Michael Rankins, from Newark, CA, was a contestant who appeared on the 15th season of the U.S. version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? on December 5 & 6, 2016 and won $5,000 after he answered incorrectly on his $30,000 question.
Michael's Run To The Million[]
$500 (1 of 14) - Not Timed
Philosopher George Santayana is best known for his famous quote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to” what?
⬥ A: “Repeat it”
⬥ B: “Do lots of Google searches”
⬥ C: “Cheat big-time in history class”
⬥ D: Lose on game shows”
$1,000 (2 of 14) - Not Timed
Hoping that the antioxidants will benefit their skin, those who partake in the fad known as vinotherapy do what?
⬥ A: Swim in gasoline
⬥ B: Bathe in wine
⬥ C: Dive in hot lava
⬥ D: Shower in wet cement
$2,000 (3 of 14) - Not Timed
Which European nationality can be combined with worlds like “Oven,” “Treat,” “Apple Pie” and “Elm Disease” to form familiar phrases?
⬥ A: French
⬥ B: German
⬥ C: Italian
⬥ D: Dutch
$3,000 (4 of 14) - Not Timed
After a recent equipment controversy dubbed “Broomgate,” NPR jokingly noted that what Winter Olympic event was in store for “sweeping changes”?
⬥ A: Speed skating
⬥ B: Curling
⬥ C: Freestyle skiing
⬥ D: Team snowball fighting
$5,000 (5 of 14) - Not Timed
To honor fictional hometown hero Steve Rogers, in 2016 fans could visit a 13-foot statue of who in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park?
⬥ A: The Hulk
⬥ B: Captain America
⬥ C: Deadpool
⬥ D: Wolverine
$7,000 (6 of 14) - Not Timed
What website says it was created “to bring together people who suffer from tinnitus,” a vexing condition that cannot be cured with drugs?
⬥ A: TurnOffTheLights.org
⬥ B: TurnDownTheHeat.org
⬥ C: GetRidOfTheSmell.org
⬥ D: StopTheRinging.org
$10,000 (7 of 14) - Not Timed
Though the others all attended college, the formal education of what famous American ended in 1716 when he was 10? '50:50' lifeline used
⬥ A: Benjamin Franklin
⬥ B: Thomas Jefferson
⬥ C: Alexander Hamilton
⬥ D: John Adams
$20,000 (8 of 14) - Not Timed
At his final live performance on April 14, 2016, Prince paid homage to what late fellow musician by performing his song “Heroes”?
⬥ A: David Bowie
⬥ B: B.B. King
⬥ C: Glenn Frey
⬥ D: Joe Cocker
The klaxon called time and Michael would come back with $20,000 with two lifelines left.
$30,000 (9 of 14) - Not Timed
Which of the following lists the top 3 denominations of U.S. paper currency in decreasing order of the number of bills currently in circulation? 'Plus One' lifeline used
⬥ A: $1, $20, $5
⬥ B: $1, $100, $20
⬥ C: $20, $1, $100
⬥ D: $100, $1, $5
Michael verbally ruled out B and D since $100 would not be one of the top two. Michael's Plus One is his trivia friend Muffy Marracco. She said her guess would be A based on $1 being the most common, along with his feeling that $100 is not one of the most common. Michael repeats the question. He believes there are more $20s in circulation than $100s and you get $20s out of the ATM not $100s.
