The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: DoorNumberFour on March 12, 2012, 10:16:24 AM
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John Carpenter, American Millionaire's first jackpot winner.
For old times' sake: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGs9THQnZec
And here he is now: http://i42.tinypic.com/108a8fs.jpg
Very friendly guy. He's doing great -- still lives in Hamden, CT, about 20 miles away from where I live, in West Haven.
Two former Millionaire contestants standing in the same spot...what are the odds?
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If you ever go to the NAQT High School Nationals, you'd be surprised at the number of Jeopardy and Millionaire contestants that attend. I've moderated that tournament for the past couple years, and I've come across quite a few who still volunteer their time to the tournament. Last year I met Kevin Olmstead (the $2m jackpot winner) and David Madden from Jeopardy, and I'm sure there were less prominent contestants at the event who I didn't recognize.
Still, it's cool that you found John. Still can't believe it's been 12 and a half years since he won.
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If you ever go to the NAQT High School Nationals, you'd be surprised at the number of Jeopardy and Millionaire contestants that attend. I've moderated that tournament for the past couple years, and I've come across quite a few who still volunteer their time to the tournament. Last year I met Kevin Olmstead (the $2m jackpot winner) and David Madden from Jeopardy, and I'm sure there were less prominent contestants at the event who I didn't recognize.
Still, it's cool that you found John. Still can't believe it's been 12 and a half years since he won.
Out of curiosity, what city is the NAQT High School Nationals held in? If it's anywhere in Ohio, I may try to see it one year...
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That's great. I was at the parade too. Never left the bar I was in.
I interviewed John Carpenter years ago when "Super Millionaire" was on. Nice guy. Nice family.
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That's great. I was at the parade too. Never left the bar I was in.
I interviewed John Carpenter years ago when "Super Millionaire" was on. Nice guy. Nice family.
OK, having actually met and interviewed Carpenter, would you say the criticism dumped on him at the time of his victory (mainly about him coming off as "smug" or "cocky") was unwarranted?
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If you ever go to the NAQT High School Nationals, you'd be surprised at the number of Jeopardy and Millionaire contestants that attend. I've moderated that tournament for the past couple years, and I've come across quite a few who still volunteer their time to the tournament. Last year I met Kevin Olmstead (the $2m jackpot winner) and David Madden from Jeopardy, and I'm sure there were less prominent contestants at the event who I didn't recognize.
Still, it's cool that you found John. Still can't believe it's been 12 and a half years since he won.
Out of curiosity, what city is the NAQT High School Nationals held in? If it's anywhere in Ohio, I may try to see it one year...
IIRC, NAQT HSNCT will be in downtown Atlanta for the second straight year this spring. Had a chance to volunteer there last year -- well-run event, especially with the large amount of teams that attend (believe there were 200+ teams competing in 2011).
JD
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IIRC, NAQT HSNCT
KFC/A&W, PDQ, RSTLNE, MMORPG to you too.
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IIRC, NAQT HSNCT will be in downtown Atlanta for the second straight year this spring. Had a chance to volunteer there last year -- well-run event, especially with the large amount of teams that attend (believe there were 200+ teams competing in 2011).
JD
You are correct, sir. It will be in Atlanta again this year. Before then, it had been held in Rosemont, IL, but they were just calling it Chicago. Anybody from either area knows that Rosemont is definitely not Chicago. The logic was that there would be more stuff to do area (and commute to easily) if the kids were actually lodging in a major metro area, and downtown Chicago would have been pretty costly to book.
Definitely well run, and I can't argue with a paid hotel and flight. BTW colonial, if you happen to volunteer again this year, I'd recommend the local draft at the hotel bar- pretty good beer, I must say.
Needless to say, if any of you have an affiliation with high school quiz bowl (or would like to rekindle it), this is a great tournament to volunteer for.
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If you ever go to the NAQT High School Nationals, you'd be surprised at the number of Jeopardy and Millionaire contestants that attend. I've moderated that tournament for the past couple years, and I've come across quite a few who still volunteer their time to the tournament. Last year I met Kevin Olmstead (the $2m jackpot winner) and David Madden from Jeopardy, and I'm sure there were less prominent contestants at the event who I didn't recognize.
Still, it's cool that you found John. Still can't believe it's been 12 and a half years since he won.
Prior to KJ, I would wager that more game show money passed through my house than any other residence in the nation, just because of the quizbowl connection. There was also a very heavy quizbowl run earlier in this season's Jeopardy. It's becoming much more common.
--Mike
//Not to mention the wedding that had 9 former contestants as attendees (and since the wedding another one has appeared on the show). I got to take the picture. Yippee.
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OK, having actually met and interviewed Carpenter, would you say the criticism dumped on him at the time of his victory (mainly about him coming off as "smug" or "cocky") was unwarranted?
I've never met the man, but let's face it, at the time of his victory, he came off as smug and cocky. He may be (and probably is) a swell person in person. Lots of people (including former TPIR hosts*) come across as wonderful people ON camera and are a different story off camera. No reason it can't work the other way around.
[size="1"]*Not Bill, the other one.[/size]
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I've never met the man, but let's face it, at the time of his victory, he came off as smug and cocky. He may be (and probably is) a swell person in person. Lots of people (including former TPIR hosts*) come across as wonderful people ON camera and are a different story off camera. No reason it can't work the other way around.
[size="1"]*Not Bill, the other one.[/size]
What did Dennis James ever do to you?
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I've never met the man, but let's face it, at the time of his victory, he came off as smug and cocky. He may be (and probably is) a swell person in person. Lots of people (including former TPIR hosts*) come across as wonderful people ON camera and are a different story off camera. No reason it can't work the other way around.
