Rob Coughlin, a resident from Shoreline, Washington, appeared on the WWTBAM primetime show on January 23, 2000, and was the second gay contestant on the show. He's also had another milestone for gays: the first to win $500,000 on WWTBAM. But, he was only the third person to walk with $500,000 in the history of American WWTBAM. Here is how Rob did.
Fastest Finger First[]
| Fastest Finger First | |
| 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 | |
| • A: Flour - 4% | • B: Baking soda - 65% |
| • C: Baking powder - 24% | • D: Cornstarch - 7% |
| $16,000 (9 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| What ruler was known as the "Sun King?" | |
| • A: King Louis XIV | • B: King Tutankhamen |
| • C: Henry V | • D: Emperor Hirohito |
| $32,000 (10 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| 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: West 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 Kilpatrick | • D: Nellie Taylor 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 saw the movie many times, but didn't remember where Luke used to live, so he used his Phone a Friend lifeline to call his college mate, Jim. He said the answer was D: Tatooine and that he was fairly positive. With that advice taken, Rob 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 |
| After using the 50:50 lifeline, Rob thought he was 99% sure to go for the million, but even without the other 1%, Rob wanted to walk with the $500,000, so that was what Rob did. If Rob guessed, he would've said B: Haiti, but the right answer was A: Costa Rica. | |