Ask A Genius 1229: What game show would you have liked to be on?
Author(s): Rick Rosner and Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Ask A Genius
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2024/12/30
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What game show would you have liked to be on but never had the chance?
Rick Rosner: I’ve been on Jeopardy! once and lost, and I’ve been on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire twice. You can’t go on Jeopardy! More than once, so that’s off the table.
I was on Jeopardy! when I was 31. Maybe I should have waited another 20 years until I had gained 20 more years of knowledge—but not really. I was up against someone pursuing a double doctorate, and while I didn’t win, I came in a strong second. Most contestants on Jeopardy! Don’t win, especially since you’re often up against a repeat champion.
My training in trivia wasn’t like Ken Jennings’ rigorous preparation. I was on trivia teams in high school but never in college, nor did I participate much in bar trivia. The best Jeopardy! Contestants often compete on trivia teams weekly for years, like studying for the SAT. Over time, they learn nearly every question and answer that could come up.
I’m glad I got on the shows I did, but I wish things had gone less disastrously. Millionaire was especially frustrating. I wish I’d gotten a different set of questions. I left the show because of a question their writers had messed up.
The question was about the highest national capital city in the world. Their research was poor, and they didn’t include the correct answer. Instead, they presented a deceptive but attractive option: Kathmandu. Many people associate Kathmandu with being near the highest point on Earth. Still, the city is only about 4,500 feet above sea level. That’s high, but it doesn’t compare to cities like Bogotá, Quito, or Mexico City. Even those can’t compete with the highest capital, La Paz, Bolivia, four kilometres above sea level.
Because of my OCD and my strong sense of fairness, I spent much time trying to get them to acknowledge their mistake. That’s a whole separate story, however.
Jacobsen: Are there any game shows you wish you had been on?
Rosner: Not really. A lot of it comes down to luck. However, I do wish I could have been on The Wall. It’s a trivia and Plinko-style game show on NBC where players drop a disc down a grid of pins into slots worth anywhere from one dollar to a million dollars.
They don’t cast trivia experts for The Wall. Instead, they choose regular people with compelling human interest stories. If someone with strong trivia skills were cast, they could dominate the game and walk away with millions. However, the producers avoid that. They prefer average contestants at trivia, ensuring most players win between $200,000 and $700,000.
The Wall’s trivia is almost a red herring. The show is more about the drama of decision-making, whether to trust a family member in a soundproof room, and the suspense of where the disc will land. Casting strong trivia players would cost the show too much money. Millionaire did something similar when it moved to syndication, making it less about knowledge and more about entertainment and suspense.
You used to be able to get on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire by playing a phone game and answering trivia questions. Eventually, though, the executive producer explicitly stated that he didn’t like the type of contestants who were good at trivia—middle-aged white guys. Also, having highly skilled trivia players for syndication would have been too expensive.
In primetime, Millionaire generated more ad revenue per year than any other show in television history. It aired five nights a week at its peak, filling gaps in ABC’s schedule and drawing massive ratings. People loved it, and the network sold around a billion dollars worth of advertising annually.
When the show moved to syndication, it aired in the afternoons, attracting less than 10% of the primetime viewership. As a result, the payouts were smaller, and they shifted from selecting contestants through trivia-based phone games to casting people directly. While there was still a quiz component, contestants met with producers, and you could tell they weren’t as skilled at trivia. This led to lower winnings and made the show more cost-effective.
I wish I could get on shows like The Wall, which combine trivia and games of chance. But they don’t cast trivia experts—they choose regular people with compelling human interest stories. Those contestants often guess at the trivia, yet they still walk away with an average of $200,000 to $700,000.
The trivia in those shows is almost a distraction. The real drama lies in decision-making, trusting family members in soundproof rooms, and the suspense of where the Plinko-style disc will land. Casting strong trivia players would cost too much, so they avoid them. Millionaire did something similar when it transitioned to syndication.
Jacobsen: Have you ever been removed from a show after being booked?
Rosner: Yes. I was kicked off a quiz show I had been booked for on the day of taping. Officially, they said it was because someone on the staff knew me, which violates the rules. But it’s more likely they didn’t want me because I had previously sued a quiz show.
After that, I was on a show called Are You Smarter Than a Drunk Person? where I played the role of the drunk person. There wasn’t much at stake, as I was paid $500 just for appearing, regardless of whether I won or lost. I played two matches, won one, and lost one.
Still, I know I can’t get on The Wall because I don’t have a compelling human interest story, I’m not telegenic by their standards, and there’s the lawsuit. Plus, at 64, I’m probably too old for many shows.
Jacobsen: Did anyone in your family try out for game shows?
Rosner: My uncle was exceptional at trivia and tried out for Jeopardy! several times. He passed the initial 50-question test, which requires getting 44 or 45 questions correct, but never advanced. He had post-polio syndrome, which meant he walked with leg braces and had what some might consider a scary appearance.
When I started taking him to the tests, he was in his 60s and had wild, mad-scientist hair. He was a good-looking man in his youth, but later in life, his appearance likely kept him from getting on the show. Similarly, I’m in my 60s now, so I doubt I’ll ever be cast again, either.
Rosner: That’s funny.
Jacobsen: We’ll call it a night.
Rosner: Sounds good.
Jacobsen: Thank you.
Rosner: Thank you, too. Bye.
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