It's been a while, but ABC's broadcasting 2 weeks of Who Wants
to Be a Millionaire next month. Brings back some memories,
doesn't it? Anyway, this week and next, they're holding both
live auditions and phone competition tryouts to find contestants
(for each show, half of the 10 contestants will be comprised of
tryout contestants, so even uglies and people who don't take baths
get a fair chance to compete). Here's a list of my problems with
this latest edition of Millionaire, as compared to the original
version, after perusing the find print on ABC's website:
1. The top prize is one million dollars (yes, the original show
had the same top prize, but it's still a letdown since they've had
10 million dollars top prizes since then).
2. You get no payment until 60 days after the show airs.
3. If you win a million, you only get a quarter mil initially. The rest gets
paid out over 20 years.
4. If you win the half million prize, you only get a quarter mil initially.
The rest gets paid out over 10 years.
5. Some of the levels have lower prize amounts. For example, what
used to be $32K is now only $25K.
6. You have to get one level farther in order to "lock in" the prize.
For example, previously you only had to get the $32K question right
in order to "lock in" $32K, but now you have to get the next question
right as well.
7. Due to a celebrity contestant answering one question at the end
of each show, the length of the show is shortened significantly, thus
reducing a contestant's chance of getting on from Fastest Fingers.
What a crock. Don't know about the rest of you, but I wouldn't want
to make an ass of myself on TV for this, especially having to deal
with the antics of that geriatric clown Reegie. But if you don't
mind, you better get on the phone and start calling in, because it
may be your big break.
