Transcript 09/09/2008 Mary DeLoache

[BBTranscriptTeam]

Mary DeLoache
Alpharetta, GA

Has three teenage boys, all over six feet tall, and they eat like crazy
Her husband is a trucker
Also an accountant so she "knows the value of a buck" (Didn't Mere say that line to Kusch as well?)
Says she is glad to be here as she admires Mere and has followed her career for the past 25 years (Mere reacts and says it was not the stalking part that got to her but the mention of 25 years)
At the 1K level, Mere promises her a big hug after her game
She has lots of bills and also wants to remodel her master bathroom.

Topic Tree (I divided into groups of five)
Writers
Science
Fantasia
Odd Holidays
Children's Books

Geography
In the News
Pop Music
Television
Vocabulary

Art
Politics
State Nicknames
Diseases
Christmas Songs


$100- According to a popular Christmas song, which of Santa's reindeers "had a very shiny nose"?
A. Rudolph B. Donner
C. Comet D. Wolf Blitzen

$200- Which of these diseases usually results from contact with a feline?
A. African sleeping sickness B. Cat scratch disease
C. Chronic fatigue syndrome D. Whooping cough

$300- What U.S. state is nicknamed "The Bayou State"?
A. Oregon B. Vermont
C. New Mexico D. Louisiana

$500- If it could talk, the animal that serves as the traditional symbol of the Democratic party would most likely say what?
A. Oink! B. Hee-haw!
C. Baa! D. Quack!

$1000- By definition, a mural is a large version of what type of artwork?
A. Sculpture B. Painting
C. Tapestry D. Mobile

Commercial break
Bill Nye is the expert again and they talk briefly by Skype internet call

$2000- Which of the following is a common definition for the word "tawny"?
A. Dark blue B. Hot pink
C. Light brown D. Lime green

$4000- What aptly named TV series centers on a suburban mom with a secret career as a drug dealer?
A. Bones B. Weeds
C. The Closer D. Medium

$8000- In 2008, who broke a record set by Elvis Presley when her single "Touch My Body" became her eighteenth number-one hit?
A. Madonna B. Mariah Carey
C. Janet Jackson D. Celine Dion

Mere calls her "one hip mama" since she knows Weeds and Mariah Carey.

$16K- In 2007, who attempted to set her husband apart from other presidential candidates by saying "He's had only one wife"?
A. Cindy McCain B. Judith Giuliani
C. Ann Romney D. Jeri Thompson

Commercial break

$25K- The 49th parallel is a geographic line that forms a large portion of the border between what two countries?
A. North Korea and South Korea B. Spain and Portugal
C. Iran and Iraq D. The United States and Canada

.
.
.
Says that something jumped out at her immediately
ATA with 14 left
A-54%, B-10%, C-7%, D-29%
She says it was A that jumped out at her, Mere says wait a minute it could be, maybe not, then announces that time will resume now

.
.
.

Contestant guessed A at :11 and left with $1000.
She also gets that hug from Mere.

.
.
.


Answers and remaining time in seconds:
$100 A. Rudolph (7)
$200 B. Cat scratch disease (5)
$300 D. Louisiana (9)
$500 B. Hee-haw! (4)
$1000 B. Painting (9)
$2000 C. Light brown (21)
$4000 B. Weeds (22)
$8000 B. Mariah Carey (19)
$16K- C. Ann Romney (11)
$25K- D. The United States and Canada ("A" with 11)

[gotribego26]

$500- If it could talk, the animal that serves as the traditional symbol of the Democratic party would most likely say what?
A. Oink! B. Hee-haw!
C. Baa! D. Quack!

Is anyone else bothered by this question - "if it could talk", would it say the sound we attribute to is anyway? I think it would ask for a meal or the nearest donkey of the opposite sex.

[mrkelley23]

I guess maybe it helps that Evansville sits nearly on the same parallel as the border between North and South Korea -- a point I always tried to make in my history-teaching days when I was covering the Korean Conflict.

I had to stop and think for a minute, though, because I was trying to put zero latitude at the north pole rather than the equator.

[silverscreenselect]

Mary DeLoache
Alpharetta, GA


$200- Which of these diseases usually results from contact with a feline?
A. African sleeping sickness B. Cat scratch disease
C. Chronic fatigue syndrome D. Whooping cough

$200 B. Cat scratch disease (5)

I didn't see Monday's show but this question jumped out at me today, not because it was tough but because it's the type of question that can cause a contestant problems at the lower level. Because all the answers are fairly long, it took Meredith close to ten seconds to read them all out, which didn't leave much time for the answer. If the contestant has trouble concentrating over Meredith's voice, he or she may easily either run out of time or blurt out a wrong answer on something like this.

