Tune in and see!

Way back in October last year I sat dutifully by the telephone waiting to get a call from Meredith Vieira just in case my longtime friend and fellow caricaturist/cartoonist Jim Batts needed me as a phone a friend when he was on “Who Wants to Be A Millionaire?“. Jim appeared on the movie trivia themed week of the show.

Asking me to answer a movie trivia question that stumps Jim is a little like asking a 5th grader to solve a physics problem that Stephen Hawking couldn’t handle. Basically I was Jim’s “Harry Potter” ringer, since he knew my family and me are big fans of the books and films… plus I did parodies of two of them in MAD.

Alas, no 15 minutes of fame for me. Jim got no Harry Potter questions…. at least none he couldn’t answer without me. Jim’s “Millionaire” show(s) finally air tonight and tomorrow, so tune in and see how he does! Check your local listings for times.

If you happen to be in the St. Louis area, there is going to be a viewing event at St. Louis Union Station in the new Beachwood Bistro resturant starting around 4:00 pm. The show airs at 5:00 locally there. Jim will be on hand and with movie trivia and possible prizes to be had by the attendees… plus they get to see how much dough Jim ended up with. I’d wish Jim good luck but since the actually contest happened about 5 months ago he does not need it.

Oh well… it couldn’t hurt. GOOD LUCK, JIM!!

Today’s the day I am sitting by the phone in case I am called upon to be a “Phone-a-Friend” lifeline for my pal and fellow caricaturist Jim Batts, who is taping his show this afternoon in New York City.

Actually the way this works is he is there and ready to compete if called upon. It is possible he might not be picked from the pool of possible contestants during the taping sessions he is scheduled for. I doubt that, as he is just the kind of guy they’d want on the show… he’s quirky, has an interesting career and he knows a #%^$*@ lot about movies. In fact it’s kind of a joke I am on of his “Phone-a-Friends”, as I know a small, tiny fraction of the vast knowledge of entertainment trivia that Jim knows. In fact, Jim once participated in a radio call-in entertainment trivia game when he was working in Las Vegas doing caricatures at Excaliber, and he broke the bank. No kidding, they could not stump him. His winnings escalated with each question, and he had won over $1,300 before they cut him off. After that they had a new “ceiling” for what you could win. Jim’s going to win a bundle… I’d not bet against his taking home a million dollars.

Basically my job is to cover some small, specialized knowledge he does not possess. Mainly I am his ringer for any Harry Potter movie related questions, but if he gets one on a Batman movie or any of the films I did the parody of for MAD, he might tap me for those as well. I will take endless ribbing from my workout trainer if I end up answering a Brokeback Mountain question for him.

So I am supposed to get a prep call between 10 am and 11 am EST today, just to make sure I am available. Then I must stick by the phone between 12 pm and 7:30 pm EST to answer a possible call. I’m not sure what I’ll do if I get a call from a client today. I doubt my caller I.D. will say “Meredith Vieira” on it if they call. It will probably say “Unknown Caller” or some such. I’ll have to keep my conversations short. I was told they will call me after Jim is done so I need not wait around all day.

There is a very small chance I’ll get a call. First, I cannot imagine Jim not knowing something about a movie. Second the Harry Potter films were such big blockbusters the only questions they’d likely to be the subject of will be the very easy first several, and even someone who has not sen the films will likely know the answers to those.

Still, I’ll be ready. Bring it on, Meredith!

UPDATE- I’m off the hook. “Millionaire” called and told me Jim used a different Phone-a-Friend. I feel all empty and hollow inside… sniff… sniff…

My friend and fellow caricaturist and cartoonist Jim Batts is an entertainment trivia genius, and is about to test his mettle on “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” two weeks from today, October 23rd in New York City.

Jim traveled to NYC this summer to try out for the program and it’s “Movie Trivia” focused week run of shows sponsored by Netflix. Jim nailed the audition and got the callback last month. He’s scheduled to tape his show on the 23rd. Believe it or not, I am one of his “Phone a Friend” lifelines… basically I am on call to answer any Harry Potter or Batman film related questions. That’s about all I have to offer, as Jim knows roughly 10,000 times more than I about movie trivia. I’ll be sitting next to my phone all day and probably jump every time it rings.

If you are in the NYC area and want to go see the taping and cheer on a fellow cartoonist, visit the “Millionaire” website to order free tickets. I’d get the earlier taping if available because Jim is likely to be selected early. Last year they gave away a free year of Netflix to all audience members, and this year will likely have some kind of movie related gift as well. If you think you have a big brain you can also audition for a future “Millionaire” show when you go watch the taping. Check out the details on the website.

Jim won’t be the first cartoonist I know who has been on “Millionaire”. Gordon Purcell is a local Twin Cities comic book artist I know who does a lot of licensed comics like Star Trek, The X-files, Xena, etc. In 2005 he was on the show and won $50,000!! Alas I was not one of his “Phone a Friend” lifelines. Maybe that’s good as I would have had no idea Rhode Island was the U.S. state that signed a 1790 treaty under the threat of being declared a foreign nation.

I would have guessed Iowa.

Sorry Bucky.

UPDATE- It seems I know one other cartoonist who has been on “Millionaire”- “Love and Capes” creator and caricaturist Thom Zahler, whom I know through the NCN, was on the show in 2002 and won $32,000.