$ALE [NBC]: Episode 54 (BIG MONEY WEEK FROM VEGAS)

[palmer7]

Sam Hodkin, in three games, has amassed a total of $342,367, already a non-tourney record. How long can he keep this up? Will someone defeat him? 


Maybe that someone will be you. Two new challengers, please. 

[hodders]

Pre-emptive check in.

[palmer7]

If you were in episodes 51 and 52, you can come back. (All except for Ian Sherman, that is.)

[patpun2016]

Let me try again!

[palmer7]

We have one, we need one more.

[redrangerdude]

I'll play

[palmer7]

---

(drumroll)
(shot of Sam)


Burton Richardson: (VO) So far, Sam Hodkin has won cash and prizes totaling..... $342,367!

(NBC cheers)


[OPENING THEME]





This week, one of our contestants could win a Corvette billiards table, an orchestral digital grand piano, or a cruise around the world!


And continue a journey towards a fortune in cash and prizes including this 2017 Rolls-Royce Dawn......




And hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash!


As we continue Big Money Week on.........




(echo)

(the screen zooms out to reveal the logo on the Tropicana video screen)





And now, from the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas, here's the star of the $ale! GREG PALMER!



(wild cheers and applause as I walk through the audience and up on stage)



Greg: I thank you, Burton Richardson. Thank you all, and welcome to another exciting edition of $ale of the Century. We're at the Tropicana Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. It's Big Money Week, and we have a champion who so far has been picking up quite a bit, if not most of it. In three games, he's picked up, free and clear, over $342,000 in cash and prizes. And he's taking that all the way back to Manchester, England. Let's welcome back a good player and a fine champion, Sam Hodkin! (audience cheers)


Hiya, Sam. Welcome back. After the show, we did the math and you've picked up over 342,000 American dollars, which translates to just a shade over 273,000 British pounds. How's all that going to work out at home? Will you have to pay taxes or anything?

[hodders]

Tax free so far as I know, may well have to do a self assessment on reflection. Any cars will be subject to duty, the accountant I suggested the other night can assist with that.

[palmer7]

That he did, that he did. Sam, should you win tonight, you could go home with a digital grand piano worth over $100,000. And then, you'd be one step away from the 2017 Rolls-Royce Dawn. (NBC "whoo") And here to introduce the challengers is Stacey Wren!


(Stacey comes out from behind the Fame Game board to cheers and applause)


Stacey: G'day, Greg. How are you?


Greg: Just fine. Stacey, did you, by chance, watch the Inauguration?


Stacey: I did, and I told my family back home all about it. There's sort of a mixed reaction. What about you?


Greg: I saw it, and I'm glad I did. It was a proud moment, made me glad to be an American. Stace, who are our challengers tonight?


(As Stacey introduces the contestants, models of the opposite gender escort them to their seats)


Stacey: Well, it seems we have a pair of high school students. From Bangkok, Thailand, please welcome Pat Punsiri! And from Washington, D.C., here's Lenny Jackson!


(audience cheers)


Greg: Well, two high school students. We'll see how much they know. Starting with Lenny. Hiya, Lenny. Now, your card here says you want to major in Performing Arts, and minor in Journalism. Do you have any particular schools in mind?

[redrangerdude]

Not right now. One choice is UCLA, but I'm still open to other options.

[palmer7]

UCLA's a good school, or so I've heard. I graduated from NC State University, and they have a fine theater program as well. Do you have any real-life experience? Have you been in any plays, musicals, the like?

[redrangerdude]

I have appeared in a production of Into the Woods as the wolf.

[palmer7]

Ah, interesting. Good. Well, good luck to you tonight.


Next, we have Pat. Pat, you're working towards your Associate's or Bachelor's degree in English. Have you had to read any Shakespeare yet?

[patpun2016]

Not yet, but I'm going on Shakespeare's next semester. Can I ask, do you have any recommends aside of Romeo & Juliet?

