$ale of the Century [NBC]: Episode 37

[palmer7]

Sam Hodkin has $80 in his bank. He needs $95, not $90, for the trip to Disney World. (I plan on making that mistake known on this episode). 


Once again, I've been toying with the idea of changing the bonus round, this time to match the Ten in a Row endgame from the Australian version of Temptation.

What I was considering doing was giving each player their own personal cash jackpot of $500,000 and then playing 10 in a Row (the 2005 endgame) to increase that by as much as $100,000 each time. 10 questions, each one worth more money added to the account. If a contestant gives 10 in a row, he adds $100,000 to his personal account. If they miss one, they have to start all the way over.


$100,000
$75,000
$50,000
$25,000
$15,000
$10,000
$7,500
$5,000
$2,500
$1,000


Highest Potential Cash Jackpot: $1.1M ($500K + ($100K * 6))

Prize Levels:
7: Cash Jackpot and All Prizes
6: All Prizes
5: Car
4: Prize
3: Prize
2: Prize
1: Prize


If you have any feedback you'd like to give on this idea, then please let me know.



In the meantime, who would like to challenge Sam?

[GameShowNetwork]

I'm not sure if I've played this before or not. In any case, I will challenge Sam on this episode

[mringgenberg]

I'll be the other challenger.

[palmer7]

(all right)


(from a USA rebroadcast)

---

(drumroll)
(shot of Sam)


Pete Smith: (VO) This is our carryover champion, Sam Hodkin, from Manchester, England. Stand by to see Sam play for a trip to Disney World, valued at $14,209!



[OPENING THEME]






Tonight, on America's biggest bargain sale, we're offering a Maserati valued at $148,700 for $530!



All the prizes, plus a cash jackpot of $930,000 for $750!



Two of the incredible bargains on......




(echo)






And now, the American King of Quiz, Greg Palmer!


(the doors open and I run to my lectern)



Greg: I'm the King of Quiz now? Well! It's certainly good to be the king. Thank you, Peter Smith. Good evening, everyone, welcome to $ale of the Century. I hope you're doing well, and for the next 22 minutes, I'll be holding court... apparently.... Now, on our last show, John Lopez lost by $5, but he left us with almost $114,000 in cash and prizes. Didn't he do well? (audience cheers) We've got some high schoolers in the audience, and they've just about bought everything in the studio snack bar. We've crowned a new champion, and here he is from across the pond, Sam Hodkin! (audience cheers) Hiya, Sam. Welcome to night two of $ale. Now, you have been on a number of game shows before, but nothing like this. Am I right?

[hodders]

Correct, three to date.

[palmer7]

Yeah, I overheard it from the Contestant Coordinator. You were on some pretty high-brow stuff, but none of it with Maseratis on the line. Well, you have $80 in your bank, you need another win with $95 or more for that Walt Disney World trip. I said $90 last night, but then I remembered I gave you that discount on the entertainment system. It should actually be $95. Anyway, good luck to you.


And now, by special request of the network and the FCC, here's my Queen of Quiz for the evening, she wants to be your next president, here's Carly Fiorina!


(Carly walks out from behind the Fame Game board to cheers and applause)





Hello, Carly.


Carly: Good evening, Mr. Palmer.


Greg: Now now, let's not be so formal. You look very nice this evening.


Carly: Don't get the wrong idea, honey, I've been married 30 years. What are you, some sort of cougar hunter?


Greg: (I snort) Yeah right. The only reason you're here is because the FCC wanted to give you equal time.


Carly: And I plan on taking it. Our tax code is 73,000 pages. The weight and complexity of it are crushing everyday Americans, 59 percent of whom now have to hire a professional to help them with their taxes. It is also crushing the small and family-owned businesses that create 2/3 of our new jobs.


Greg: Now look, honey, if it were up to me, I'd ask Lorne Michaels to give you and Ben there your own special. But that's not gonna happen. So would you please tell us who our contestants are tonight?



(as Carly introduces the contestants, the doors open and models escort them to their seats)


Carly: Well, first, he works as a pizza chef at a... Canadian-based restaurant chain!? From Toronto, Ontario, Canada, here's Mark Liotta. And he works at a supermarket in the breadbasket of America. From Council Bluffs, Iowa, where I have an average of 3.7% in the polls, here's Matt Ringgenberg!


(audience cheers)


Greg: So, Matt... did you vote in any primaries or anything?

[mringgenberg]

I voted for the city council.

