The $40,000 Chain Reaction (USA, Ep. 49)

[dougmorrisontheair]

Then let's play this three-link chain...







(ding)

...with starts with ON and it ends with GIRL.

The link in the middle starts with T.

To save all four pennies, what is that missing link?

[koopakid17]

Top.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Not TOP. Here comes the next letter.







(ding)

T-A.

[koopakid17]

Tap.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Not TAP either. Here comes one more spare letter.







(ding)

T-A-R. And it is correct you're trying to save two pennies.

[koopakid17]

Target.

[dougmorrisontheair]

There we got it -- TARGET.







(ding; audience applause)

Someone or something is precise or exact is describe as "on target".

A target girl is the lovely female assistant in a knife throwing or similar act.

Kevin, you saved two pennies. Let's see if you can turn them into $20,000 -- when we come back.

(theme plays; audience applause)

[dougmorrisontheair]

(Doug in pre-recorded audio as theme plays)

If you'd like to be a contestant on The $40,000 Chain Reaction, call toll free 1-800-555-40CR. That's 1-800-555-4027.

(audience applauds)

Before we start our final chain, we want to acknowledge a major part of our past. We wouldn't have The $40,000 Chain Reaction, or any version of Chain Reaction for that matter, without The $10,000 Pyramid, which debuted 50 years ago *today* (3/26/23).

(audience cheers)

Oh, yes, Dick Clark's first celebrity guests were June Lockhart and Rob Reiner -- as they helped their contestant partners win a lot of money in one of television's most challenging minutes ever.

Today, the top payoff is at $100,000 -- and we wish the pyramid another 50 happy years.

(audience cheers)

Kevin, meantime, let's go for $20,000 in the final chain. And here it comes. As you know, we only spot you the top link.










(ding)

And today, it starts with MR.

As you know, we also spot you the first letter in each of the remaining link. We also spot you seven spare letters as you need them.

Each time you give a wrong guess, it costs you a spare letter. Should a spare letter complete a link, we can't "back into" the right answer -- and you'll be out of contention for the 20 grand.

But for each correct solution you do come up with on your own, the money in the bank does multiply by ten.









(ding)

And this is how the money grows on the money chain. You're starting with two cents. Give me six right answers and we'll cut you a check for $20,000.

(audience cheers)









(ding)

Okay, so here's the final chain back in view, Kevin.

Good luck. We're all rooting for you here. The next link under MR. starts with B.

[koopakid17]

Bone.

[dougmorrisontheair]

From The Legend of Dragoon, if I'm not mistaken.

Good guess -- but that's not it.

Here comes the first spare letter.









(ding)

B-I.

[koopakid17]

Nah, from Bluffington.

I'll say "Big."

[dougmorrisontheair]

I'm glad you said BIG when you did -- because that's right.









(ding; audience applause)

Several Mr. Bigs in pop culture -- the Mr. Big character from "Sex and the City", another Mr. Big from the Bullwinkle cartoons. There was even a rock band named Mr. Big.

Two dimes in the bank, Kevin. For two bucks, the next link starts with B.

[koopakid17]

Brain.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Not BRAIN. Here comes another spare letter.









(ding)

B-E.

[koopakid17]

Beast?

[dougmorrisontheair]

Oh no. It's not BEAST.

And in other bad news...









(ding)

The N completes the link for BEN.

Big Ben is the nickname for the bell of the Great Clock of Westminster in England.

Bank stays at 20 cents. $20,000 is out of reach. You can still win $2000. So let's make some money. Under BEN, the next link starts with N.

[koopakid17]

I got nothing.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Let's see if nothing becomes something as we give you...










(ding)

...N-A.

[koopakid17]

Another letter.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Okay, spare letters are getting scarce.  So you might want to take a guess after we give you...










(ding)

...N-A-P.

[koopakid17]

Oh, Napier.

[dougmorrisontheair]

There we go -- NAPIER is right.









(ding; audience applause)

Ben Napier is a co-host on the TV series "Home Town" -- airing on -- another network.

I know Ben and Erin personally.  They're great folks. 

Okay, two dollars in the bank, Kevin. Let's see if you can conserve those three spare letters. You will if you give the next link a really good guess. Below NAPIER, there's a G.

[koopakid17]

Gun.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Oh, what a great guess -- but GUN is not it. Here goes another spare letter.









(ding)

G-U.

[koopakid17]

Gush?

[dougmorrisontheair]

Not GUSH. Here's another letter.









(ding)

G-U-I.

[koopakid17]

Guile.

[dougmorrisontheair]

No that's not it either. Here comes your last spare letter.









(ding)

G-U-I-L. You'll have to solve this correctly to stay in business.

[koopakid17]

Guild.

[dougmorrisontheair]

If it's GUILD, you're still in business.









(buzz) (ahhs from the crowd; smattering of applause)

No! It was GUILLAUME -- as in the great actor Robert Guillaume.

Dr. Frank Napier, a school district superintendent, was portrayed by Robert Guillaume in the movie "Lean on Me".

Let's see the rest of the chain.









(ding)

Robert Guillaume voiced Rafiki in "The Lion King" -- and...









(ding)

Rafiki is the Swahili word for friend.

Well, you only won $2. But you won much more in the main game. We'll total up your winnings -- and we'll find out what could be ahead for you if you keep winning here on The $40,000 Chain Reaction.

(theme plays; audience applause)