“Shocking Confession: Why a ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’ Contestant Played It Safe on the Final Question Despite Knowing the Answer”
Winning a game show can feel like catching lightning in a bottle, but winning on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Now that’s a whole new level of glory! With only a handful of contestants claiming the ultimate prize in both the UK and US versions, it’s like being part of an exclusive club where the membership fees are measured in trivia knowledge alone. One standout in this incredible lineup is John Carpenter, who made game show history back in November 1999. A tax agent, he somehow navigated his way to the million-dollar question without tapping into any of those valuable lifelines—at least, that’s what the audience thought until a surprise twist turned the whole experience upside down! Join us as we dive into this unforgettable moment that challenged the odds, showcased wit, and brought in a sprinkle of suspense. You won’t want to miss it! LEARN MORE
Winning a game show is always an incredible achievement, but being one of the very few people to take home the prize on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire is historic.
Six people have walked away from the £1 million jackpot on the UK edition of the hit show, while 13 contestants have won the US version.
Among those Who Wants To Be A Millionaire champions is John Carpenter, who was a very memorable contestant on the US version, having appeared on the show in November 1999.
John, an IRS tax agent, managed to make it to the very final round without using a single one of his lifelines.
Each contestant is awarded three lifelines on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire: 50:50, Phone-a-Friend and Ask the Audience.
The final question, read out by late host Regis Philbin, was: “Which of these U.S Presidents appeared on the television series ‘Laugh-In?”
The four answer options were Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford.
John looked confident as soon as the answers were read out, with a smirk plastered across his face, but he then asked to use his Phone-a-Friend lifeline.
He then proceeded to call his father, with the audience left shocked that he had finally needed to use a lifeline.
However, this was not the case at all.
John Carpenter appeared on the US version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire in 1999. (YouTube/Who Wants to be a Millionaire)
As soon as his Father picked up the phone, John said: “I don’t really need your help, I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to win the million dollars.”
His cool quip was met with a sea of applause and cheers from the crowd.
When reflecting on his win years later, he said: “I would have felt like a fraud if I used a lifeline for those things, but I said to myself that I was going to use a lifeline no matter what on the last question, because I didn’t want to be thought of as that guy.”
John Carpenter fooled everyone when he used a lifeline. (YouTube/Who Wants to Be a Millionaire)
“But when I saw the question, I thought, ‘My father is going to know I know this.’ So, I’m a bit of a smart a** and it came to me to just tell him I was going to win,” John added.
The result made him the first winner of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire in any country or edition of the show.
Since winning, John got to appear on SNL, the Oprah Winfrey Show, and even got to reunite with host Philbin on Live with Regis and Kathie Lee.
