OK, I apologize if this is a day late, but I thought I'd let you in on a little GS history....
5 years ago....November 18, 1999
"Greed"-After 2 weeks of seeing Dan Avila, Melissa Skirboll, and Curtis Warren in action, they'd already won $1 million (Skirboll and Warren each won a Terminator, and $400,000; for $410,000 each, Avila had $200,000).
The category for the $2.2 million question was ODORS. They each had to decide whether to go on or stop. Skirboll and Warren stopped. As for Avila, he decided to go for it, with this question:
"According to a Yale University study of the most recognizable smells, which four of the following nine topped the list?"
1. Baby Powder
2. Peanut Butter
3. Moth Balls
4. Tuna
5. Coffee
6. Dry Cat Food
7. Chocolate
8. Cinnamon
9. Vicks Vaporub
As he pondered his choices, Avila said Tuna and Peanut Butter were at the top of his head, and after choosing those two, he went for Coffee and Vicks Vaporub.
As soon as the choices were Blue-lit, Chuck asked the producers, "Does he get a chance to change anything?" They said no, so, on we go to the climatic ending:
"Do we have Peanut Butter?" (Blue changes to Green)
"Is Coffee there?" (Blue changes to Green)
"How about Vicks Vaporub?" (Blue changes to Green)
At this point, everyone was on the edge of their seats, and Avila almost suffered a coronary ("My, my heart!"). Chuck said that Tuna was a great answer and everyone waited in wonder as Chuck asked the magic question:
"For $2.2 million, Is It TUNA?"
(Silence for 5 whole seconds)
"Is it?!"
(Tuna turns RED, and the downward chord plays)
As soon as they saw Tuna turn Red, everyone is left in shock. The correct answer was chocolate, as per Chuck "because it's not a pungent smell." (Anyone know why?)
So, Dan showed a lot of guts, but left empty-handed. He was, however, praised by all who watched him give it his all on that one question. He will be a part of Game Show fans forever, and I thank him for all that he did.