I predict we will see a number of llamas get tripped up this season on questions like this one.

[Bob Juch]

Mary DeLoache
Alpharetta, GA


$200- Which of these diseases usually results from contact with a feline?
A. African sleeping sickness B. Cat scratch disease
C. Chronic fatigue syndrome D. Whooping cough

$200 B. Cat scratch disease (5)

I didn't see Monday's show but this question jumped out at me today, not because it was tough but because it's the type of question that can cause a contestant problems at the lower level. Because all the answers are fairly long, it took Meredith close to ten seconds to read them all out, which didn't leave much time for the answer. If the contestant has trouble concentrating over Meredith's voice, he or she may easily either run out of time or blurt out a wrong answer on something like this.

I predict we will see a number of llamas get tripped up this season on questions like this one.

A whole bunch of Bored members easily survived time limits in hot seats at PlayIt!

[Snaxx]

Mary DeLoache
Alpharetta, GA


$200- Which of these diseases usually results from contact with a feline?
A. African sleeping sickness B. Cat scratch disease
C. Chronic fatigue syndrome D. Whooping cough

$200 B. Cat scratch disease (5)

I didn't see Monday's show but this question jumped out at me today, not because it was tough but because it's the type of question that can cause a contestant problems at the lower level. Because all the answers are fairly long, it took Meredith close to ten seconds to read them all out, which didn't leave much time for the answer. If the contestant has trouble concentrating over Meredith's voice, he or she may easily either run out of time or blurt out a wrong answer on something like this.

I predict we will see a number of llamas get tripped up this season on questions like this one.

A whole bunch of Bored members easily survived time limits in hot seats at PlayIt!

Now if we could get mostly BBs and Play-It veterans in the HS this season ...

I distinctly remember the clock beginning at WWTBAM-PI after the host/ess finished reading choice D.


Snaxx

[KillerTomato]

A whole bunch of Bored members easily survived time limits in hot seats at PlayIt!

True, but with Play It!, they didn't start the clock until after all 4 choices were read (actually, until the fourth answer was revealed).

So it's slightly different. But the eye reads faster than the mouth can talk, and if you can't decide on an answer in just a few seconds at that level (assuming it's not a really really tricky question, which is rare), then it's your own problem. And since you can interrupt (although we haven't seen it yet), then the time shouldn't be that much of a problem until you get to 8K or 16K, at least.

[TheConfessor]

$8000- In 2008, who broke a record set by Elvis Presley when her single "Touch My Body" became her eighteenth number-one hit?
A. Madonna B. Mariah Carey
C. Janet Jackson D. Celine Dion

This was also today's Final Jeopardy question.

[Ritterskoop]

Assuming the 500K is hard as before, and the 1M is a reward for getting it right, it should be gettable but not way easy (think Richard Nixon and 93 million miles, not all of them necessarily).

So here is today's faux million dollar question on writers (if indeed that's the category - if I've understood the tree correctly):

What economist and historian wrote about the philosophical concept of causation?

A. David Hume
B Adam Smith
C. John Locke
D. Joseph Butler

[NellyLunatic1980]

$8000- In 2008, who broke a record set by Elvis Presley when her single "Touch My Body" became her eighteenth number-one hit?
A. Madonna B. Mariah Carey
C. Janet Jackson D. Celine Dion

And oddly enough, this was also last night's "Final Jeopardy!"

I did perfectly until that stoopid $25K question. Before the choices came up, I thought it was North and South Korea.

[earendel]

Mary DeLoache
Alpharetta, GA

Has three teenage boys, all over six feet tall, and they eat like crazy
Her husband is a trucker. Also an accountant so she "knows the value of a buck" (Didn't Mere say that line to Kusch as well?) Says she is glad to be here as she admires Mere and has followed her career for the past 25 years (Mere reacts and says it was not the stalking part that got to her but the mention of 25 years)

At the 1K level, Mere promises her a big hug after her game
She has lots of bills and also wants to remodel her master bathroom.

OK, I confess that I liked Mary - she was witty and smart, so the APs did their job properly.

Topic Tree (I divided into groups of five)
Writers
Science
Fantasia
Odd Holidays
Children's Books

Geography
In the News
Pop Music
Television
Vocabulary

Art
Politics
State Nicknames
Diseases
Christmas Songs

OK, I'm strategizing and looking at a lifeline for the pop music question.

$8000- In 2008, who broke a record set by Elvis Presley when her single "Touch My Body" became her eighteenth number-one hit?
A. Madonna B. Mariah Carey
C. Janet Jackson D. Celine Dion

Mere calls her "one hip mama" since she knows Weeds and Mariah Carey.