[palmer7]

Well, I read The Scottish Play in college, and I believe I read Hamlet and a few others. I'd also watch the 1935 film version of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Mickey Rooney's Puck is hilarious. Who else are you studying right now?

[patpun2016]

Well, that's the only literature study I'm doing right now. Others in the next semester are mostly writing and translating courses.

[palmer7]

All right, well, we'll just see if you can translate some of your knowledge into winnings. I mean, you're already going home with the stick pin and the Nintendo Switch game. Let's see if we can't add some more.


Stacey: Good luck to all of you. $20 to start. I'll see you later.


(the board initializes)




Lenny: $20
Pat: $20
Sam: $20



(Stacey exits)


Greg: Bye bye. And just to make one thing clear, Stacey is en route to getting engaged to another man. The allegations in the tabloids and by President Clinton are not true. And one more thing..... (I look at the tablet) The tablet with the questions is updating. (I pull out a bundle of paper questions and break the seal) We have paper backups! OK, Round 1. Here we go.



1. In what organ of the human body would you find the pons?
2. Who is the only U.S. President to serve two non-consecutive terms?
3. What two-word term was created by Kellyanne Conway in a recent interview on Meet the Press?
4. What did Jack Horner pull from his pie?
5. Audio question: What 1954 tango show tune is being heavily sampled in this song?


["Dance With Me" by Debelah Morgan]


(buzzcodes and answers, please)

[palmer7]

(is Lenny still in the land of the living?)

[palmer7]

(if he's not, first person to send in buzzcodes and answers via PM gets a shot)

[palmer7]

[OK, this has gone on far enough. Lenny has just been sent an e-mail informing him that his position is open. The next person to send in buzzcodes and answers to me for the above questions via PM gets Lenny's spot. If Lenny himself is the first to respond, he maintains his position.]

[redrangerdude]

I completely apologize for my absence. There were a lot of things I had going on. My answers have been submitted.

[palmer7]

[Hold on, we're determining your fate. Steven beat you to it.]

[palmer7]

[Lenny, Steve has decided to defer back to you. From now on, we're imposing 24-hour time limits, and rather than hand out strikes, we'll just proceed without you. The punishment will fit the crime in that way.]


1. In what organ of the human body would you find the pons?
(buzzcode: 73)
*Lenny buzzes in (79)*
Lenny?
Lenny: brain
Yes. And the challenger draws first blood.
(ding)


Lenny: $25
Pat: $20
Sam: $20



2. Who is the only U.S. President to serve two non-consecutive terms?
(buzzcode: 25)
*Sam buzzes in (24)*
Sam?
Sam: Grover Cleveland
Correct, and the champ moves up to $25.
(ding)


Lenny: $25
Pat: $20
Sam: $25


3. What two-word term was created by Kellyanne Conway in a recent interview on Meet the Press?
(buzzcode: 60)
*Lenny buzzes in (59)*
Lenny?
Lenny: alternative facts
That's right, challenger goes to $30.
(ding)


Lenny: $30
Pat: $20
Sam: $25



4. What did Jack Horner pull from his pie?
(buzzcode: 85)
*Pat buzzes in (67)*
Pat?
Pat: He put in his thumb... and pull out a plum!
That's what he did. Pat goes to $25.
(ding)


Lenny: $30
Pat: $25
Sam: $25


5. Audio question: What 1954 tango show tune is being heavily sampled in this song?


["Dance With Me" by Debelah Morgan, somebody pulled the video off YT]



(buzzcode: 48)
*Sam buzzes in (57)*
Sam?
Sam: Hernando's Hideaway
Olé! Right for $30.
(ding)


Lenny: $30
Pat: $25
Sam: $30



[INSTANT BARGAIN]


That sound means it's time for an Instant Bargain. The player in the lead can buy bargain merchandise, and we've got a Double $ale. Lenny and Sam are tied at $30. Only one of you can buy this, so when you hear the low $ale of the Century price, hit your buzzer, and this will be yours!