[palmer7]

Oh good. Good. To be rather more blunt, would you vote for this woman? (pointing to Carly)

[mringgenberg]

I'm not pretty sure.

[palmer7]

Carly: Oh this is going to make the tabloids.


Greg: Don't I know it? Well, good luck to you, Matt. Mark, you're working as a pizza chef for a Canadian-owned pizza chain. What's your specialty?

[GameShowNetwork]

Old fashioned Italian style pizza

[palmer7]

All right. Hottest flavors out there right now?

[GameShowNetwork]

I'm not too sure, actually

[palmer7]

All right. Not for nothing, but would you vote for Carly Fiorina?

[GameShowNetwork]

I'd vote for her

[palmer7]

Ya hear that, Carly? You've got one supporter. Granted, he's Canadian, but still.


Carly: Better than nothing, I'd say. Thanks a lot. I'll be seeing you later.


Greg: OK then, Carly. $20 to start.


(the board initializes)



Matt: $20
Mark: $20
Sam: $20



And we're away. Good luck to everyone. Let's go.


1. Which desert covers part of China and Mongolia?
2. In the Bible, whose wife was turned into a pillar of salt?
3. What element's chemical symbol are the letters "Na"?
4. In Treasure Island, what was Long John Silver's parrot Captain Flint's favorite phrase?
5. What space lies between Baltic Avenue and Reading Railroad on a standard American Monopoly game board?


(buzzcodes and answers, please)

[palmer7]

(bump for Sam's PM)

[palmer7]

(finally!)


1. Which desert covers part of China and Mongolia?
(buzzcode: 5)
*Matt buzzes in (41)*
Matt?
Matt: Gobi
That's right, and you draw first blood over the champ.
(ding)



Matt: $25
Mark: $20
Sam: $20





2. In the Bible, whose wife was turned into a pillar of salt?
(buzzcode: 72)
*Matt buzzes in (71)*
Matt again?
Matt: Lot
Right again, going to $30.
(ding)



Matt: $30
Mark: $20
Sam: $20



3. What element's chemical symbol are the letters "Na"?
(buzzcode: 18)
*Sam buzzes in (74)*
Sam?
Sam: Sodium
And Sam scores his first $5!
(ding)



Matt: $30
Mark: $20
Sam: $25




4. In Treasure Island, what was Long John Silver's parrot Captain Flint's favorite phrase?
(buzzcode: 15)
*Matt buzzes in (29)*
Matt?
Matt: Shiver Me Timbers
(wrong)
Oh no. "Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight! Rawk!" You lose $5 for that incorrect answer. Sorry.




Matt: $25
Mark: $20
Sam: $25


5. What space lies between Baltic Avenue and Reading Railroad on a standard American Monopoly game board?
(buzzcode: 99)
*Mark buzzes in (69)*
Mark?
Mark: Income Tax
Is exactly right, you get on the board.
(ding)



Matt: $25
Mark: $25
Sam: $25



[INSTANT BARGAIN]


Instant Bargain, and all three players are tied at $25. We have a Triple $ale, ladies and gentlemen. Well, guys, only one of you can have this item. Buzz in when you hear the low $ale of the Century price and this could be yours. Carly?



(Dr. Ben Carson holds up copies of Carly's 3-page tax code and makes more copies on this prize)







Carly: Like I was saying earlier, we as a country need to radically simplify the tax code so that we can re-start the real engine of growth in our economy. That means our tax code needs to go from 73,000 pages down to about three pages. And you can make copies of those three pages to pass to your friends and neighbors with this multi-function printer.


You'll get impressive color and productivity—from a desktop multi-function printer featuring an 8-inch touchscreen. HP Quick Sets enable one-touch workflows. You can preview and edit images prior to scanning, centrally manage your environment, and help protect sensitive business information with one handy device. I used to be CEO for this company, so I give you my personal guarantee that it works! Furnished by Hewlett-Packard. It's normally priced at...




$3,199


But tonight on $ale of the Century, it's yours for only....


$5



(audience cheers as I join them by the copier)


Greg: Dr. Carson! So good to see you again. How are things in the polls?


Ben: Could be better.


Greg: I certainly agree. (Ben hands me stapled copies of Carly's tax plan) Oh, and what's this? You each get an affidavit of the Hall-Rabushka tax plan. (I walk over and pass them out, then look at it myself) Well, this is..... something.


Pete: (VO) Not touching it with a 10-foot pole.


