David William Duchovny (born August 7, 1960) an actor, famous for The X Files, and Californication, from New York City, was a celebrity contestant during the 1st Celebrity Week on the U.S. version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? on May 1st, 2000. He was the only celebrity contestant, and one of eight contestants overall to miss the $500,000 question during the primetime U.S. series and won $32,000 for The East Harlem School At Exodus House.
Put these TV curmudgeons in the order they first debuted, starting with the most recent.
⬥ A: Ralph Kramden
⬥ B: Becker
⬥ C: Louie DePalma
⬥ D: Lou Grant
Out of 10, only 4 got it right, and David was the fastest to correctly answer B-C-D-A in 6.02 seconds, making it into the Hot Seat.
David's Run to the Million[]
$100 (1 of 15) - Not Timed
If you are inebriated, you have consumed too much what?
⬥ A: Sugar
⬥ B: Alcohol
⬥ C: Cholesterol
⬥ D: Pop-Tarts
Before the options came up, David jokingly exclaimed, "Oh no!" After the choices appeared, David went with B: Alcohol, winning $100.
$200 (2 of 15) - Not Timed
What kind of animal appears before the opening credits of MGM movies?
⬥ A: Lion
⬥ B: Donkey
⬥ C: Chimpanzee
⬥ D: Chicken
Contestant Drew Carey jokingly yelled, "Chicken!" but David correctly selected A: Lion and won $200.
$300 (3 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of the following toys is designed to hop up and down?
⬥ A: Pogo stick
⬥ B: Stilts
⬥ C: Roller skates
⬥ D: Slime
David immediately went with A: Pogo stick, which was correct and won him $300.
$500 (4 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of the following TV programs typically features an "anchorperson"?
⬥ A: Days of Our Lives
⬥ B: When Animals Attack
⬥ C: ABC World News Tonight
⬥ D: Soul Train
After he won $500, David playfully requested Regis to stop saying "of course" whenever he correctly answers a question, jokingly stating that "it doesn't feel good".
$1,000 (5 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of these musicians was the lead singer for the group Miami Sound Machine?
⬥ A: Jennifer Lopez
⬥ B: Jon Secada
⬥ C: Marc Anthony
⬥ D: Gloria Estefan
David sarcastically called the question "a tricky one." He then correctly selected D: Gloria Estefan, reaching the first guarantee point.
$2,000 (6 of 15) - Not Timed
The period of Pablo Picasso's melancholy paintings, created between 1901 and 1904, is called what?
⬥ A: Purple Period
⬥ B: Blue Period
⬥ C: Rose Period
⬥ D: Dark Period
David went for B: Blue Period immediately. His answer was correct, making him win $2,000.
$4,000 (7 of 15) - Not Timed
Tom Hanks' Oscar acceptance speech for "Philadelphia" was the inspiration for what movie?
⬥ A: The Opposite of Sex
⬥ B: Mr. Holland's Opus
⬥ C: In and Out
⬥ D: Music of the Heart
David jokingly asked Regis to turn off the music, as it was bothering him. He then selected C: In and Out and shouted that it was his final answer when Regis asked him. David’s answer was revealed to be correct, winning him $4,000.
$8,000 (8 of 15) - Not Timed
What one-word IBM slogan was created by its longtime president Thomas Watson, Sr.? 'Ask the Audience' lifeline used
David did not know at all, so he asked the audience, with 82% going with A. David joked that he would choose C, which nobody have gone for. But actually, he chose A, which was correct for $8,000.
$16,000 (9 of 15) - Not Timed
What spice colors the rice in the traditional Spanish dish paella?
⬥ A: Basil
⬥ B: Saffron
⬥ C: Cilantro
⬥ D: Turmeric
Before the options came up, contestant Emeril Lagasse started jumping and waving his arms since he knew the answer. In response, Regis turned around at him and playfully shouted, "It's not your turn!" David stated that he thought it was B: Saffron. He then looked over to Emeril to make sure he was right. After Emeril gave a gesture confirming it, David made B: Saffron his final answer and won $16,000.
$32,000 (10 of 15) - Not Timed
Who was the first member of the original "Saturday Night Live" cast to leave the show?
⬥ A: Bill Murray
⬥ B: Gilda Radner
⬥ C: Chevy Chase
⬥ D: Garrett Morris
David instantly went for C: Chevy Chase and made it his final answer. His answer was revealed to be correct, making David win $32,000 and reach the second guarantee point.
$64,000 (11 of 15) - Not Timed
Which Italian city is home to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore or the "Duomo"? 'Phone-a-Friend' and '50:50' lifelines used
⬥ A: Florence
⬥ B: Rome
⬥ C: Venice
⬥ D: Siena
David called his wife, actress Tea Leoni. After the question and answers are read-
Tea: [silence] "Can you take away two?" (audience laughs)
David: "Not right now!"
Tea: "Ok, honey… oh my gosh, you're so screwed!"
After the studio erupts with laughter-
David: (shouting) "You speak Italian, you speak Italian!"
He then used 50:50, leaving A & B. Since he can't lose anything, he guess and goes for A and it was right for $64,000.
$125,000 (12 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of the following is not one of the characters in the Broadway musical "Cats"?
⬥ A: Skimbleshanks
⬥ B: Rum Tum Tugger
⬥ C: Grizabella
⬥ D: Sassafras
David never saw it, but he thinks it's D and goes for it. He won $125,000.
$250,000 (13 of 15) - Not Timed
In 1983, Newsweek published a cover story about the supposed discovery of whose secret diaries?
⬥ A: Joseph Stalin
⬥ B: Adolf Hitler
⬥ C: Winston Churchill
⬥ D: Fidel Castro
David immediately knew that the answer was B: Adolf Hitler. After making it his final answer, David won a quarter of a million dollars.
$500,000 (14 of 15) - Not Timed
"You be careful out among them English" is the last line from what film?
⬥ A: Braveheart
⬥ B: The African Queen
⬥ C: Dances With Wolves
⬥ D: Witness
He once again confidently goes with his instinct, which was A. Unfortunately, the correct answer was D, and he lost $218,000, becoming the first and only celebrity contestant in Primetime Millionaire history to lose $218,000.