Yep, time to use a lifeline. Go with ATA figuring they would know this. And it's a good thing I wasn't on J! yesterday.

$25K- The 49th parallel is a geographic line that forms a large portion of the border between what two countries?
A. North Korea and South Korea B. Spain and Portugal
C. Iran and Iraq D. The United States and Canada

Says that something jumped out at her immediately

ATA with 14 left
A-54%, B-10%, C-7%, D-29%
She says it was A that jumped out at her, Mere says wait a minute it could be, maybe not, then announces that time will resume now

Contestant guessed A at :11 and left with $1000.
She also gets that hug from Mere.

That's a shame. Given the popularity of M*A*S*H I'd have thought people would have known that the Korean border is the 38th parallel. OTOH maybe some were thinking of "54-40 or fight" with respect to the dispute over the Oregon territory. This is a place where Double Dip would have been the better lifeline choice.

[earendel]

$500- If it could talk, the animal that serves as the traditional symbol of the Democratic party would most likely say what?
A. Oink! B. Hee-haw!
C. Baa! D. Quack!

Is anyone else bothered by this question - "if it could talk", would it say the sound we attribute to is anyway? I think it would ask for a meal or the nearest donkey of the opposite sex.

Of course it would say "Vote Obama!!"

[MyBigFatFabulousBrain]

Mary DeLoache
Alpharetta, GA

Has three teenage boys, all over six feet tall, and they eat like crazy
Her husband is a trucker

How tall is your husband? I hear truckers don't get to be around home very much...

Also an accountant so she "knows the value of a buck" (Didn't Mere say that line to Kusch as well?)

Is that going to be a question, knowing the value of a buck? How many lifelines would it take the average contestant to realize a buck's worth exactly $1? I wonder if Bill Nye would know this?

Says she is glad to be here as she admires Mere and has followed her career for the past 25 years (Mere reacts and says it was not the stalking part that got to her but the mention of 25 years)

I am completely taken aback that anyone other than perhaps FBI profilers were tracking Mere's career. Yeah Mere, 25 years. That's why they had to streamline the show a few years ago to afford those tubs of Bondex for the makeup department...

At the 1K level, Mere promises her a big hug after her game
She has lots of bills and also wants to remodel her master bathroom.

How can you possibly concentrate on anything with a threat like that from Mere? I would bring mace with me if they ever allowed me within 5 miles of the studio...

Topic Tree (I divided into groups of five)
Writers
Science
Fantasia
Odd Holidays
Children's Books

Geography
In the News
Pop Music
Television
Vocabulary

Art
Politics
State Nicknames
Diseases
Christmas Songs

This is about ignorant. No, really. Whichever OCD writer came up with this idea should be demoted to janitor.... or would that be a promotion?


$100- According to a popular Christmas song, which of Santa's reindeers "had a very shiny nose"?
A. Rudolph B. Donner
C. Comet D. Wolf Blitzen

$200- Which of these diseases usually results from contact with a feline?
A. African sleeping sickness B. Cat scratch disease
C. Chronic fatigue syndrome D. Whooping cough

$300- What U.S. state is nicknamed "The Bayou State"?
A. Oregon B. Vermont
C. New Mexico D. Louisiana

$500- If it could talk, the animal that serves as the traditional symbol of the Democratic party would most likely say what?
A. Oink! B. Hee-haw!
C. Baa! D. Quack!

E. Let's raise taxes!

$1000- By definition, a mural is a large version of what type of artwork?
A. Sculpture B. Painting
C. Tapestry D. Mobile

Commercial break
Bill Nye is the expert again and they talk briefly by Skype internet call

I don't know what Skype is, but you'd think they'd have learned a lesson from AOL and not wanted to get involved in any way with any kind of lifeline sponsorship on this show....

$2000- Which of the following is a common definition for the word "tawny"?
A. Dark blue B. Hot pink
C. Light brown D. Lime green

I was waiting for red-headed slut to show up as an answer...

$4000- What aptly named TV series centers on a suburban mom with a secret career as a drug dealer?
A. Bones B. Weeds
C. The Closer D. Medium

Great! I love questions about shows I've never cared in my life to watch before, and that I'd swear don't really exist. I think that television set in the dungeon picks up 30 year old signals bouncing off the surface of Uranus...

$8000- In 2008, who broke a record set by Elvis Presley when her single "Touch My Body" became her eighteenth number-one hit?
A. Madonna B. Mariah Carey
C. Janet Jackson D. Celine Dion

Elvis would be rolling over in his grave if he were dead right now...

Mere calls her "one hip mama" since she knows Weeds and Mariah Carey.

And you're one on stage accident away from needing hip replacement surgery, Mere. Shut the hell up!

