| WIN BEN STEIN'S MONEY A Faded Denim Production in association with Valleycrset and Buena Vista Television air dates: 7/28/97-5/8/03 on Comedy Central host: Ben Stein co-hosts: Jimmy Kimmel ('97-'00, '01-'02), Nancy Pimental ('00-'01), Sal Iacono ('02-'03) HOW TO PLAY: Three contestants competed for a chance to play for $5,000. The co-host presented a series of five hilariously punned categories. Each category contained a question worth $50, $100, or $150, depending on difficulty. After Ben read the question, the first player to signal with a correct answer scored the value of the question with no penalty for a wrong answer. The player with the correct answer was allowed the first guess at a follow-up question worth $50. A wrong answer allowed either of the other two players to signal with an answer. If no one answered the initial question correctly, the follow-up was read to all three players and any player could ring in. Each category, after being played, would be replaced by a new category. The two players with the most money when the cuckoo clock sounded (with a different object popping out of the clock behind the right end podium) competed against Ben in the next round. The third-placer's score was added back to Ben's bank. In the second round, the co-host read the questions while Ben participated as a contestant. Questions ranged in value from $200-$500 by $100s, with no follow-ups. Each category was replaced by another after being played. If no one answered a question correctly or if Ben answered correctly, Ben's bank balance and the contestant's scores remained the same. The player in the lead at the end of this round competed against Ben for all $5,000. Only the winner of each game kept all of their money. The other player's score was added back to Ben's tally. In the Best-of-10 Test of Knowledge, the winning player decided who played first. Both Ben and the contestant each entered their own soundproof booth and the player going second wore headphones. Each contestant, one at a time, was given 60 seconds to answer the same 10 questions. Each question was asked once by the co-host. If Ben answered less questions correctly than his opponent, (s)he took home $5,000. If Ben answered more, his opponent only took home all money won in the first two rounds. In case of a tie, Ben's opponent took an additional $1,000 out of Ben's pocket. OTHER TIDBITS: Aside from serving as a speechwriter for Richard Nixon, Ben Stein starred as a teacher in the '80s flick Ferris Bueller's Day Off, better known for uttering that famous line "Bueller? Bueller?" during a roll call. Today, Ben can be seen doing commercials for Clear Eyes eye drops. ("Wow.") Co-host Jimmy Kimmel can be seen today hosting the late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC. As a running gag, any player who phrased their answer in question form as on Jeopardy! would wear a dunce cap for the rest of the round! The show used various pieces of classical music as theme music, including Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" as its opening theme and Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" as its closing theme. Back to my game show joint of my homepage. |