Game Show NewsNet - Grand Slam

Round 1: Jennings vs. Lee/Olmstead vs. Kitt - August 3

Today, sixteen of the genre's greatest champions are met on the same field of battle to match wits with each other. At stake, $100,000 and the title of greatest game show champion in the land. This... is "Grand Slam."

In our first episode, Jeopardy! legend Ken Jennings faces off against "World Series of Pop Culture" winner Victor Lee. Then biggest "Millionaire" winner Dr. Kevin Olmstead will pitch bout against the all-time winningest player on "Weakest Link," Michelle Kitt.

But first, Jennings vs. Lee. Let's meet the players...

KEN JENNINGS	VS	VICTOR LEE
33	Age	23
Computer programmer/author	Occupation	Student
Mountlake Terrace, WA	Hometown	Leonia, NJ
Jeopardy!: went on a reign of terror that spanned 75 days, two seasons, and over $2 million	Claim to fame	World Series of Pop Culture: won $83,333 as one-third of the Twisted Misters, who took the 2007 title.
1 vs. 100	Other games	none

Ken has more time nowadays to be Mr. Dad. His son Dylan is his biggest fan. HE, on the other hand, sees himself as a big target.

Victor hasn't really changed that much since his win. He still lives at home with his parents. Still has a boring job. He learned everything he knows from television. He predicts he is going to win it all.

Okay, an explanation of the rules...

Round 1: General knowledge questions.

Round 2: Numbers and logic.

Round 3: Words and letters.

Round 4: Mixed bag.

Players are each given one minute of the questioner's time. Correct answers will stop the clock; wrong ones will keep the clock going until they give a correct answer or they use one of three switches given to them for the entire match. A switch passes the question to their opponent. The player who runs out of time first loses the round, and the winner keeps the time remaining on his or her clock to use in the final round. Player who runs out of time in that round first is out of the tournament.

Round 1 begins... NOW.

What animals are named after the Greek words are "fearfully great lizards?" KEN: Dinosaurs. CORRECT :55.09	Who wrote the novel "Murder on the Orient Express?" VICTOR: Christie. CORRECT :55:87
In 2003, who became the youngest actor ever to win the Best Actor Academy Award? KEN: Adrien Brody. CORRECT :49.68	What historic document was signed at Runnymede in 1215? VICTOR: Magna Carta. CORRECT :50.74
Besides Mercury, what is the only major planet in our solar system without a moon? KEN: Venus. CORRECT :43.36	What is the Greek equivalent of the Roman god Neptune? VICTOR: Uranus. (Poseidon) Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I have a dream" speech on the steps of what Washington, DC landmark? VICTOR: The Washington Monument (Lincoln Memorial) What is the only current NFL team that incorporates numbers into its team name? VICTOR: 49ers. CORRECT :33.41
What brand of peanut butter shares its name with a literary character known for shadow-chasing? KEN: Peter Pan. CORRECT. :39.21	The Punic Wars were fought between Rome and what other ancient city-state? VICTOR: Carthage. CORRECT :28.62
How many ounces are currently in a standard 7-Eleven Big Gulp? KEN: 35. (32) The 2005 film "Good Night, and Good Luck" takes its title from a signoff used by whom? KEN: Edward R. Murrow. CORRECT :28.99	What is the chemical symbol for helium? VICTOR: He. CORRECT. :24.96
What infectious disease gets its name from an Italian phrase meaning "bad air"? KEN: Malaria. CORRECT :22.59	In 2003, Gwyneth Paltrow married Chris Martin, the lead singer of what British band? VICTOR: Coldplay. CORRECT. :20.24
What current African country was formerly known as "French Sudan"? KEN: Ethiopia. (Mali) In 2002, Switzerland became the 190th member state to be admitted to what? KEN: The United Nations. CORRECT :10.84	Which Stanley Kubrick film was released in 1999, after his death? VICTOR: "Eyes Wide Shut." CORRECT :14.95
Name one of the two cities where US coins for general circulation are minted for the treasury. KEN: Philadelphia. CORRECT :05.46	What yodeling folk singer reached #4 on the Billboard 200 with the debut album "Pieces of You"? VICTOR: Jewel. CORRECT :08.68
Who starred as Batman in the movie "Batman Returns"? KEN: Val Kilmer (Michael Keaton). What is the last name of popular TV psychologist Dr. Phil? TIME. Correct: McGraw

So Victor banks eight seconds and change to use in the final round. All three switches are still in play on both sides.