(audience laughs)


Greg: You're a non-factor, Peter. Anyway, would any of you be interested in this tax plan--- er, printer?

[mringgenberg]

Sold!

(hits buzzer)

[palmer7]

And right off the bat, Matt buys!


Carly: The tax plan?

Greg: No, the printer!


[SALE SURPRISE]
(audience cheers)

And a Sale Surprise to go with it! (Carly hands me the envelope, I open it up) Oh, and there are checks in here! Each check is worth $1,000, and there are.... (I pull the checks out) two of them! So that's $2,000 in cash, add that to the $3,199 printer, and you have $5,199 in cash and prizes.... (I pull out a dollar from my pocket) aww, why not? --- $5,200 for just the value of a question.


(I walk back to my lectern)



Matt: $20
Mark: $25
Sam: $25




Well done, and as we adjust your score, Sam and Mark are still in a tie at $25. Back to this for all three of you.



1. What ice cream flavor means "all fruits" in Italian and is also the name of a Little Richard song?
2. What are patients suffering from if a shrink dubs them a "trench coat"?
3. On Press Your Luck, the Whammy's girlfriend was named after what "Stand By Your Man" crooner?


(buzzcodes and answers, please)

[palmer7]

1. What ice cream flavor means "all fruits" in Italian and is also the name of a Little Richard song?
(buzzcode: 54)
*Sam buzzes in (55)*
Sam?
Sam: Tutti frutti
A-wop-bom-a-loo-mop-a-lomp-bam-boom!
(ding)


Matt: $20
Mark: $25
Sam: $30



2. What are patients suffering from if a shrink dubs them a "trench coat"?
(buzzcode: 21)
*Sam buzzes in (21, BULLSEYE!)*
Sam?
Sam: PTSD??
(wrong)
Nope. Exhibitionism. Dr. Carson will demonstrate during the break.
Ben: (off-camera) Hell no!



Matt: $20
Mark: $25
Sam: $25



Greg: I was kidding.

3. On Press Your Luck, the Whammy's girlfriend was named after what "Stand By Your Man" crooner?
(buzzcode: 34)
*Matt buzzes in (38)*
Matt?
Matt: Tammy Wynette
Correct, sir.
(ding)



Matt: $25
Mark: $25
Sam: $25




[FAME GAME]


That sound means it's time for the Fame Game. Players are competing for control of that board. Looking for a famous person.



I am an American R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor born in Camden, Arkansas with the name Shaffer Chimere Smith. As a young child, I was raised by my mother after she separated from my father. In hopes of better opportunity, she relocated the family to Las Vegas, Nevada. While in the Las Vegas Academy, I adopted the stage name "GoGo" and joined an R&B group called Envy, who appeared during amateur night on Showtime at the Apollo and on the MTV's The Cut. The group disbanded in 2000, and I continued to write songs for other artists before starting my solo career. My stage name has a link with a 1999 film starring Keanu Reeves. Marques Houston re-recorded one of my songs, leading to me being recognized as a top songwriter. My really big break came when I wrote "Let Me Love You" for Mario. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and later stayed at the top spot for nine weeks. After the successful release, Tina Davis, former A&R representative for Def Jam Recordings, arranged an informal meeting with label head L.A. Reid.


(buzzcode and answer, please)

[palmer7]

(buzzcode: 63)
*Sam buzzes in (45)*
Sam?
Sam: Ne-Yo
The Tin Man in The Wiz Live!, you are right! (audience cheers)


Where's the $10 Money Card, Carly?




(lights in motion)

Carly: Behind #3.


Greg: She's more checked out than Dick Clark at a polka convention. (audience chuckles) Anything to bring the name "Dick Clark" back into the American thought process. Well, Sam, you can pick up the lead here if you land on that $10. The lights are locked into your buzzer, good luck, and fire when ready. (a letter from A-I, please)

[hodders]

As Curtis Warren once said. Show me the money! (B)

[dougmorrisontheair]

[palmer7]

(he stops)


He misses the Money Card, but he does get....





Pete: (VO) $3,500 in cash!



(cheers and applause)


Greg: Well, we've shown Sam the money, just not money that counts toward his score. Speaking of NBC's continuing tradition of live Broadway musicals, why don't we get a production of 1776? With Cirque du Soleil, of course. (pause) They'll look into that? OK. We'll be right back.


