Brian Fodera, from Newton, Massachusetts, was a contestant on the U.S. version of the show on January 20, 2000. He walked away with $0 after incorrectly answering his $100 question.
He became the second person to walk away empty handed on the American show.
He'd return for a special zero dollar winners edition on May 20, 2001 and walked away with $16,000.
He would later appear on Jeopardy! on April 29, 2015, finishing in second place and winning $2,000.
Put these men in order of how long they served as president, starting with the longest.
⬥ A: William Henry Harrison
⬥ B: Franklin Roosevelt
⬥ C: Ronald Reagan
⬥ D: John Kennedy
From the 10 contestants, 5 got it right, but Brian (with a time of 3.92 seconds) was the fastest to correctly answer B-C-D-A, making it into the Hot Seat.
Brian's Run to the Million[]
$100 (1 of 15) - Not Timed
According to the nursery rhyme, what did Little Jack Horner pull from a pie?
⬥ A: Ribbon
⬥ B: Plum
⬥ C: Blackbird
⬥ D: Little Jill Horner
Brian, in his head, was thinking about a completely different nursery rhyme: Sing a Song of Sixpence. So that's why he chose Blackbird. Unfortunately for Brian, it was Plum. Brian leaves with nothing.
Total Prize Money: $0
Second WWTBAM Run[]
He later got a second chance at winning some money when he appeared on the Zero Dollar Winners special on May 20, 2001 and walked away with $16,000.
Fastest Finger Question[]
Fastest Finger Question
Put these movies in order of their first theatrical release, starting with the most recent.
⬥ A: Mulan
⬥ B: Home Alone
⬥ C: Spy Kids
⬥ D: The Karate Kid
Of the 10 contestants, 5 got it right, but Brian (with a time of 3.88 seconds) was the fastest to correctly answer C-A-B-D, making it into the Hot Seat.
Brian's Second Run to the Million[]
$100 (1 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of these foods are you most likely to order in short or tall stacks?
⬥ A: Cheeseburgers
⬥ B: Omelettes
⬥ C: Pancakes
⬥ D: Soup
Brian jokingly said to Regis he was going to walk away on this question, but went with C: Pancakes and won $100.
$200 (2 of 15) - Not Timed
When a tailor hems a pair of pants, what does he alter?
⬥ A: Color
⬥ B: Length
⬥ C: Width
⬥ D: Your mind
Brian: "I'm so glad Blackbird is not one of the choices."
$300 (3 of 15) - Not Timed
About seventy percent of Australia's land is known as what?
⬥ A: Hatchback
⬥ B: Latchback
⬥ C: Outback
⬥ D: Humpback
$500 (4 of 15) - Not Timed
Duets for what instrument are often played by two musicians sharing one instrument? "Ask the Audience" lifeline used.
Piano made the most sense to Brian, but he was not sure enough, so he decided to ask the audience. The majority went for A, so Brian went for it and got it right.
$1,000 (5 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of the following words cannot correctly be used as a verb?
⬥ A: Stone
⬥ B: Rock
⬥ C: Granite
⬥ D: Slate
$2,000 (6 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of these U.S. cities is home to the historic Old North Church?
⬥ A: Boston
⬥ B: Philadelphia
⬥ C: Trenton
⬥ D: Hartford
$4,000 (7 of 15) - Not Timed
What flavor is Mississippi mud pie?
⬥ A: Mint
⬥ B: Coconut
⬥ C: Strawberry
⬥ D: Chocolate
$8,000 (8 of 15) - Not Timed
What popular band formed its name using the first letters of its members' first names?
⬥ A: Run-D.M.C.
⬥ B: XTC
⬥ C: ABBA
⬥ D: ELO
$16,000 (9 of 15) - Not Timed
In April 2001, physician Ronald Shemenski made headlines when he became seriously ill where? "Phone-a-Friend" and "50:50" lifeline used.
⬥ A: Mount Everest
⬥ B: Space Shuttle Endeavour
⬥ C: White House
⬥ D: South Pole
Brian was not sure, so he decided to call his friend, Bob, who was 85% sure it was D until Brian read the question again, in which he became no longer sure, so Brian decided to use his 50:50, which removed A and C. In the end, he went for D, which was, in fact, correct.
$32,000 (10 of 15) - Not Timed
On the long-running BBC TV series "Doctor Who," what does Dr. Who's spaceship look like from the outside?
⬥ A: Mailbox
⬥ B: Taxicab
⬥ C: Phone booth
⬥ D: Potted plant
Brian says he has never seen the show and does not know the answer, so he decides to walk away with $16,000. He guessed C: Phone booth, which was correct.
Total Prize Money: $16,000
Gallery[]
Brian on $0 Winners Week.
Brian on Jeopardy!
Trivia[]
Brian was the first $0 winner to actually receive the unfortunate graphic message of "Total Prize Money: $0", which did not exist when the first $0 winner, Robby Roseman, flunked out on his $100 question and left with nothing, because at that time, the producers of the show never anticipated such incidents ever occurring.
In 2000, Millionaire superfan Rosie O'Donnell invited Brian and Robby Roseman, the other contestant who missed the first question onto her talk show. They participated as a team in a trivia game (hosted by Rosie) and each won a new Honda. Brian talked recounted his experience on Rosie's show when he returned to Millionaire for the Zero Dollar Winners edition in May, 2001.
Brian appeared as an audience member along with Robby Roseman for the U.S Primetime 10th Anniversary Celebration.
Brian appeared on Jeopardy! on April 29, 2015 and won $2,000 for finishing in second place.
Brian appeared on Millionaire as the Plus One lifeline for Patrick Friel on January 5, 2018, and for Louis Virtel on March 13, 2019.