Round 2 begins... NOW.

	What is (9 x 7) / 3? VICTOR: 66 (21) How is 79 expressed in Roman numerals? VICTOR: LXXIX. CORRECT :45.26
What is 45²? KEN: Pass. (2025) What is the next number in this sequence? 2, 3, 5, 7, 11... KEN: 13. CORRECT :49.75	What is 84 x 40? VICTOR: Pass. (3360). If A = 1 and Z = 26, then what is X + Y? SWITCH! :33.69
KEN: 49. CORRECT :49.30	A trapezoid has how many sides? VICTOR: 5 (4). Express 7p in military time. VICTOR: 18 (1900) What is 60% of 110? VICTOR: 66. CORRECT :17.31
What is 4.7 + 5.6? KEN: 10.3. CORRECT. :45.84	If it's first and ten in an NFL game, how many feet does the offense need for a first down? VICTOR: 10 (30) What is 24.9 - 15.7? VICTOR: 9.2. CORRECT. :00.49
If the 13th of the month falls on a February, on what did of the week did the month begin? KEN: Saturday (Sunday) How many teaspoons are in one cup? KEN: 16 (48) What is (9 x 9) - 9? KEN: 72. CORRECT :31.62	Solve for y: 4y - 16 = 20 TIME. Correct: 9.

Ken now has an extra 31 seconds to use in the final and all of his switches. Victor is 23 seconds and one switch behind.

Round 3... begins now.

What newsman's name is an anagram of MOB AT WORK? SWITCH! :55.76	VICTOR: Tom Brokaw. CORRECT :58.45
What is the 15th letter of the English alphabet? KEN: O. CORRECT :51.35	Besides New Jersey, what is the only other US state whose name ends in the letter Y? VICTOR: Kentucky. CORRECT :52.29
What M is a city in India and a type of plaid fabric? KEN: Madras. CORRECT :45.91	What is the middle letter of the word "jambalaya"? VICTOR: A. CORRECT. :47.91
Unscramble this popular website: EBOUUTY KEN: Youtube. CORRECT. :42.50	What does the C stand for in the humanitarian organization known as UNICEF? VICTOR: Pass. (Children's.) What word of German origin means "ghostly double of a living person"? VICTOR: Doppelganger. CORRECT. :35.83
What is the middle letter of the word "acknowledgement"? KEN: L (E) What insect is hidden in the phrase THAT WAS PERFECT! KEN: Wasp. CORRECT.	Viewing the alphabet as a continuum, what letter comes 7 after W? VICTOR: D. CORRECT :26.31
What is the only member country of the European Union that begins with the letter E? KEN: England. (Estonia). What famous actress' name is an anagram of SKATE HOUND? KEN: Pass (Kate Hudson). SKY - - - - - HEARTED KEN: Light. CORRECT :16.46	Separate the world capital from its country in this jumble: RIECYELKAJAVINKD VICTOR: Reykjavik, Iceland. CORRECT :20.59
In internet chat lingo, the letter TTYL stand for what? KEN: Talk to you later. CORRECT :10.78.	What actor and stand-up comedian is an anagram of RICH CORKS? VICTOR: Chris Rock. CORRECT :15.23
What big cat is hidden in the phrase POPE LEO PARDONED THEIR SINS. KEN: Leopard. CORRECT :07.60	Spelling backwards, spell abominable. SWITCH! :12.16
KEN: E-L-B-A-N-I-M-O-B-A. CORRECT :02.91	What is the middle letter of the word "egregious"? VICTOR: G. CORRECT :08.30
What number value is found on the face of a P tile in Scrabble? TIME. Correct: 3

Victor is now up to 17 seconds flat in added time, 1:16.98 total. Ken still has 1:31.62. Victor has one switch to Ken's two, which will change, because for the fourth round, both players will be given an additional switch. Ken now has 3; Victor has 2. It's anyone's game to lose...

Round 4... begins NOW.