[size="1"]*Not Bill, the other one.[/size]
What did Dennis James ever do to you?
Honestly, I always found Dennis James to be a bit of a jerk ON camera.
Don't get me started about Tom Kennedy, though. What an ass.
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OK, having actually met and interviewed Carpenter, would you say the criticism dumped on him at the time of his victory (mainly about him coming off as "smug" or "cocky") was unwarranted?
I've never met the man, but let's face it, at the time of his victory, he came off as smug and cocky.
OK, I'll concede the point of how he appeared on-air. But to play devil's advocate, perhaps Carpenter got caught up in the moment of his success at that taping, and perhaps he didn't realize how he was presenting himself, and didn't intend to be that way.
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I've never met the man, but let's face it, at the time of his victory, he came off as smug and cocky. He may be (and probably is) a swell person in person. Lots of people (including former TPIR hosts*) come across as wonderful people ON camera and are a different story off camera. No reason it can't work the other way around.
[size="1"]*Not Bill, the other one.[/size]
What did Dennis James ever do to you?
Honestly, I always found Dennis James to be a bit of a jerk ON camera.
Don't get me started about Tom Kennedy, though. What an ass.
Let me guess, Kennedy is right up there with Barker?
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OK, I'll concede the point of how he appeared on-air. But to play devil's advocate, perhaps Carpenter got caught up in the moment of his success at that taping, and perhaps he didn't realize how he was presenting himself, and didn't intend to be that way.
There's really no way to "accidentally" burn your unneeded PAF to call your dad and tell him you were gonna win.
Let me guess, Kennedy is right up there with Barker?
Dude.
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Don't get me started about Tom Kennedy, though. What an ass.
Let me guess, Kennedy is right up there with Barker?
Gentlemen, they both have exquisite asses. I think we'll all concede that point. But what about there disposition on and off air?
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OK, I'll concede the point of how he appeared on-air. But to play devil's advocate, perhaps Carpenter got caught up in the moment of his success at that taping, and perhaps he didn't realize how he was presenting himself, and didn't intend to be that way.
Or maybe he didn't care/think about it because he was too busy becoming independently wealthy for knowing the answers to the questions being asked.
Some things don't deserve the thought they're given. This is one of those times.
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OK, I'll concede the point of how he appeared on-air.
You are conceding 100% of my point. As I stated very clearly, it's completely possible (and from what I hear, even likely) that he's a nice guy in real life.
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OK, having actually met and interviewed Carpenter, would you say the criticism dumped on him at the time of his victory (mainly about him coming off as "smug" or "cocky") was unwarranted?
I've never met the man, but let's face it, at the time of his victory, he came off as smug and cocky. He may be (and probably is) a swell person in person. Lots of people (including former TPIR hosts*) come across as wonderful people ON camera and are a different story off camera. No reason it can't work the other way around.
[size="1"]*Not Bill, the other one.[/size]
Bingo.
At the time I watched him , I thought he was smug. At the time I interviewed him, I thought he was a regular guy.
TV does wierd things to you, especially after editing. Years after my appearance on "Weakest Link", I still think I came off as an asshole. Good for that show, bad for business when you're a happy-go-lucky TV weatherman.
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Bingo.
At the time I watched him , I thought he was smug. At the time I interviewed him, I thought he was a regular guy.
TV does wierd things to you, especially after editing. Years after my appearance on "Weakest Link", I still think I came off as an asshole. Good for that show, bad for business when you're a happy-go-lucky TV weatherman.
Internet forums are much the same way. Some of the people I didn't particularly like online have become quite good offline friends.
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Interesting thoughts...I never found his phone call smug per se, just him having a little fun, knowing that he was about to become the first Millionaire. The way he threw his arms in the air in a "No, duh!" kinda way irked me a bit, but again, him making TV history kinda grants him carte blanche IMO. :-)
Now, you wanna talk smug? How about the guy who took a shot at the Million Dollar Question during the 10th anniversary week and lost? It took balls, and I give him credit for that, but man was he cocky!
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TV does wierd things to you, especially after editing. Years after my appearance on "Weakest Link", I still think I came off as an asshole.
You come off that way all the time.
(Just kidding.)
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TV does wierd things to you, especially after editing. Years after my appearance on "Weakest Link", I still think I came off as an asshole. Good for that show, bad for business when you're a happy-go-lucky TV weatherman.
Didn't know you were on Weakest Link. Is there clippage somewhere?
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TV does wierd things to you, especially after editing. Years after my appearance on "Weakest Link", I still think I came off as an asshole. Good for that show, bad for business when you're a happy-go-lucky TV weatherman.
Didn't know you were on Weakest Link. Is there clippage somewhere?
Curious, Robinson or Gray series?
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TV does wierd things to you, especially after editing. Years after my appearance on "Weakest Link", I still think I came off as an asshole. Good for that show, bad for business when you're a happy-go-lucky TV weatherman.
Didn't know you were on Weakest Link. Is there clippage somewhere?
Clippage? Of course. Somewhere.
I was on Anne's version - the smarmy weatherman held on all show, despite barbs from her all night. I even stopped the show to propose marriage to my girlfriend - a storyline that was covered the next day on "Access Hollywood". The funny part about that was - the producers came up to me after the show, and asked me if I was serious about the proposal? I said yes. The guy says "That's interesting, becuase when we edit down our shows, we develop a storyline - and with the contestants , we look for a good guy - and a bad guy....and tonight - you definitely were our bad guy!" Oy.
Oh, and how did I do? I made it to the end, choked on the final question about Egyptian History, and lost $50000.