The $40,000 Chain Reaction (USA, Episode 4)

[Deleted]

For the censors, my answer is "full house".  (audience laughter)

[dougmorrisontheair]

The censors are grateful for the guess -- and you'll be glad to know you're right.










(ding; audience applause)

In the card game of poker, three of a kind and a pair make a full house.

You're up to four dimes in the bank. Let's make it four bucks. Under FULL HOUSE, there's a B. What you B thinking?

[Deleted]

Bob Saget

[dougmorrisontheair]

Nailed it!










(ding; audience applause)

The TV sitcom "Full House" starred Bob Saget.

Four dollars now in the bank. Every right answer from here adds another zero. Next link below starts with a C.

[Deleted]

comedy

[dougmorrisontheair]

(cuckoo bird)

No, that's not the censorship of a naughty word. That's the judge's way of telling Michael he's in the ballpark with his guess of COMEDY.

Michael, one chance to capitalize comes here.

[Deleted]

comedian

[dougmorrisontheair]

(buzz)

Nope. Sorry. 'Fraid that'll cost another spare letter.









(ding)

And, not much of a surprise, the next letter's an O.

[Deleted]

comic?

[dougmorrisontheair]

Third guess is the charm.










(ding; audience applause)

Bob Saget is a stand-up comic.

You're up to $40. Let's make it $400. Under COMIC is another link starting with C.

[Deleted]

cartoon

[dougmorrisontheair]

Great guess but not CARTOON. Another free letter goes away.










(ding)

C-O.

[Deleted]

I won't do a Captain Kirk impersonation to this.  Con!  (audience laughter)

[dougmorrisontheair]

No matter how you say it, CON is right.









(ding; audience applause)

Fans of comic books might attend a convention known simply as a comic con.

Michael, it's a good thing you said CON when you did. A wrong answer would've completed the link and taken you out of the running for the $40,000.

Right now, you have 40,000 cents or $400. Next right answer is for $4000. Under CON, we have an A.

[Deleted]

artist

[dougmorrisontheair]

That's it! ARTIST!










(ding; audience applause)

Someone who tries to pull off a major scam might be considered a con artist.

Well, Michael, one link away from another $40,000. Last link starts with an R. You'll see as many as the next four letters. But let's see if you can win it here. What's that final link below ARTIST?

[Deleted]

Rembrandt

[dougmorrisontheair]

(scattered cheers)

If it's REMBRANDT, you have another $40,000. If not, you'll see the next letter in the link. Is it REMBRANDT?

























































(dings; audience applause; win music plays)

IT'S REMBRANDT!!!

Rembrandt van Rijn, the famous Dutch artist and painter. Michael, another day, another $40,000. How do you feel?

[Deleted]

I feel much better than the Seahawks.  That's for sure!  (audience laughter)

[dougmorrisontheair]

And better than my Spurs of late. (scattered laughter) Michael, I tell ya what, we're going to take a break, add up your winnings and tell you where you could go from here -- here on The $40,000 Chain Reaction.

(theme plays; audience cheers)

---

---

(theme plays; audience applause)

And we're back with Michael Clifford, our affluent champion. Michael, before we total up your winnings, let's revisit the final chain and the rulings we made on that center link.










Going from BOB SAGET to COMIC, that refers to his work as a stand-up comic. From COMIC to CON, that refers to the event comic book fans meet.  Clearly, COMIC had more than one meaning.

Michael, when guessing the link under BOB SAGET, you'll recall you guessed COMEDY, got the cuckoo bird, guessed COMEDIAN, got the buzzer and had to spend a spare letter. You then guessed COMIC and got it right.

Here's why. If we used this chain in the main game and you, obviously, would play against another player, a guess of COMEDY or COMEDIAN would've been ruled incorrect. That's because you could play the chain down from BOB SAGET, up from CON or, perhaps, both. You'd have to be spot on with COMIC or come up with the plural COMICS in order to score.

However, in the final chain, the only way you can play is down one link at a time -- and you're playing against the house. That's why the judge allowed some leeway.

Ultimately, it didn't matter much. You still won 40 grand and you had four letters to spare when it could've been three.

Now, let's add up your winnings. You came into this episode with $57,000. You scored $5000 in the main game. You also picked up $1250 from the money link. You topped off this show with another $40,000 chain reaction. That brings your cash total for three wins to...

...$103,250.

(audience cheers)

Now, if you win two more games, you'll retire undefeated *and* pick up an instant bonus of $40,000 for five straight wins. So, if Michael here can keep winning, he could pocket more than $120,000 before his reign's over.

(audience cheers)

Of course, Michael, tomorrow's challenger wants to stop your winning ways and start his or her own run toward big payoffs.

Friends, we don't have time for an audience game. (scattered groans) But we invite you to stay tuned for The New Dance Party USA. It's Throwback Thursday featuring the music of special guests -- the ladies from Exposé. Considering I had a case of the smittens for Ann way back when, even I'll stay tuned.

For all of us on the chain gang -- some of whom *also* had a case of the smittens for Ann -- this is Doug Morris saying -- make it a great day, keep the faith and treasure your loved ones.

(theme plays; audience applause)

POPEYES LOUISIANA KITCHEN

GENERAL FOODS

TRUE VALUE

Z-BRICK

SCISYS

HASBRO, INC.