$16K- In 2007, who attempted to set her husband apart from other presidential candidates by saying "He's had only one wife"?
A. Cindy McCain B. Judith Giuliani
C. Ann Romney D. Jeri Thompson

Bill Clinton had only one wife. Big whoopdie doo there, Ann. You've been spending too much time in the harem...


$25K- The 49th parallel is a geographic line that forms a large portion of the border between what two countries?
A. North Korea and South Korea B. Spain and Portugal
C. Iran and Iraq D. The United States and Canada


Says that something jumped out at her immediately

You mean like maybe the simple answer to this question?

ATA with 14 left
A-54%, B-10%, C-7%, D-29%

OK Japan, Europe. You win. You're all more educated than we Americans are. My big, fat, fabulous brain is just throbbing from saying that, but after seeing this utterly ridiculous ATA showing, it has just officially become the truth...

She says it was A that jumped out at her, Mere says wait a minute it could be, maybe not, then announces that time will resume now

Could we not put Mere in charge of the clock, especially when she waits to try to talk someone out of the wrong answer before she starts it back up? We don't need any cheating help for people who didn't bother to learn simple geography...


Contestant guessed A at :11 and left with $1000.
She also gets that hug from Mere.

A kick to the crotch would've been more apt here, but Mere's just a big, sobby softy. I guess this is the kind of contestant WWTBAM is looking for... someone who can breeze through a whole slew of backpages current events and pop culture, but never bothered to pay attention to anything important that was taught in school. That makes Mary an OHDA....

One hip dumbass.....

Nihil Obstat®

[silverscreenselect]

Mary DeLoache
Alpharetta, GA


$200- Which of these diseases usually results from contact with a feline?
A. African sleeping sickness B. Cat scratch disease
C. Chronic fatigue syndrome D. Whooping cough

$200 B. Cat scratch disease (5)

I didn't see Monday's show but this question jumped out at me today, not because it was tough but because it's the type of question that can cause a contestant problems at the lower level. Because all the answers are fairly long, it took Meredith close to ten seconds to read them all out, which didn't leave much time for the answer. If the contestant has trouble concentrating over Meredith's voice, he or she may easily either run out of time or blurt out a wrong answer on something like this.

I predict we will see a number of llamas get tripped up this season on questions like this one.

A whole bunch of Bored members easily survived time limits in hot seats at PlayIt!

Being in the hot seat with Meredith and real money at stake is not the same as playing at Disney.

Some people may have trouble concentrating on reading answers while Meredith is reading and there are probably a number of people who would hesitate about interrupting the host.

I'm not saying they shouldn't get it right; I'm just saying that this is the type of low level question that's likely to trip someone up sometime this season. The number of llamas (or sub-$1000 winners) will be up a good bit over previous seasons.

Which brings up the question.... if they have a substantial number llamas, will they televise allof them or will they do what they did on Super Millionaire and edit a few of them away?

[MarleysGh0st]

A whole bunch of Bored members easily survived time limits in hot seats at PlayIt!

True, but with Play It!, they didn't start the clock until after all 4 choices were read (actually, until the fourth answer was revealed).

So it's slightly different. But the eye reads faster than the mouth can talk, and if you can't decide on an answer in just a few seconds at that level (assuming it's not a really really tricky question, which is rare), then it's your own problem. And since you can interrupt (although we haven't seen it yet), then the time shouldn't be that much of a problem until you get to 8K or 16K, at least.

KT's right about the timer at Play It!, which makes a significant difference. And given that long-running precedent, I'm surprised that TPTB decided to implement it this way. Didn't they ever watch the Play It! show when they took their trips to film down there?

I hate this new timer. Hate it! There's no longer the opportunity (or at least, there's a huge disincentive) for any sort of bantering about the question, any witty repartee, any thoughful contemplation, just blurt out the answer as fast as you can. And forget about all the old advice about never saying "final answer" before Meredith asks you, because that damned clock keeps ticking! How long will it be before we see a contestant make a fatal blunder because of that?



As for the stack, I'd have used the ATA on the Mariah Carey question.

[TheConfessor]

That's a shame. Given the popularity of M*A*S*H I'd have thought people would have known that the Korean border is the 38th parallel.

Good logic, but totally untrue. I thought all three of the distractors were silly because the countries involved don't have straight line borders.

[earendel]

That's a shame. Given the popularity of M*A*S*H I'd have thought people would have known that the Korean border is the 38th parallel.

Good logic, but totally untrue. I thought all three of the distractors were silly because the countries involved don't have straight line borders.

The partition between the two Koreas was along the 38th parallel, and it remains the de jure border even though there are irregularities due to ground gained by either side during the war. Since no peace treaty was signed, the de facto border is as displayed in the graphic.