	Multiply the number of diamond playing cards in a standard deck with the number of vowels in the word "diamond". VICTOR: Pass. (39) What Chinese herb is hidden in this phrase: BRODY BEGINS ENGLISH CLASS TODAY. VICTOR: Pass. (Ginseng) What was the only state Walter Mondale carried in the electoral vote of the 1984 presidential election? VICTOR: Minnesota. CORRECT 1:00.32
Placed before an internet address, the abbreviation WWW stands for what? KEN: World Wide Web. CORRECT 1:26.08	What number is next in this sequence? 1, 2, 4, 7, 11, 16... VICTOR: 21. (22) What variety of apple shares its name with Japan's highest mountain? VICTOR: Fuji. CORRECT :49.30
The first "Forever" stamp issued by the US Postal Service in 2007 features a picture of what national treasure? KEN: The Statue of Liberty. (Liberty Bell) How long is 6 hours 11 minutes - 3 hours 4 minutes? KEN: 3 hours 7 minutes. CORRECT 1:12.70	What is the only South American country that is currently a member of OPEC? VICTOR: Venezuela. CORRECT. :44.06
When rolling dice, what B represents a throw of a pair of sixes? KEN: Boxcars. CORRECT. 1:07.68	Who immediately preceded Tony Blair as British Prime Minister? VICTOR: Pass. (John Major) Which is longer: 100 centimeters or 36 inches? VICTOR: 36 inches (100 cm) What actor founded the Sundance Institute, which runs its annual film festival in Park City, Utah? VICTOR: Robert Redford. CORRECT. :29.96
In a deck of American playing cards, the king of which suit is nicknamed "the suicide king" KEN: Hearts. CORRECT. 1:02.63	In a circle with a diameter of 6 inches, what is the length of its radius? VICTOR: Pass. (3 inches). What does the "T" stand for in the name of the cable channel known as TCM? VICTOR: Turner. CORRECT. :20.22
What world city was formerly known as Constantinople? KEN: Istanbul. CORRECT :58.95	What singer's first and last name is an anagram of WEEKLY CONE SNOB? VICTOR: Pass. (Beyonce Knowles) What internet company's informal corporate motto is "Don't be evil"? VICTOR: Orbitz. (Google) What high profile businessman owns the rights to the Miss Universe pageant along with NBC? VICTOR: Trump. CORRECT :01.06
Poland Spring bottled water is corrected from sources within what US state? KEN: Vermont. (Maine) What is 7.4 - 1.7? KEN: 6. ... (5.7) What two-time Academy Award winning actress's surname is a synonym of "posh"? KEN: Pass. (Hilary Swank) What letters would you added to the end of "TUNIS" to create the country for this capital? KEN: IA. CORRECT :36.20	What is two-fifths of 160? TIME!

The correct answer is 64, and Ken Jennings moves onto the quarterfinal round. Victor was a nice guy, and Ken said that he wanted to beat him in the nicest way possible. Mission accomplished. This might augur well for the guy from Jeopardy!. He'll take on either Rahim Oberholtzer or Phyllis Harris later.

Next on the docket is the biggest money winner on Millionaire vs. the biggest money winner on The Weakest Link. It's Dr. Kevin Olmstead vs. Michelle Kitt. Here's how they stack up.

KEVIN OLMSTEAD	VS	MICHELLE KITT
48	Age	32
Environmental engineer	Occupation	Instructional designer
Ann Arbor, MI	Hometown	Glen Allen, VA
Millionaire: won over $2.2 million, making him the highest winner in the show's history (currently, he ranks only behind Brad Rutter and Ken Jennings genre-wide)	Claim to fame	The Weakest Link: biggest winner, taking home $107,500
Jeopardy!	Other games	none

Since his April 2001 triumph, Kevin broke out of his shell. He went out and bought a minivan.

Since being on the Weakest Link, Michelle, who's up for any challenge, entered a bodybuilding contest, taught spinning, volunteers at a restaurant, and got an invite to yet another rapid-fire quizzer... this one.

Boards are set. Clocks are in place. Players are ready. Round 1 begins... NOW.

