Max Shuman, a Navy test pilot from Virginia Beach, Virginia, was a contestant on Season 1 of the U.S. syndicated version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? on October 7–8, 2002. He walked away with $125,000. He is well known by pulling a wet willie on Meredith Vieira to flirt with him on the $200 question involving a childhood prank of putting your wet finger in someone’s ear.[1]
Max's Run to the Million[]
$100 (1 of 15) - Not Timed
In golf, scoring one stroke under par on a hole is called a what?
⬥ A: Doggie
⬥ B: Duckie
⬥ C: Birdie
⬥ D: Miracle
$200 (2 of 15) - Not Timed
The childhood prank known as a "wet willie" involves putting a wet finger in someone's what?
⬥ A: Ear
⬥ B: Armpit
⬥ C: Nose
⬥ D: Belly button
To prove that Max knew the answer, he did a wet willie, just for fun to Meredith. Also, after the klaxon went off, she yelled, "NO! NO! NOT THE HORN!" This is a reference to the klaxon reactions that Chris Tarrant does. Also, that went viral because before the $200 question, she said, "I'm an old, horny woman. All right?"
$300 (3 of 15) - Not Timed
What business's name is a term for a small, economically dependent country?
⬥ A: Tropicana
⬥ B: Banana Republic
⬥ C: Crate & Barrel
⬥ D: Aeropostale
$500 (4 of 15) - Not Timed
A popular ad campaign for Lubriderm skin care lotions features what animal?
⬥ A: Alligator
⬥ B: Porcupine
⬥ C: Camel
⬥ D: Dolphin
$1,000 (5 of 15) - Not Timed
In January 2002, President George W. Bush fainted and bruised his cheek after choking on what?
⬥ A: Pretzel
⬥ B: Chicken wing
⬥ C: Apple
⬥ D: Carrot
$2,000 (6 of 15) - Not Timed
In 1896, Bostonian Fannie Farmer published a classic book on what subject? ‘Ask the Audience’ lifeline used
What layer of the Earth's atmosphere is farthest from its surface?
⬥ A: Stratosphere
⬥ B: Exosphere
⬥ C: Thermosphere
⬥ D: Troposphere
$8,000 (8 of 15) - Not Timed
Flokati and kilim are popular types of what home furnishing? '50:50' lifeline used
⬥ A: Hanging lamps
⬥ B: Draperies
⬥ C: Rugs
⬥ D: Vases
$16,000 (9 of 15) - Not Timed
The first band John Lennon and Paul McCartney played together was named what?
⬥ A: The Quarrymen
⬥ B: The Merseybeats
⬥ C: The Undertakers
⬥ D: The Big Three
$32,000 (10 of 15) - Not Timed
What movie studio's logo features the slogan “Ars Gratia Artis,” meaning “Art for Art's Sake”?
⬥ A: Paramount
⬥ B: Universal
⬥ C: MGM
⬥ D: Columbia
$64,000 (11 of 15) - Not Timed
Found in many animals, Jacobson's organ is a cavity to do which of the following? ‘Phone-a-Friend’ lifeline used
⬥ A: Smell
⬥ B: Swim
⬥ C: Digest
⬥ D: See
Unsure of the correct choice, Max used his Phone-a-Friend lifeline to call his friend Bart, who said the answer was A: Smell and that he was 90% sure. Max went with him and won $64,000 after the break.
$125,000 (12 of 15) - Not Timed
In which of these countries do motorists normally drive on the right-hand side of the street?
⬥ A: Thailand
⬥ B: Japan
⬥ C: Indonesia
⬥ D: Brazil
$250,000 (13 of 15) - Not Timed
On October 1, 1962, who introduced Johnny Carson as the new host of “The Tonight Show”?
⬥ A: Steve Allen
⬥ B: Groucho Marx
⬥ C: Jack Paar
⬥ D: Bob Hope
Saying that he made a first, Max concluded that wanted to hold the record by walking away with $125,000. His guess was C: Jack Paar, but he would have been wrong, the correct answer was B: Groucho Marx.
