapphire
D - topaz

Valerie feels that she should know this because she worked in a jewelry store for a while but they didn't sell melanite. She doesn't know enough even if she got it down to two answers, so she would like to switch the question.

When the answer is revealed Valerie says that if she had been sitting at home that's the one she probably would have guessed.

I knew garnet was black, so that seemed like the logical choice. Is there an unusual black variety of those other gems, though? I wasn't certain.

$50K (STQ) - Cayenne, Sugarloaf and Red Spanish are three popular varieties of what?

A - watermelon
B - pear
C - peach
D - pineapple

And I hope I didn't STQ, because this would make me way to STQ Back. I hadn't heard of any of these varieties. Or of any variety name for pineapples, either.

Thanks Marley!!

Just a couple comments. On the Ben & Jerry's...I knew the movie but what I did NOT know was that it was an actual flavor. So I figured the audience would weed that out for me. That's why I didn't give any info leading up to the ATA, didn't want to color their opinion. And you know while I sort of regretted using the ATA on that, I think it would have been useless on either of the 50k questions, I wouldn't have trusted them at that level. And I definitely wouldn't have asked them on the 25k question, that was a perfect PAF question for me (and for Jen - thanks, Jen!!)

Then on the garnet...garnets are actually a dark red (at least all the ones I've seen). And sapphires are dark blue. So in my mind I think I was between those and just really hoped I'd get a better chance with the STQ. So much for that, I probably would have picked garnet but who knows.

And the pineapple...yeah...no one seems to know that. Like I said in an earlier response, I really thought I remembered hearing of a red spanish pear.

Overall I'm happy. I didn't play exactly like I said I would, but I didn't make a total fool of myself and went home with some money, so I can't complain!!

[peacock2121]

Congratulations, Val!

$50K - Melanite is a deep-black variety of what gemstone?

A - garnet
B - amethyst
C - sapphire
D - topaz

Valerie feels that she should know this because she worked in a jewelry store for a while but they didn't sell melanite. She doesn't know enough even if she got it down to two answers, so she would like to switch the question.

When the answer is revealed Valerie says that if she had been sitting at home that's the one she probably would have guessed.

I knew garnet was black, so that seemed like the logical choice. Is there an unusual black variety of those other gems, though? I wasn't certain.


I thought garnet was blood red - what gem am I thinking of if it's not garnet?

[peacock2121]

hmmm.... maybe I am right about garnet, given sunflower thinks so as well.

maybe I'll go look it up.

[sunflower]

hmmm.... maybe I am right about garnet, given sunflower thinks so as well.

maybe I'll go look it up.

Also, Rob's dad has been a gold and silversmith for 40+ years and he never heard of melanite either so that REALLY made me feel better. It's just one of those quirky things some people know, I'm just glad I got hit with it going for 50k instead of 16k!!

[MarleysGh0st]

hmmm.... maybe I am right about garnet, given sunflower thinks so as well.

maybe I'll go look it up.

Maybe I knew something that's not so?

[MarleysGh0st]

hmmm.... maybe I am right about garnet, given sunflower thinks so as well.

maybe I'll go look it up.

Maybe I knew something that's not so?

Yeah.

From Wikipedia:

Garnet is a group of minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. Garnets are most often seen in red, but are available in a wide variety of colors spanning the entire spectrum. The name "garnet" comes from the Latin granatus ("grain"), possibly a reference to the Punica granatum ("pomegranate"), a plant with red seeds similar in shape, size, and color to some garnet crystals.

[sunflower]

hmmm.... maybe I am right about garnet, given sunflower thinks so as well.

maybe I'll go look it up.

Maybe I knew something that's not so?

Yeah.

From Wikipedia:

Garnet is a group of minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. Garnets are most often seen in red, but are available in a wide variety of colors spanning the entire spectrum. The name "garnet" comes from the Latin granatus ("grain"), possibly a reference to the Punica granatum ("pomegranate"), a plant with red seeds similar in shape, size, and color to some garnet crystals.

No need to be embarrassed!!! You would have been the one to get it right!!! Who cares why, if it gets you to the next question without using a lifeline, it works! I wish I thought a garnet was black, maybe I would have made it to the $1M question!!

[peacock2121]

hmmm.... maybe I am right about garnet, given sunflower thinks so as well.

maybe I'll go look it up.

Maybe I knew something that's not so?

Don't you hate that when that happens.

I thought I knew because the first Mr Pealette gave Pealette garnets when she wanted rubies.

ouch

When you said garnets were black, I thought I had the name of the gem he gave her wrong.

