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**Whether the contestants were caught cheating or they simply outsmarted the game, these game show scandals caused quite a stir.** For this list, we’ll be looking at the 20 most shocking, head-scratching, and eyebrow-raising moments on game shows. Our countdown includes “Wheel of Fortune,” “The Price Is Right,” “Jeopardy!,” and more! WatchMojo ranks the biggest game show scandals. Which scandal shocked you? Let us know in the comments!
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Feel free to add any specific scandals you want to include or any other details you'd like to feature!
---
**Whether the contestants were caught cheating or they simply outsmarted the game, these game show scandals caused quite a stir.** For this list, we’ll be looking at the 20 most shocking, head-scratching, and eyebrow-raising moments on game shows. Our countdown includes “Wheel of Fortune,” “The Price Is Right,” “Jeopardy!,” and more! WatchMojo ranks the biggest game show scandals. Which scandal shocked you? Let us know in the comments!
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Feel free to add any specific scandals you want to include or any other details you'd like to feature!
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Whether they were caught cheating or simply outsmarted the game, these contestants caused quite a stir.
00:07Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the Top 20 Game Show Scandals.
00:12Wait a minute, let me get over this first before you win it.
00:17I had a good feeling about it.
00:19For this list, we're looking at the most shocking, head-scratching, and eyebrow-raising moments on game shows.
00:27These instances of cheating, fraud, and unexpected winners and losers caught viewers off-guard,
00:32and promptly garnered plenty of media attention.
00:49What is Wimbledon?
00:50Yes.
00:50When Jeopardy! contestant Reed Rogers answered The Sporting Life for $400,
00:54he narrowly missed the mark by just one letter.
00:57Moments after what sounded like a correct answer,
00:59host Alex Trebek announced that Rogers mispronounced the correct answer of Wimbledon as Wimble-TON.
01:05I'm informed that you very clearly said Wimble-TON, not Wimble-DUN a few moments ago, so you're losing $800.
01:12$800 was swiftly deducted from his total,
01:15$400 for getting the wrong answer, and an additional $400 subtracted from the points he had gained.
01:20At least he followed this mishap with a correct answer to the Daily Double, pronounced correctly this time.
01:33A lot of people are upset at the game show Wheel of Fortune this morning.
01:37It all has to do with this contestant right there.
01:39She guessed the right words, but she was told she lost anyway.
01:43Who knew that pronunciation mattered so much, especially on Wheel of Fortune?
01:47This was a hard lesson for contestant Renee Durette in 2012.
01:55Following her enthusiastic cry of,
01:58Renee, the audience, and viewers at home were surprised to hear Pat Sajak say that her answer was incorrect.
02:04Why? Because it's swimming, not swimming.
02:14While it was obvious to anyone watching what Renee was saying, dropping that G cost her the round.
02:20And despite the uproar on social media, the show stood by its decision.
02:31Number 18. Name that tune. Pasapalabra.
02:34Pasapalabra is a Spanish game show wherein celebrities team up with everyday people to help them win cash and prizes.
02:39Sounds innocent enough, right?
02:41Well, a small scandal occurred when it was revealed that one of the guests,
02:45model-slash-actress Adriana Abeña, had cheated during the show's Name That Tune segment.
03:05Abeña was on fire.
03:08But, when her legs began to flash and vibrate, it was revealed that she was actually using Shazam to get the answers.
03:15Her ruse busted, the scam actually went down well with the studio audience,
03:19and was mostly laughed off by the show's host as well as by Abeña herself.
03:28Number 17. To flip-flop or not to flip-flop. The price is right.
03:35If you're going to play the game, then do it the right way.
03:39Maybe this is what host Bob Barker should have told this flip-floppy cheater.
03:43A contestant named Brenton was tasked with playing Flip-Flop,
03:46a game where the aim is to uncover four digits of an item's price via a series of flipped and flopped squares.
03:52Instead of doing this, Brenton decided to just press the button that reveals the item's actual price,
03:57effectively nullifying the entire game.
