Sal Mecca, a New York State Trooper from Middletown, New York, was a contestant on the U.S. version of the show on January 18-19, 2001, and won $0 after blowing his lifelines by question 5. He was playing for $1,800,000.
Sal returned on Zero Dollar Winner Edition on May 20–21, 2001, without getting in the Hot Seat.
WWTBAM Run[]
Fastest Finger[]
| Fastest Finger Question | |
| Put these TV shows in order of their original debut, starting with the most recent. | |
| ⬥ A: Gilmore Girls | ⬥ B: Designing Women |
| ⬥ C: Sisters | ⬥ D: Charlie's Angels |
| Five of eight contestants answered A-C-B-D correctly, but Sal's time of 4.59 was the fastest, getting him into the Hot Seat. |
Sal's Run to $1,800,000[]
| $100 (1 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| A person is most likely to wear a life preserver while riding on which of the following? | |
| ⬥ A: Tractor | ⬥ B: Speedboat |
| ⬥ C: Subway | ⬥ D: Natural high |
| $200 (2 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| What is the Russian word for "no"? | |
| ⬥ A: Non | ⬥ B: Nik |
| ⬥ C: Nyet | ⬥ D: Nosireebob |
| The klaxon sounds, and Sal will return on the next show with three lifelines available. |
| $300 (3 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| Which of the following would most likely be sold in a hardware store? | |
| ⬥ A: Hammer | ⬥ B: Perfume |
| ⬥ C: Corduroy pants | ⬥ D: Giant cupcakes |
| $500 (4 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| The title of a 1969 self-help book states that "I'm OK-You're" what? 'Ask the Audience' lifeline used | |
| ⬥ A: Not | ⬥ B: Dumb |
| ⬥ C: OK | ⬥ D: Angry |
| Ask the Audience Results: A: 21% ⬥ B: 2% ⬥ C: 75% ⬥ D: 2% | |
| Sal states that he has never heard of this book, he asks the audience with 3 quarters of this crowd saying it's C. He goes with them and wins $500. |
| $1,000 (5 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| What is the main ingredient in a traditional frittata? '50:50' and 'Phone-a-Friend' lifelines used | |
| ⬥ A: Bread | ⬥ B: Flour |
| ⬥ C: Orange juice | ⬥ D: Eggs |
| Sal decides to take his 50:50 leaving B and D. "You're right, it didn't help" Sal says after the use, so he calls his brother Joe for help. As Sal counts how much time is left is on the clock, Joe with 2 seconds remaining says "Go Flour!." Sal goes with his brother, then Regis says "It's Eggs!" revealing that Sal goes home with a big fat zero.
Total Prize Money: $0 |
Regis: “Sal, I'm sick about this!“
Sal: “That makes two of us.”
Gallery[]
Sal on $0 Winners Week.
In popular culture[]
- His run is referenced in Sopranos episode The Weight (2002) in which Tony Soprano (played by James Gandolfini) and Junior Soprano (played by Dominic Chianese) watch Sal flunk out at $1,000 and Junior comments on how the "poor prick" used up all his lifelines.
The Sopranos - Millionaire (S04E04)
Sal's appearance on The Sopranos.
| Preceded by Dan Seifried |
U.S. Contestant (Season 1) Sal Mecca |
Succeeded by Jason Wong |
Sources:[]
[1] part of Sal Mecca's run