[MarleysGh0st]

Just a couple comments. On the Ben & Jerry's...I knew the movie but what I did NOT know was that it was an actual flavor. So I figured the audience would weed that out for me. That's why I didn't give any info leading up to the ATA, didn't want to color their opinion. And you know while I sort of regretted using the ATA on that, I think it would have been useless on either of the 50k questions, I wouldn't have trusted them at that level. And I definitely wouldn't have asked them on the 25k question, that was a perfect PAF question for me (and for Jen - thanks, Jen!!)

Well, I still don't have a clue what flavors might be in Vermonty Python. Thinking of the movie, the only logical choice I can think of is coconut.

But this just seemed like one of those first tier questions where the logical answer just has to be right!

And I agree that the ATA wouldn't have helped with those obscure $50K questions. Since TPTB added the STQ lifeline, we've noticed that $50K questions are often that way; forcing many contestants to burn that lifeline as soon as they get it.

[kayrharris]

The garnet we are most familiar with can vary in color from brownish-red to a very deep plum red. Garnets actually have a wide range of colors, including green to the black Melanite.

I can't say as I have seen any jewelry with the stone called Melanite. I wouldn't exactly call it common.

I have a ring with a pale green stone that is actually a green amethyst. Sapphires also come in a variety of colors, although we commonly think of a sapphire as deep blue.

Great job, Val!

[MarleysGh0st]

Well, I still don't have a clue what flavors might be in Vermonty Python. Thinking of the movie, the only logical choice I can think of is coconut.

Nope, no coconut.

Ben & Jerry's says:

Original Ice Cream Pints New in 2006!
Coffee liqueur ice cream with a chocolate cookie crumb swirl & fudge cows

We interrupt ourselves with much hooting through tin horns to bring you this brilliant new ice cream, made from dried shrubbery and old cereal packets. This is a ripping good flavor, really, so buy it quickly and run away, silly person, or we shall taunt you a second time.

The fudge cows makes sense!

[sunflower]

Well, I still don't have a clue what flavors might be in Vermonty Python. Thinking of the movie, the only logical choice I can think of is coconut.

Here is what I found online...I also did see it in the store, that was part of my frantic post-millionaire hysteria. I picked it up, looked at it and threw it back in the freezer. I haven't eaten Ben & Jerry's once since that day. Seeing as it's THEIR fault I wasn't sure of the answer to that question, due to their inadequate marketing...

[sunflower]

Well, I still don't have a clue what flavors might be in Vermonty Python. Thinking of the movie, the only logical choice I can think of is coconut.

Here is what I found online...I also did see it in the store, that was part of my frantic post-millionaire hysteria. I picked it up, looked at it and threw it back in the freezer. I haven't eaten Ben & Jerry's once since that day. Seeing as it's THEIR fault I wasn't sure of the answer to that question, due to their inadequate marketing...

OOPS...probably should've attached this!

The company started selling the officially licensed confection, called Vermonty Python, on February 6, according to company sources. The ice cream is only available in the traditional pint-sized containers, and may likely be found in your local grocery store. The packaging features suitably Pythonesque images, mostly a Holy Grail/Spamalot theme (including the Python Grail) and the following text:

And now for something completely euphoric. We interrupt ourselves with much hooting through tin horns to bring you this brilliant new ice cream made from dried shrubbgery & old ceral packets. Don't be daft - we're just having you on a bit, all right? This is a ripping goodlavor, really, so buy it quickly now & run away, silly person, or we shall taunt you a second time!

The flavor is coffee liqueur ice cream with a chocolate cookie crumb swirl & fudge cows. Think tiramisu with chocolate treats! It's fantastic!

[MarleysGh0st]

OOPS...probably should've attached this!

No problem, sunflower, I'd already gone ahead and googled it, myself!

But it still seems like a mostly illogical choice of flavors for this one, since coffee doesn't have anything to do with the movie!

[themanintheseersuckersuit]

Sunflower, I thought you had a million dollar smile through a tough stack






I made a nomination for the Bored Ben and Jerry's flavor awhile back.



viewtopic.php?p=53114&highlight=#53114

[sunflower]

Sunflower, I thought you had a million dollar smile through a tough stack

Thank you so much!!

At least it's not like the time I spelled "pilgrim" wrong in the 5th grade spelling bee. I can hold my head up high on this one!

[NellyLunatic1980]

$25K: I had no clue on this one. PAF is a smart decision. I would do that as well. I assume that Valerie's PAF was Jen MacNeil, a onetime Bored Buddy (her name was "jenmacjen" or something like that).