04:05Barker was not amused with this and wandered off the stage, only to return and give Brenton the prize anyway.
04:17Number 16. The lucky letter. Wheel of Fortune.
04:26Guests on Wheel of Fortune usually spin the wheel a couple of times before even attempting to solve the puzzle,
04:32but it took this lucky contestant only one letter to guarantee her victory.
04:40Caitlin Burke used a number of methods to choose her answer, including a lot of home play,
04:44and the knowledge that I've is one of the most common contractions used in a sentence.
04:49I've got a good feeling about this.
04:52That's right.
04:56As a result, with just an L and an apostrophe to go by, Burke solved I've got a good feeling about this,
05:02which proved not only to be true, but also completely stunned host Pat Sajak.
05:07Because I was debating whether the first word was I've or I'll, and L just seemed, you know, like a good shot, so I just said L.
05:14Number 15. Modeling Woes. The Price is Right.
05:20I won it!
05:25Congratulations, but we'll just give you a car.
05:30Models and The Price is Right go hand in hand. Sometimes.
05:34But for you, you say the dream turned into a nightmare. You were fired. Why were you fired?
05:40It's true that the beautiful ladies have been a show staple for decades, but not every model's well-crafted smile has been genuine.
05:46There are several stories of models suing the series for various reasons.
05:50Sexual harassment, weight discrimination, being fired for getting pregnant, just to name a few.
05:55Brandi Cochran was a regular, much-loved model on The Price is Right for nearly seven years.
06:00I know the problem started when I got pregnant.
06:04Model Brandi Sherwood Cochran famously filed a lawsuit against The Price is Right after she was refused back on the show following her maternity leave in 2009.
06:12However, most of these cases were settled, dropped, or appealed.
06:15But we can't shake the feeling there's some tension behind the scenes between that first come-on-down to the final showcase.
06:21Why did you decide it was so important to do this?
06:23Because if I hadn't gotten pregnant, I wouldn't have lost my job. That's what this boils down to. And that's not right.
06:34The Red Room is a 1908 painting by which artist?
06:39Jed Al-Qahtani fancied himself an alpha male and was supremely confident going into his appearance on the Australian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
06:46Qahtani won $100,000 during his appearance on Hot Seat, despite not actually knowing any of the answers.
06:52You knew that I didn't know this answer. Painting?
06:56Instead, the contestant read the body language, eyes, and cadence of the show's host, Eddie McGuire.
07:02Since this isn't technically cheating, Qahtani was allowed to keep his prize.
07:06A result that made this already-smug Melbourne law student very happy.
07:21The Gong Show was a cult hit for NBC, but never quite gelled with network executives behind the scenes, thanks largely to the show's chaotic, anything-can-happen atmosphere.
07:31Chuck Beres hosted the classic version of The Gong Show from 1976 to 1980, and fit in just fine with the array of everyday people looking for their 15 minutes of fame.
07:39It was after the daytime version of the show was cancelled when Beres really let NBC know what he thought of them, however.
07:45Singing, take this job and shove it during the show's finale, and flipping a censored bird to the...
07:56This game show found itself in hot water right from the get-go.
07:59Our Little Genius was a kids' quiz show that was supposed to debut on Fox in 2010, with comedian Kevin Pollak serving as host.
08:06However, producer Mark Burnett had the show postponed a week before it was scheduled to air, thanks to two separate accusations of contestants being given advanced knowledge of topics.
08:15Although answers were not provided, questions and themes were reportedly discussed at length with both parents and kids, resulting in Our Little Genius being cancelled without airing a single episode.
08:30Number 11. Not-so-smooth criminal. Super Password.
08:34Hiding in plain sight doesn't exactly consist of being a contestant on a game show.
08:49In the 80s, Carrie Ketchum was wanted for insurance fraud, credit card fraud, and forgery.
08:54Surely all he needed to do to elude the authorities was use a different name, right?