Stacey: Look up as the next prize comes on down.... it's an exotic chandelier!


["Match Play"]




Stacey: Designed by Ralph Lauren, this handcrafted chandelier made of mule-deer antlers and crystal uses eight 25-watt bulbs, and will make a lovely addition to any home's decor. Furnished by Neiman Marcus. And when you include shipping, it's normally priced at...


$10,750

But is yours on $ale of the Century for only....

$6


(cheers and applause)


Greg: Stacey! What have you done?

Stacey: But it's a lovely chandelier.

Greg: I'm sure it is, but now you've put us on Bob Barker's hitlist! (audience laughs) Animal rights activists are going to picket outside our show with signs that read "Buck Lives Matter". (audience laughs) We're going to have a word with the prize department about this. Um, gentlemen...... if you buy this, I'm going to throw in a $2,250 donation to the ASPCA in your name. Anyone interested in this?

[hodders]

*Keeping one's hand away from the buzzer*

[palmer7]

Ah, I see you're keeping your hand away from the buzzer. I'm dropping the price down to $3. $3 for a $2,250 donation to the ASPCA and this.... thing. Going once... going twice....

[palmer7]

No Sale. Nobody wants to buy. I don't blame you, take that thing back up! (the chandelier goes back up) OK. Back to the questions we go.



1. What cave, found in central Kentucky, is the world's longest cave system?
2. What tool's variations include mill, geared head and radial arm?
3. What Christian feast celebrates "tongues of fire" descending on the Apostles?


(buzzcodes and answers, please; you have 24 hours)

[palmer7]

1. What cave, found in central Kentucky, is the world's longest cave system?
(buzzcode: 61)
*Pat buzzes in (34)*
Pat?
Pat: The Mammoth Cave!
That's right, and we have a three-way tie!
(ding)



Lenny: $30
Pat: $30
Sam: $30


2. What tool's variations include mill, geared head and radial arm?
(buzzcode: 59)
*Pat buzzes in (76)*
Pat?
Pat: Drills?
Right you are! We would've also accepted saws. You take the lead.
(ding)



Lenny: $30
Pat: $35
Sam: $30


3. What Christian feast celebrates "tongues of fire" descending on the Apostles?
(buzzcode: 26)
*Pat buzzes in (50)*
Pat?
Pat: Pentecost!
And Pat pulls a hat trick, going to $40!
(ding)



Lenny: $30
Pat: $40
Sam: $30



(cheers and applause)

[FAME GAME]


Fame Game time. We're putting a $10 Money Card up on the board, and as you know, also hidden up there are $25,000 in cash and a brand new Chevy Camaro worth over $35,000. (audience cheers) But first, you must get control, and you can do that if you know this famous fictional thing.


I am a fictional dining establishment seen on a popular television series. The title character of my series is the resident fry cook, being hired in the pilot episode. In one version of my origin, I was born when my owner, who had been secluded in a deep depression after serving in the military that seemed endless, acquired a bankrupt retirement home and transformed it into me. However, there's another version of the origin, depicting that my owner was once a seafaring pirate and that I was originally his ship. My exterior has a wooden chassis with glass windows/walls and appears from the outside as an old lobster trap. My menu includes such items as the Jumbo Small Patty, the Junior Senior Sophomore Patty, the Quarter Ouncer Double Pounder, the Super Double Triple Patty, and Large Oyster Skins.


(buzzcode and answer, please; you have 24 hours)

[palmer7]

(buzzcode: 51)
*Lenny buzzes in (62)*
Lenny?
Lenny: The Krusty Krab
You are right! (audience cheers) Their slogan is "Come spend your money here!" Yeah, I remember that episode.


Stacey, where's the $10?

[tmann3x]

Stacey:  Behind number 6.

[palmer7]

(lights in motion)


Greg: Lenny, if you picked up that Money Card, you'd be in a tie. The lights are locked into your buzzer. Good luck, and fire when ready. (a letter from A-I, please)