Game Show Newsnet | Who's Still Standing?

"Who's Still Standing?" is back this week...and it's a one-night holiday event this time, although Christmas was over yesterday. Last Thursday night, Bob Glouberman, a video game reviewer from Phoenix dropped seven strangers. And in the process, he made out with $55,000.

... and you're kidding. The Santa announcer is still here? OK, I'm going to overlook that as much as possible as we play tonight's game. Step up, challenger!

TONIGHT'S CHALLENGER: KELLY DECKER (Baltimore, MD - Paralegal)

She's a Princeton grad, and... wait, did she say it's given her a "smackerel" of knowledge? She wants to build a self-sustaining farm in Montana with the money, which is interesting in its own right. Let's see how well she powers her way through.

MATCH #1: KELLY VS. #7 SUNG AHN (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA - College student)

Both sides are cranking these out without letting Ben finish. Ben's even trying to race them through the first 6. But Sung's 4th backfires:

1980's trading card craze featuring characters like "Ashcan Andy" and "Oozy Suzy"
_ A _ _ _ _ _ _ A _ L _ I _ _

Sung immediately says "Cabbage Patch Kids", but when it doesn't register, he's stuck... "Happy Ball Kids... Dancing Ball Kids..."

BUZZ!

Do not taunt GARBAGE PAIL KIDS.

KELLY WINS: $10,000

First one in the books. Let's play on.

MATCH #2: KELLY VS. #10 BRIANNA MANSON (Newport Beach, CA - Stay-at-home mom)
It must be said that she's a dwarf. That's it.

SPECIAL ROUND: FOUR OF A KIND (Questions about the number 4)

They're starting with the instant answers again, although Ben's actually allowed to finish usually. Brianna's 4th provides the first pause:

A classic TV ad for this vertical checkers game featured the phrase, "Pretty sneaky, sis!"
_ _ N _ _ C _ _ O _ _

BUZZ!

And it provided the last pause, too. CONNECT FOUR is that sneaky game, and it's a long way down for Brianna as it came to her after the buzzer.

KELLY WINS: $15,000

MATCH #3: KELLY VS. #1 DAN ??? (Los Angeles, CA - Sports radio host)
Chosen only for his Princeton tie, he gives no last name. Anyone reading this KNOW any sports radio guys named Dan? We can fill it in later.

Right now, we need to fill in more rapid-answer puzzles until Dan's 3rd:

What was the entree in the very first TV dinner?
_ _ _ _ E _

Just say any meats that come to mind, there's only so many. TURKEY comes up eventually.

After EVEN MORE rapid answers, we get to Kelly's 5th:

"Something That Happened" was the original title of what Steinbeck novel?
_ _ _ I _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Kelly gets stuck having never read Steinbeck, but OF MICE AND MEN dawns on her. So we go to Dan's 6th:

What was the political party of U.S. President John Adams?
_ _ _ _ _ A _ _ _ _

The obvious two are out, so you have to think back... FEDERALIST. He shrugs, but it's just that you get it right. Back to Kelly:

Hindu God of beginnings with an elephant head
_ A _ _ _ _

Kelly declares defeat by Christian Science, so she PASSES. Anything, Dan? "GANESH." Yes.

On to Dan's 8th:

What is the pen name of "Middlemarch" author Mary Ann Evans?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ I _ _

Books kill me, will they kill Dan? "Sylvia Price..." Not it, and I thought maybe he had it.

BUZZ!

But he didn't. GEORGE ELIOT. And this marathon ends.

KELLY WINS: $10,000

A hard-earned 10, now up to $35,000.

MATCH #4: KELLY VS. #8 TIFFANY POTTER (Sherman Oaks, CA - Cosmetics representative)

SPECIAL ROUND: AN APPLE A DAY (Questions about apples)

Everyone's just firing these answers tonight. Tiffany first stumbles on her 4th:

In what movie does Matt Damon say, "How do you like them apples?"
_ _ O _ _ I _ _ _ _ _ _ _ N _

Classic exchange: "I know this, I know this, I know this..." Ben's reply: "Well, you should say it, then." She does with GOOD WILL HUNTING.

Now on to Kelly's 5th:

Hercules convinces what Greek god to steal the golden apples?
_ _ _ _ _

Wow, no blanks. And no clue, so Kelly must PASS. To Tiffany...

BUZZ!

And no response from Tiffany, either. ATLAS will shrug, and Tiffany will drop.

KELLY WINS: $15,000

It's getting to Kelly now. She needs a hug for a second. Ben insists "No crying on the trapdoor." After we pull ourselves together, we play on.

MATCH #5: KELLY VS. #3 ERIC PIERCE (Long Valley, NJ - Web editor) (C-Note: among his projects, THIS VERY WEBSITE!!!)
South Jersey ties, and Eric's representing Penn State and high school quiz bowl teams. Who will survive?

And they volley like any good quizzers should, til we get to Eric's 6th:

What one-eyed character was played by John Wayne and Jeff Bridges?
_ _ _ _ _ E _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"I think it's like a cyclops or something." Huh? "Stephen Sondheim..." DOUBLE HUH?!

BUZZ!

I have no clue, and I'm amazed that Kelly did. "ROOSTER COGBURN!"

KELLY WINS: $1,000

I wish that had been more. But here we stand at $51,000 at the halfway mark. Will she play on with 2 Passes, or walk now?

She says as a long-time game show fan, she hates to see people walk away from the chance at the big money. And after Ben actually gets to throw it to commercial(!), she decides...

KELLY'S CHOICE: WALK OUT
KELLY WINS: $51,000

So much for that. But she's not letting the thrill of the drop escape her. Enjoy the money, Kelly.

SPEED ROUND: Tonight's players in order:

#9 DAVE ??? (A graduate of both firefighter and paramedic school)
#2 MELLI ??? (Degree in sociology)
#4 JOCELYN CRUZ (Miss New Mexixo Teen USA)
#5 JOSH CARMONA (Hip-hop radio host)
#6 TARA DONATO (Waitress with a psych degree)

We're playing for $2,000 per right answer, so the money's gonna build fast. Here's the drama:

Jocelyn's 3rd: (Yes, we get that far that fast)
Last letter of the Greek alphabet
_ _ E _ _

"Zeta, Beta, Kappa, Theta, Alpha, Epstein..." BUZZ! OMEGA

Tara's 3rd:
Dance whose name is Spanish for "double step"
_ _ _ _ _ O _ _ E

"Tango, Salsa, Merengue..." BUZZ! Dancing with the Stars is not on her DVR list. PASO DOBLE.

Dave's 4th:
Its capital is Phnom Penh
_ _ _ _ _ _ I _

"Not Thailand, not... um... CAMBODIA... not uh..." DING! Hey, doesn't matter if you doubt it. So Dave goes from backdraft to backdoor and we play on.

Josh's 4th:
Suleyman the Magnificent ruled this empire
_ _ _ _ _ A _

"That's gonna have to be the Persian empire." Nothing. BUZZ! OTTOMAN is the answer, Josh. Don't trip!

Melli's 5th:
Bill Clinton's last name on his birth certificate
_ _ _ _ _ E

This is news to me. BUZZ! It is to Melli, too. He was born Bill BLYTHE.

WINNER: DAVE ($32,000)

And send Dave back on his door, cuz he's going through the floor.

And we're out of here! Seeya in the new year!

To see this episode in its entirety, visit the official website at www.nbc.com/whos-still-standing or their Hulu page at www.hulu.com/whos-still-standing.