09:00Taking on the alias Patrick Quinn, he went on the show in 1988 and proceeded to win big,
09:09and was then promptly arrested when he went to pick up his money because a viewer at home recognized him and called the police.
09:15And no, he couldn't keep the money because he won under false pretenses.
09:19This also means he most certainly did not use the winnings to pay back his debts.
09:30Number 10. Misspelling counts, even for kids. Jeopardy.
09:38You'd think a game show would go easy on a kid, right?
09:41In 2013, Thomas Hurley III appeared on Kids Jeopardy and in the final round, answered the question correctly, except he spelled it wrong.
10:00This was counted as an incorrect answer, and social media went nuts over the decision.
10:19Some viewers felt that Alex Trebek had embarrassed the 12-year-old, while others applauded the show for not giving credit to a misspelled answer.
10:26At least Thomas was able to bring some money home for his second place win.
10:33Number 9. That one scandal where Congress stepped in. 21.
10:46Practically every single television show today is accused of being staged in some fashion.
10:51However, back in the 1950s, the news was so shocking that no one believed it when former contestant Herbert Stemple completely spilled the truth after his loss to Charles Van Doren.
11:06The fallout revealed that everything about the show, even Stemple's image and backstory, had been set up and tinkered with by the producers.
11:21Meanwhile, the show was feeding answers to the contestants and pre-deciding the show's outcome.
11:26When it was all said and done, Congress had to step in and amend the Communications Act to declare fixing quiz shows illegal.
11:43Number 8. The perfect bid. The price is right.
11:46Getting a perfect bid when trying to get on stage is hard enough, but getting a perfect bid during the showcase?
12:01You'd have to be a math genius to do that. Or watch a lot of daytime television, which is exactly what Terry Neese and his wife did.
12:17The couple studied the price is right for months, picking up on its patterns, commonly featured items, and usual pricing.
12:23Even so, when Neese took to the stage for the final showcase, he was absolutely shocked when his $23,743 bid was spot on, as was host Drew Carey.
12:46Suspicious? Yes, but technically, Neese wasn't cheating.
12:50The 2017 documentary Perfect Bid, the contestant who knew too much, confirms that Neese did in fact memorize prices on the program,
12:57and led the game show to change its pricing system to prevent this from happening again.
13:01Number 7. Marriage for money. The moment of truth.
13:05Do you believe I'm the man you should be married to?
13:10How willing would you be to answer intensely personal questions in front of a television audience while attached to a polygraph machine?
13:18Well, Fox gave it a go, and the results were as cringeworthy as you would imagine.
13:22Case in point, the marriage of Lauren and Frank Cleary, which was ruined when Lauren's ex-boyfriend Frank Nardi Jr. came into the picture.
13:29This is your ex-boyfriend Frank.
13:35Lauren admitted that she had cheated on her husband, and answered positively to her ex's question of
13:40Do you think I am the man you should be married to?
13:43Adding insult to injury, Lauren's final game tally was zero.
13:53Number 6. Coughing to victory. Who wants to be a millionaire UK?
14:06This is exactly what it sounds like.
14:20In 2001, Charles Ingram implemented a somewhat clever and cheaty idea.
14:24He read the answers out loud, and had his wife and friend cough when he said the right one.
14:36Unless you use that lifeline, audience participation isn't part of the game.
14:40Ingram had to give back the million he won, and pay a fine of £15,000.
14:44Worse still, as a result of the scam, Ingram was dismissed from his job as a major in the British Army.
14:55This is exactly what it sounds like.
14:57Unless you use that lifeline, audience participation isn't part of the game.
15:00Unless you use that lifeline, audience participation isn't part of the game.
15:11Number 5. No whammies lead to life whammies. Press your luck.
15:28After recording episodes and studying the pattern of the board,
15:31Mike Larson appeared on Press Your Luck in 1984 and completely annihilated the competition by taking home over $100,000.
15:53Since it technically wasn't cheating, Larson was free to keep his winnings.
15:57Unfortunately, not everyone knows what to do with that much money.
