Author Topic: Millionaire Questions... (Read 123595 times)

PYLdude · « **Reply #720 on:** February 26, 2007, 01:59:25 AM »

[quote name=\'whoserman\' post=\'146855\' date=\'Feb 25 2007, 03:40 PM\']
At that point, you could probably dismiss Oz and Kane as being WAY too short, (1:40 and 2:00 respectively.) All that remains then is whether or not Zhivago is over three hours. (It is.) Admittedly, you'd have to see Zhivago in order to know that, but the MDQ shouldn't be a TOTAL gimme. And even if you haven't seen it, you can get pretty deep into the question before you realize you can't create an answer.
[/quote]

At the same time, though, I think that out of all of the choices Zhivago would probably be the most obvious. I do agree you could eliminate Kane and Oz fairly quickly. But why do I think Zhivago is most obvious? Almost all of the information I heard about the film over the years includes either the word "long" or "epic" in it at one point or another. Usually when one hears the word "epic" associated with a film, usually they would draw the connection with the long length of said film.

Does, at this point, a contestant immediately draw the conclusion? If they've seen the movie, yes. If they've heard of it? Maybe. Just because I might draw the connection right away doesn't mean that Joe Schmo from Shysterville, Wyoming might.

Solid question, Kev...don't know if we'd see it as an MDQ, though.

TLEberle · « **Reply #721 on:** February 26, 2007, 02:10:12 AM »

[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'146893\' date=\'Feb 25 2007, 10:59 PM\']Solid question, Kev...don't know if we'd see it as an MDQ, though.[/quote]The problem for me is that it fails the "Who cares?" test. You're asking which of four films is longest. Even if you've seen all four of them, and remember their running time, I'm still left thinking "Ok, great. So what. Next question." Sort of like the $100k question during this last movie week that asked which Hollywood couple had appeared in two movies together in 2006. Whee. <twirls index finger in a circle>

A million dollar question, or really anything after about $8,000 or so should leave me thinking, "Hm, that's neat," or "I learned something today," or something to that effect.

aaron sica · « **Reply #722 on:** February 26, 2007, 12:11:01 PM »

Should a million dollar question border on the extremely obscure?

Here's one, comments as always are welcome.

What is "Peppermint" Patty's (of "Peanuts" fame) last name?

A. Reynolds
B. Rafferty
C. Reichardt
D. Ruffin

SRIV94 · « **Reply #723 on:** February 26, 2007, 12:22:28 PM »

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'146913\' date=\'Feb 26 2007, 11:11 AM\']
Here's one, comments as always are welcome.

What is "Peppermint" Patty's (of "Peanuts" fame) last name?

A. Reynolds
B. Rafferty
C. Reichardt
D. Ruffin
[/quote]
I like it--only because I happen to know the answer (which is C).

So if I could get it right. . .

mmb5 · « **Reply #724 on:** February 26, 2007, 12:24:10 PM »

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'146913\' date=\'Feb 26 2007, 12:11 PM\']
Should a million dollar question border on the extremely obscure?

Here's one, comments as always are welcome.

What is "Peppermint" Patty's (of "Peanuts" fame) last name?

A. Reynolds
B. Rafferty
C. Reichardt
D. Ruffin
[/quote]

If this was my $1,000,000 question, I would be grinning from ear to ear.

Interesting question, but not that obscure among Peanuts-o-philes. Depends on what percentage of the population that entails.

This one wouldn't be without precedent, an earlier $1M question asked for the maiden name of Carol Brady, mentioned in only one episode (plus one of the movies). I believe PP's last name has been mentioned in more than one strip.

--Mike

tomobrien · « **Reply #725 on:** February 26, 2007, 12:24:38 PM »

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'146913\' date=\'Feb 26 2007, 11:11 AM\'] Should a million dollar question border on the extremely obscure?
Here's one, comments as always are welcome.
What is "Peppermint" Patty's (of "Peanuts" fame) last name?

A. Reynolds
B. Rafferty
C. Reichardt
D. Ruffin
[/quote]
First off, you' d have to recast the question so it's grammatically clearer ("In the 'Peanuts' comic strip, what is...") But more importantly, I think Travis' "who cares" test applies here, too. To me, this just feels like an excruciatingly obscure detail, and not one that you'd even have a chance of reasoning out.

clemon79 · « **Reply #726 on:** February 26, 2007, 12:52:14 PM »

I think it's interesting, personally, but that might be because I knew this particular nugget of knowledge. So I totally see the "who cares" point.

aaron sica · « **Reply #727 on:** February 26, 2007, 04:06:28 PM »

[quote name=\'tomobrien\' post=\'146916\' date=\'Feb 26 2007, 12:24 PM\']
First off, you' d have to recast the question so it's grammatically clearer ("In the 'Peanuts' comic strip, what is...") But more importantly, I think Travis' "who cares" test applies here, too. To me, this just feels like an excruciatingly obscure detail, and not one that you'd even have a chance of reasoning out.
[/quote]

I completely understand. I tried as best as possible to make it gramatically correct and I left the question written knowing it probably wasn't; not to mention that no, there wasn't much reasoning involved. Mea Culpa.

