"I just saw something on CNN Headline News that
the company that (I think) provides Who Wants To Be A
Millionaire with its prize money is upset -- they claim that
they're having to pay out too much in prize money.
They're demanding that the US version have harder
questions and "less intelligent"
contestants."
Doesn't surprise me much, Kris, given the fact that the
UK version (Chris Tarrent is *so* much better a
host, BTW... ;) hasn't had a million pound winner yet.
Closest they've come is 500,000 quid.
Mind you,
the UK version probably has an extensive blacklist
(at the least, every member of the Oriel, Oxford team
that was at last year's NAQT Nats is... I know coz my
boyfriend is one of them... :) and harder questions. But
getting dummies seems harsh to me. Mind you, it does
bring to mind Rob's idea of "Beat the Monkey" as a
gameshow. <grin>
Patty