Rob Coughlin, a research associate for a transit company from Shoreline, Washington, was a contestant on the U.S. version of the show on January 23, 2000. He walked away with $500,000.
Rob would later return for the four Champions Edition shows from May 21-25, 2000, but he didn't make it into the Hot Seat.
Using their nicknames put these cities in geographical order, starting in the east.
⬥ A: Twin Cities
⬥ B: Motor City
⬥ C: Emerald City
⬥ D: Big Apple
From the 10 contestants, 6 got it right, but Rob (with a time of 5.38 seconds) was the fastest to correctly answer D-B-A-C, making it into the Hot Seat.
Rob's Run to the Million[]
$100 (1 of 15) - Not Timed
A "breathalyzer" measures which of the following in a person's breath?
⬥ A: Water
⬥ B: Chocolate
⬥ C: Alcohol
⬥ D: Mint
$200 (2 of 15) - Not Timed
What word refers to the color and texture of a person's skin?
⬥ A: Complexion
⬥ B: Compunction
⬥ C: Constitution
⬥ D: Convection
$300 (3 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of these years came before the year 200 BC?
⬥ A: 100 BC
⬥ B: 300 BC
⬥ C: 100 AD
⬥ D: 300 AD
$500 (4 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of these substances is commonly called the "lead" of a pencil?
⬥ A: Bauxite
⬥ B: Coal
⬥ C: Graphite
⬥ D: Magnesium
$1,000 (5 of 15) - Not Timed
On the TV sitcom classic "The Honeymooners", what was Ralph Kramden's profession?
⬥ A: Bus driver
⬥ B: Policeman
⬥ C: Welder
⬥ D: Sewer worker
$2,000 (6 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of the following words precedes "with Mussolini" in the title of a 1999 movie starring Cher?
⬥ A: Life
⬥ B: Afternoons
⬥ C: Conversations
⬥ D: Tea
$4,000 (7 of 15) - Not Timed
Sancho Panza is the squire of what literary character?
⬥ A: Robin Hood
⬥ B: Sherlock Holmes
⬥ C: Don Quixote
⬥ D: Robinson Crusoe
$8,000 (8 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of the following is commonly used in fire extinguishers? 'Ask the Audience' lifeline used
What movie star's role was cut out of "The Big Chill" two weeks before the film's release?
⬥ A: Christopher Reeve
⬥ B: Kevin Costner
⬥ C: Harrison Ford
⬥ D: Samuel L. Jackson
$64,000 (11 of 15) - Not Timed
What is the world's longest river?
⬥ A: Amazon
⬥ B: Danube
⬥ C: Nile
⬥ D: Ganges
$125,000 (12 of 15) - Not Timed
Author William Faulkner's fictional Yoknapatawpha County is located in which state?
⬥ A: Arkansas
⬥ B: Kentucky
⬥ C: Mississippi
⬥ D: W. Virginia
$250,000 (13 of 15) - Not Timed
Who was the first woman to serve as a U.S. cabinet member?
⬥ A: Frances Perkins
⬥ B: Pamela Harriman
⬥ C: Jeane Kirkpatrick
⬥ D: Nellie Tayloe Ross
$500,000 (14 of 15) - Not Timed
What is the desert home of Luke Skywalker in the movie "Star Wars"? 'Phone-a-Friend' lifeline used
⬥ A: Hoth
⬥ B: Endor
⬥ C: Dantooine
⬥ D: Tatooine
Rob could not remember this detail, even though he watched the movie several times, so he decided to phone his former college buddy Jim, who was relatively positive it was Tatooine. He decided to go with him and won $500,000.
$1,000,000 (15 of 15) - Not Timed
In what country are all U.S. Major League baseballs currently manufactured? '50:50' lifeline used
⬥ A: Costa Rica
⬥ B: Haiti
⬥ C: Dominican Republic
⬥ D: Cuba
Rob once knew the answer, but he thought the country had changed, so he decided to use his 50:50, eliminating C and D. Rob was 99% sure it was Haiti, but it was not enough for him to go for it, so he decided to walk away with $500,000. The correct answer was A: Costa Rica.
Total Prize Money: $500,000
Trivia[]
Rob was the first contestant worldwide to use the 50:50 lifeline on the final question.
Rob Coughlin was accompanied by his boyfriend in the audience, which raised some worries among producers when he passed $250k, the threshold by which producers had established the contestant's companion would come down to the audience upon their leaving unless reduced to 32k. The producers were relieved to learn ABC did not receive any complaints after the episode and their hug aired.[1]