In humans, what blood type is known as the Universal Recipient? KEVIN: AB. CORRECT :56.00	What character from Greek mythology few too close to the sun and melted his wings? MICHELLE: Pass (Icarus) What is the second most expensive property on a standard Monopoly board? MICHELLE: Park Place. CORRECT :47:59
What 1996 film introduced the catchphrase "Show me the money"? KEVIN: Pass. ("Jerry Maguire"). In 2007, "Saturday Night Live" alumnus Al Franken announced his candidacy for US Senate in what state? KEVIN: Minnesota. CORRECT :44.06	KKD is the NYSE ticker symbol for what morning treat manufacturer? MICHELLE: Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. (C-Note: The official doughnut of GSNN and game show fans everywhere). CORRECT :40.99
What famous battle is popualrly known as "Custer's Last Stand"? KEVIN: Little Bighorn. CORRECT :38.41	The Hawaiian word for "quick" is prominently featured in the name of what online encyclopedia? MICHELLE: Wiki. (Wikipedia). What security company known for its bulletproof armored trucks as been in operation since 1859? MICHELLE: Pass. (Brinks) What rap artist's real name is Robert Van Winkle? MICHELLE: Vanilla Ice. CORRECT :20.60
The lampshade-like collar that injured pets wear takes its name from what era of the British monarchy? KEVIN: Victorian (Elizabethan) What nickname is often applied to the brass-colored mineral pyrite? KEVIN: Iron. (Fool's gold) The infamous French penal colony Devil's Island was located off the coast of what continent? KEVIN: South America. CORRECT. :19.84	What type of bird is central to "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"? SWITCH! :15.97
KEVIN: Albatross. CORRECT. :17.98	What actor pilots his own Boeing 707 and in 2002 became an ambassador for Qantas Airlines? MICHELLE: Pass. (John Travolta) Traditionally, what color is the "zero" slot on a standard roulette wheel in Las Vegas? MICHELLE: Red. (Green) Singer Gordon Sumner is better known by what name? MICHELLE: Sting. CORRECT TIME!

Kevin wins this round and an additional almost 18 seconds tacked on to his final clock. Round 2 begins... NOW.

	What is 75% of 280 MICHELLE: Pass. (210) In the decimal 4.85632, what digit is in the ten-thousandths place? MICHELLE: 3. CORRECT :49.23
Multiply the number of yards in a mile by the square root of 4. KEVIN: Pass. (3520) What is 8² + the square root of 144? KEVIN: 76. CORRECT :44.89	Which of these amounts is worth more money, 16 nickels or 3 quarters? MICHELLE: 16 nickels. CORRECT :43.26
200 centimeters is equal to how many millimeters? KEVIN: 2000. CORRECT :41.17	If Irene has 50 items in her shopping cart, three of which are fruit, what percentage of the items in her cart is fruit? MICHELLE: 6. CORRECT :36.07
If X is trying to move in this tic-tac-toe game, which square forces an eventual win? o 1 2 o 3 4 x o x KEVIN: 3. (2) How is the year 1976 expressed in Roman numerals? KEVIN: MCMLXXVI. CORRECT :21.73	What is 70% of 400? MICHELLE: Pass. (280) What number is next in this sequence: 80, 40, 20, 10... MICHELLE: 0. (5) What time is exactly 3 hours and 46 minutes later than 3:15p? MICHELLE: 7:01. CORRECT :19.57
What is three-fourths of 20? KEVIN: 15. CORRECT :18.01	Which weighs more: a kilogram or a pound? MICHELLE: A kilogram. CORRECT :16.14
What is 80 + 30 - 17? KEVIN: 93. CORRECT :11.68	In square inches, what is the area of a right triangle with a base of 5 inches and a height of 8 inches? MICHELLE: Pass. (20) What is 7 feet 4 inches in inches? MICHELLE: 84 (88) What is 4 x 5 x 6? TIME! Correct: 120.

11.68 seconds goes into Kevin's final bank. He still has all three switches. Michelle has two. Round 3... begins now.

What letter is halfway between J and T in the English alphabet? KEVIN: M (O) What 41 cent item is hidden in this phrase: YOUR FIRST AMPLIFIER KEVIN: Stamp. CORRECT :47.26	Switch two letters in DAIRY to get a journal. MICHELLE: AI. CORRECT. :54.10
Spell "inoculate". KEVIN: I-N-N-O.... See above. COUNT - - - - WIND KEVIN: Down. CORRECT :36.15	What constant would you add to "trident" to get an adjective meaning loud and harsh? MICHELLE: S. CORRECT :49.41
What beverage is hidden in this phrase: FRENCH FORCES PRESS ONWARD SWITCH! :29.35	SWITCH! :47.59
KEVIN: Espresso. CORRECT. :26.93	Add vowels to _NN_P_L_S to get a US state capital. MICHELLE: Annapolis. CORRECT. :43.55
Separate the NFL team from its home city: DEBRNONVECROS KEVIN: Denver Broncos. CORRECT :22.55	What does the G stand for in the controversial substance HGH? MICHELLE: Growth. CORRECT. :37.86
Spell "liaison" KEVIN: L-I-A-S-I... See above. What I is a pelvic bone in humans or the Latin name for the ancient city of Troy? KEVIN: Ileum. CORRECT :10.17	Add letters to _O___R_ER T___H to get the name of a civil rights leader of the past. MICHELLE: Sojourner Truth. CORRECT. :32.62
What legendary character is an anagram of CASUAL ANTS? SWITCH! :05:25.	MICHELLE: Pass (Santa Claus). How many total vowels are in the word "conscientious"? MICHELLE: Pass. (6) What actor's name is an anagram of HUNG GARTH. MICHELLE: Hugh Grant. CORRECT :18.15
BUCK ---- GLASS KEVIN: Pass. (Shot) *TIME!*