(main theme to commercial)
(cheers and applause)
(fade to commercial)

---

(main theme closes, cheers and applause)


Greg: We're back, and I've got some good news. Chuck Barris has decided to step out of retirement for one night so he can present two back-to-back specials. The Carly Fiorina Rah Rah Show and The Ben Carson Rah Rah Show. That's two hours of great, live political propaganda airing Friday, December 18th at 8PM right here on NBC. And of course, Donald Trump is going to ask for equal time. Getting back to the game....



Matt: $25
Mark: $25
Sam: $25



All three players are tied at $25. No fear, there's plenty of money to be made. Round 2, here we go.


1. What beverage are the Greek Dionysus and Roman Bacchus gods of?
2. Who was Latin America's first female vice president?
3. What Chevy auto's name translated as "doesn't go" in Spanish-speaking countries?
4. How many colors are there in the spectrum?
5. What cereal manufacturer shares its name with the starting gate in a horse race?


(buzzcodes and answers, please)

[palmer7]

1. What beverage are the Greek Dionysus and Roman Bacchus gods of?
(buzzcode: 67)
*Sam buzzes in (34)*
Sam?
Sam: Wine
"Spill the wine, take that pearl". You're right.
(ding)



Matt: $25
Mark: $25
Sam: $30



2. Who was Latin America's first female vice president?
(buzzcode: 83)
*Sam buzzes in (53)*
Sam?
Sam: Isabel Perón
Correctamundo.
(ding)



Matt: $25
Mark: $25
Sam: $35



3. What Chevy auto's name translated as "doesn't go" in Spanish-speaking countries?
(buzzcode: 76)
*Sam buzzes in (91)*
Sam again...
Sam: Nova
Si. "No va" is Spanish for "doesn't go" or "no go". However, we have just learned that that is a myth. The Nova's model name was never changed for the Spanish-speaking market. However, that's a different story for a different day. You get $5.
(ding)



Matt: $25
Mark: $25
Sam: $40



4. How many colors are there in the spectrum?
(buzzcode: 29)
*Sam buzzes in (27)*
Sam again...
Sam: Seven
That's right. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Up to $45.
(ding)



Matt: $25
Mark: $25
Sam: $45






5. What cereal manufacturer shares its name with the starting gate in a horse race?
(buzzcode: 67)
*Sam buzzes in (50)*
Sam?
Sam: Post
That's right. All Post cereals just happen to be just a little better, a little bit better, than any other cereal happens to be. You get $5 for that, I better get a lot more.
(ding)



Matt: $25
Mark: $25
Sam: $50



[INSTANT BARGAIN]




And with that brilliant gameplay, you now have a $25 lead over your opponents. Sam! How'd you like this?



(Carly relaxes in her chair)






Carly: Sam, after a long day of trying to convince every government agency to provide a description of their activities as well as a summary of the cost-effectiveness and efficiency to you, the taxpayer.... I like to relax at home with this Infinity Riage massage chair. This cutting edge design utilizes the longest massage stroke ever brought to market! This groundbreaking massage mechanism operates from your neck all the way down to track under and include your gluteus muscles! Riage will invigorate, relieve, and revive 35% more of your being than any massage chair in existence today. Furnished by Brookstone. It's normally priced at...


$5,499


But on $ale of the Century, it's yours for only....


$10



(audience cheers as I join Carly)


Greg: It really works, doesn't it?


Carly: You bet your zero-based budgeting it does.


Greg: You're starting to make me wish we had Carly Simon....... (to Sam) Sam.... you have a $25 lead. You have smoked the competition. Could you use this chair?

[hodders]

I certainly could use that chair, but I want to keep that nice lead I've gained, who's to say someone else won't sweep a round?

[palmer7]

True, true, there is a $15 Money Card we'll add later to the board...... tell you what, you missed out on a $2,000 $ale Surprise, so I'll throw in half that. $1,000 in cash, and I'll also drop the price to $8. You'd still have a $17 lead if you bought.

[hodders]

Can't go being a Scrooge after all. *Buzzer pressed*

[palmer7]

That's the spirit! (audience cheers)


We knock $8 off Sam's score...





Matt: $25
Mark: $25
Sam: $42



And he still has a $17 lead. Enjoy the chair and enjoy the thousand in cash. (I walk back to my lectern)


Back to these questions.


1. What Missouri city is nicknamed The Gateway and Big Arch?
2. What name was given to the "mud-colored" uniforms developed by England in 1846?
3. What game show did Merv Griffin Productions unleash on the world on January 6, 1975?


(buzzcodes and answers, please)