16:00His missteps included making a sizable withdrawal to take part in a radio game show,
16:04having $50,000 stolen from his home, and later taking part in a scheme involving a foreign lottery.
16:10Michael got himself into a lot of different problems with the law,
16:14in respect of, like, getting involved with a telephone sort of scam where they were selling part of a nationwide lottery.
16:24His participation in the scheme put him on the run from authorities until his untimely death in 1999.
16:30The whammies of life hit Larson hard.
16:34It was throat cancer.
16:36The ultimate whammy came from Michael Larson on February 16th, 1999.
16:44Number 4. Spotlight on a murderer. Bullseye UK.
16:48John Cooper didn't walk away from Bullseye a winner, but eventually his brief shot at glory was a major win for the British public.
16:54Unknown at the time, Cooper was already a two-time murderer,
16:58having killed a brother and sister in 1985 and killing Peter and Gwenda Dixon a month after his game show strikeout.
17:05They're using me to clear old crime. It shouldn't be allowed. It shouldn't be allowed.
17:11In 1998, Cooper was convicted of a string of robberies and served 10 years in prison.
17:16However, soon after his release, police investigated a murder cold case,
17:20which, through advanced forensic science, DNA and his Bullseye footage, they were able to pin on him.
17:26Cooper was arrested soon after and convicted in 2011.
17:29This wasn't just a robbery for gain. It was an act of a psychopath.
17:37Number 3. The Popsicle Twins. The Gong Show.
17:48Easily one of the most bizarre moments on The Gong Show,
17:51the so-called Popsicle Twins were a duo of young women whose act was titled,
17:56Their segment was initially only aired on the East Coast before being pulled,
18:00when it was noticed that the simple act of enjoying an ice lolly was a bit more suggestive than it first appeared.
18:05Score-wise, the act was a dud, with only J.P. Morgan picking up what the girls were laying down
18:10and TV's clinger Jamie Farr awarding it a mere two points.
18:20Number 2. Which came first, the Post-It or the Walkman?
18:26Alright, the three possible answers.
18:28A. Macintosh Computer. B. Sony Walkman. C. Post-It.
18:39When couples appear on game shows, networks are hoping for some relationship hijinks.
18:43And that is exactly what this show got, in the worst way possible.
18:47Gable Coyier and Brittany Mayte were well on their way to a million dollars,
18:51until the which came first question came up.
18:54Which of these was sold in stores first? Talk it over.
19:00Wow, this is hard. This is really hard.
19:02Because Post-It notes is like, I'm thinking Post-It notes or Walkman and I don't think computer.
19:08After bickering, Coyier went with the Post-It.
19:10And the couple watched as $800,000 fell through a trap door because they got the right answer?
19:24Post-It notes first sold in 1980.
19:27I don't know what's a Post-It note.
19:29Though the show's research team had checked with 3M, Post-It's original parent company,
19:33a slight technicality meant their information was just plain wrong.
19:36A mistake brought to light by viewers, launching an instant internet backlash against Fox,
19:42demanding the show pay up, and posting the fact that it's a fake.
19:46A mistake brought to light by viewers, launching an instant internet backlash against Fox,
19:51demanding the show pay up, and posting the facts about Post-It's online.
19:56Cue the social media outrage, the show offering to bring the couple back,
20:00and then, well, the show was cancelled after its debut season.
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20:27Rodney Alcala appeared as Bachelor No. 1 on The Dating Game in 1978,
20:31and managed to charm his way through the show to win the date.
20:35A decision she would have soon come to regret, Cheryl Bradshaw thankfully didn't end up going through with it.
20:40As it turns out, Alcala had a terrifying criminal history involving multiple murders, kidnapping and sexual assault,
20:47with his victims ranging from adult women to young girls.
21:00Moving forward, the importance of doing extensive background checks on contestants cannot be overstated.
21:06They could be cheaters, they could be frauds, they could be Rodney Alcala.
21:28Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from WatchMojo,
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