Michelle wins this round and 18.15 seconds to put her final clock at 1:18.15 against Kevin's 1:29.66. Both players will get an extra switch. Will Michelle use her two switches to freak out her opponent and make up that difference, or will Kevin pull out the win with his two?

Round 4... begins NOW.

	An equilateral triangle with a perimeter of 42 inches has sides of what length? MICHELLE: 14. CORRECT 1:12.49
Suri Cruise's mother formerly starred on what WB television show? KEVIN: Pass. (Dawson's Creek) What Eastern religion is hidden in the phrase PUT THE CASH IN TOM'S WALLET? KEVIN: Shinto. CORRECT. 1:19.00	On the NBC show "Law & Order: SVU", the V stands for what? MICHELLE: Victims. CORRECT 1:07.35
What is one-third of 864? KEVIN: 288. CORRECT 1:11.75	What does the Y stand for in the abbreviation FYI? MICHELLE: Your. CORRECT 1:02.11
What European city is home to the world-famous art museum, the Uffizi Gallery? KEVIN: Florence. CORRECT 1:06.45	What math set, NOT a number, is written as a circle with a slanted line drawn through it. MICHELLE: Null. CORRECT :55.90
How many I's are in the word "gingivitis?" KEVIN: 3. (4) What R is the eldest son of Jacob in the Old Testament? KEVIN: Pass. (Ruben) In what US city could you visit the John G. Shedd Aquarium? KEVIN: Chicago. CORRECT :49.30	How is 555 expressed in Roman numerals? MICHELLE: DLVI. (DLV) The lead singer of what band co-wrote and sang Carlos Santana's 199 hit song "Smooth"? MICHELLE: Rob Thomas. (Matchbox Twenty) What country's name is an anagram of ANTI ANGER? MICHELLE: Tangiers. (Argentina) How many prime numbers are there between 4 and 20? SWITCH! :26.65
SWITCH! :48.28	SWITCH! :25.57
SWITCH! :47.34	MICHELLE: 3. (6) Producer Oprah Winfrey brought a production based on what film to the Broadway stage in December of 2005? MICHELLE: The Color Purple. CORRECT. :17.82
In the English alphabet what letter comes 10 before R? KEVIN: Pass (H) In the Bible, what tree's leaf did Adam use as a loincloth in the Garden of Eden? KEVIN: Fig. CORRECT :35.18	What is 15 + 68 - 57? MICHELLE: Pass. (26) Zeppo and Gummo were the lesser known of what group of funnymen? MICHELLE: Marx. CORRECT :08.99
At the end of "The Shawshank Redemption," Andy and Red reunited on a beach in what Mexican town? KEVIN: Tijuana. (Zihutanejo) If Butch weighs 260 pounds and can lift 40% of his body weight, how many pounds can he lift? KEVIN: Pass. (104) What member of the current "first family" received a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Texas? KEVIN: Mrs. Bush. (Jenna Bush) Spell "salacious". KEVIN: S-A-L-I-C... See above. The landed bound by the Euphrates and Tigris rivers was once known by what Greek name meaning "between the rivers"? KEVIN: Mesopotamia. CORRECT :01.13	Multiply the number of commandments received by Moses by the number of sides in a triangle. MICHELLE: 30. CORRECT :02.34
Joaquin Phoenix played what singer in the 2005 film "Walk the Line"? TIME!

Correct answer was Johnny Cash, and in an upset, Michelle Kitt moves on. She will play either John Carpenter or Thom McKee. We'll see who later on.

Next time on the Shlam... the man who beat Ken Jennings takes on half of the luckiest team in Lingo history, while a tax-free Millionaire takes on "the Tim Duncan of game shows". See you then.