I'm actually a bit surprised by the number of people who admitted they know this besides me - was her last name only mentioned more than once like you said, Mike? I only can remember seeing it in a strip where she was either introducing herself to someone or writing a letter.

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #728 on:** February 26, 2007, 04:08:24 PM »

Quote

This one wouldn't be without precedent, an earlier $1M question asked for the maiden name of Carol Brady, mentioned in only one episode (plus one of the movies).

I remember that. When I first saw that Carol Brady question, I thought this is too easy for the $1 million question...but after looking at the answers I figured there was something I was missing (the correct answer Tyler was only mentioned on the pilot episode; Martin was the one I first thought it was).

If I was sitting in the seat during that question, I wouldn't have played it.

clemon79 · « **Reply #729 on:** February 26, 2007, 04:31:03 PM »

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'146943\' date=\'Feb 26 2007, 01:06 PM\']
I'm actually a bit surprised by the number of people who admitted they know this besides me - was her last name only mentioned more than once like you said, Mike? I only can remember seeing it in a strip where she was either introducing herself to someone or writing a letter.
[/quote]
I think it's just a pretty common bit of trivia, is all. I mean, it's a natural question to ask about a comic strip character who is primarily referred to by their first name.

PYLdude · « **Reply #730 on:** February 26, 2007, 04:35:27 PM »

[quote name=\'tomobrien\' post=\'146916\' date=\'Feb 26 2007, 12:24 PM\']
[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'146913\' date=\'Feb 26 2007, 11:11 AM\'] Should a million dollar question border on the extremely obscure?
Here's one, comments as always are welcome.
What is "Peppermint" Patty's (of "Peanuts" fame) last name?

A. Reynolds
B. Rafferty
C. Reichardt
D. Ruffin
[/quote]
First off, you' d have to recast the question so it's grammatically clearer ("In the 'Peanuts' comic strip, what is...") But more importantly, I think Travis' "who cares" test applies here, too. To me, this just feels like an excruciatingly obscure detail, and not one that you'd even have a chance of reasoning out.
[/quote]

I agree. There's such a thing as obscure, and there's such a thing as completely out of left field. This qualifies as the latter.

I don't mind seeing obscure on Millionaire, but this is beyond that. Yes, some people do know that, but I'm willing to bet that the majority don't.

tomobrien · « **Reply #731 on:** February 26, 2007, 05:30:29 PM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'146947\' date=\'Feb 26 2007, 03:31 PM\']
I think it's just a pretty common bit of trivia, is all. I mean, it's a natural question to ask about a comic strip character who is primarily referred to by their first name. [/quote]
I'd agree with you on the latter point, disagree on the former. I think most people would have a difficult time even coming up with Linus and Lucy's last name, let alone a character who's more of a "supporting player." I'm not saying I think the Carol Brady question was that great either...to me, it falls into this same category.

BrandonFG · « **Reply #732 on:** February 26, 2007, 06:20:55 PM »

Let's try this one.

Mexican president Vicente Fox once served as president of which company's Latin American headquarters?
A. McDonald's
B. Coca-Cola
C. IBM
D. Chevrolet

cweaver · « **Reply #733 on:** February 26, 2007, 06:49:39 PM »

[quote name=\'tomobrien\' post=\'146958\' date=\'Feb 26 2007, 06:30 PM\']
I think most people would have a difficult time even coming up with Linus and Lucy's last name, let alone a character who's more of a "supporting player." I'm not saying I think the Carol Brady question was that great either...to me, it falls into this same category.
[/quote]

A lot of people certainly know that one, even my daughter who's not that big a Peanuts fan. Over the weekend, a Philbin Millionaire rerun asked about where Charlie Brown originally got Snoopy. I don't remember all the choices but I knew the answer. What about that one?

BTW I think the Peppermint Patty question passes the "Who cares?" test because most people would likely say "Wow, Peppermint Patty had a last name?" Kind of like asking the given name of the Skipper (or Professor) on Gilligan's Island.

clemon79 · « **Reply #734 on:** February 26, 2007, 07:42:34 PM »

[quote name=\'cweaver\' post=\'146965\' date=\'Feb 26 2007, 03:49 PM\']
I don't remember all the choices but I knew the answer. What about that one?
[/quote]
As an MDQ? No way, WAYYY too easy, especially since it was pretty much the central subject of "Snoopy Come Home"...