$50K: Try the audience first. See if anything jumps out at them. If not, switch it.

$50K #2: I had it between watermelon and pineapple, so 50:50 would've led me to $50,000.

You made a great effort, Valerie. Too bad you got stuck with what we call WWOQs (wicked weed-out questions) at $25K and $50K.

[earendel]

Valerie Bashura (sunflower)
East Hartford, CT
Internal auditor

Valerie has an eclectic background - she's been a figure skater and then a Zamboni driver, and now she's an internal auditor known as "Ms. Fraud-fighter". She liked driving the Zamboni the best. She's had a couple of accidents with it - crashing into the wall "a little bit". The one thing left to do is to become a millionaire. Her boyfriend Robert is in the relationship seat. He's wearing a T-shirt that reads, "Val is my millionaire cutie!"

No doubt about it, she is a cutie (if I may be so bold as to say so).

There was much made about sunflower being an "internal auditor" but not anything about her employer. Sunflower, care to enlighten us?

$300 - Which of these kitchen doodads is for stirring drinks?

A - swizzle stick
B - candy thermometer
C - zester
D - basting brush

Valerie knows this one very well.

I have never thought of a swizzle stick as being a "kitchen doodad" - there are none in our kitchen, at least.

$8K - A hand gripping the Holy Grail is depicted on pints of what Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor?

A - Vermonty Python
B - From Russia with Buzz
C - Neapolitan Dynamite
D - Karamel Sutra

Valerie has been to the Ben & Jerry's factory and she's a conosseur of their products but she doesn't know this, so she wants to ask the audience.

ATA results:
A - 81%
B - 2%
C - 9%
D - 8%

Valerie said backstage that she was going to be the person who didn't know the answer but the whole audience would. She had a guess based on the Monty Python movie but the ice cream flavor didn't sound familiar.

Valerie, I admire you for going this far without using a lifeline despite being a little uncertain (the monument question). It's a shame you had to burn a lifeline here - at the risk of sounding smug this is one that you might have answered had you been around here longer.

$25K - "April is the cruelest month" is a line from what famous poem?

A - To His Coy Mistress
B - The Waste Land
C - How Do I Love Thee?
D - Song of Myself

Valerie has no idea and wants to use a lifeline and call Jen, a former contestant on the show. Jen made it to $25K also. Valerie reads the question then repeats the quote. Jen immediately says, "The Waste Land." Before the call can be concluded Valerie makes that her final answer.

A very good PAF call and congrats to Jenmcjen for getting it right. One question - did Jen google it or did she know it?

$50K - Melanite is a deep-black variety of what gemstone?

A - garnet
B - amethyst
C - sapphire
D - topaz

Valerie feels that she should know this because she worked in a jewelry store for a while but they didn't sell melanite. She doesn't know enough even if she got it down to two answers, so she would like to switch the question.

When the answer is revealed Valerie says that if she had been sitting at home that's the one she probably would have guessed.

Lifeline time for me - probably the 50/50 because I don't think the audience would have been able to help. I was torn between garnet and sapphire. If those had been the two choices, it would be time to PAF.

$50K (STQ) - Cayenne, Sugarloaf and Red Spanish are three popular varieties of what?

A - watermelon
B - pear
C - peach
D - pineapple

Valerie says that if she guesses wrong she still gets $25K. She asks for the 50/50, which leaves B and D. Those were the two she was leaning toward. She makes B her final answer and leaves with $25K.

Time for another lifeline - if I have already used PAF then I'd STQ because again I don't think the audience would be of much help.

All in all a good run, sunflower, and we hope you'll stick around and be part of the family (you, too, jenmcjen).

[littlebeast13]

$25K: I had no clue on this one. PAF is a smart decision. I would do that as well. I assume that Valerie's PAF was Jen MacNeil, a onetime Bored Buddy (her name was "jenmacjen" or something like that).

Maybe that's why I saw jenmacjen's name among the lurkers last Friday afternoon (Around the same time Jai showed back up)....

lb13

[MarleysGh0st]

$25K - "April is the cruelest month" is a line from what famous poem?

A - To His Coy Mistress
B - The Waste Land
C - How Do I Love Thee?
D - Song of Myself

Valerie has no idea and wants to use a lifeline and call Jen, a former contestant on the show. Jen made it to $25K also. Valerie reads the question then repeats the quote. Jen immediately says, "The Waste Land." Before the call can be concluded Valerie makes that her final answer.

A very good PAF call and congrats to Jenmcjen for getting it right. One question - did Jen google it or did she know it?

I heard typing during that PAF call, but maybe Jen was just multitasking.