Pod Insights American Scandal Quiz Show Rigging | All the Answers | 1 About this episode In the 1950s, America was captivated by high-stakes television quiz shows like The $64,000 Question and Twenty-One, which promised everyday Americans a shot at life-changing winnings. But behind the scenes, producers decided they couldn’t leave the drama to chance. They needed to ensure that the most compelling contestants battled it out week after week, setting the stage for a fraud that would shake the entire industry.
Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter
Listen to American Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/american-scandal/ http://wondery.com/links/american-scandal/ now.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcript Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
0:00 Lindsay Graham? Audible subscribers can binge new seasons of American Scandal early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
0:25 Lindsay Graham? It's November 28th, 1956, in NBC Studios at New York City's Rockefeller Center. Thirty-year-old Charles Van Doren is standing backstage, waiting to be introduced as the newest contestant on the hit television quiz show Twenty One. He straightens the collar of his suit and runs his fingers through his curly brown hair, trying to settle his nerves before his TV debut. He peeks through the curtains and sees more than a hundred people in the studio audience waiting for the game to begin. But his mind is on a different audience tonight: his family, watching at home. He's a member of the famous Van Doren Literary Family. His father and uncle are both Pulitzer Prize-winning writers, and his mother is an acclaimed novelist and magazine editor.
1:08 Lindsay Graham? So he's nervous about how his foray into the lowbrow medium of television might go over with them. Van Doren himself doesn't even own a TV, and has never heard of Twenty One until one of the show's producers asked him to be a contestant just a few weeks ago. Now, seeing the studio audience, the TV lights and cameras, he's beginning to wonder if it was a mistake. So as he hears the show's host, Jack Berry, call him to stage, he takes a deep breath and prays he doesn't do anything to embarrass himself. Van Doren strides out from the wings, and the studio audience erupts in applause. He nods to the crowd, then turns to shake hands with Berry and his opponent, Herbert Stempel. Stempel is already well-known to quiz show fans.
1:53 Lindsay Graham? He's the longest-running champion on Twenty One to date. Some have gone so far as to call him unbeatable, and this only adds to Van Doren's apprehension. The show's host, Jack Berry, then begins reading from a cue card in his hand, introducing Van Dorn to America as an impressive fellow, a professor of music at Columbia University that studied at Cambridge University in England and plays classical piano in chamber groups. Hearing this, Van Dorn winces. Truth is, he barely plays the piano, and he teaches literature, not music. He considers trying to correct the record, but before he can, Berry presses forward, noting Van Dorn's famous family, mentioning his award-winning father. Van Dorn stares into the glowing red light on top of the camera, thinking about his
2:38 Lindsay Graham? family watching at home. His father is probably mortified to have his name dragged into this, but all Van Dorn can do now is smile bashfully as Berry prattles on. Then finally, after finishing his introduction, Berry asks Van Dorn and Stempel to head into their respective isolation booths to begin the game.
3:00 Lindsay Graham? The show's assistants, a pair of attractive young blond women, emerge from behind a curtain and lead the contestants into two soundproof glass booths. Inside his booth, Van Dorn puts on an oversized pair of headphones, and his world goes completely silent. He then watches as Berry, standing at a lectern, turns to ask Stempel the first trivia question of the game. A moment later, Van Dorn hears Berry's voice in his headphones. All right, Mr. Van Dorn, now it's your turn to play. I'll give you the category, and you choose the difficulty, from one to 11. The harder the question, the more points you'll earn. The first category is the Civil War. How much do you know about that? Well, that's an awfully big subject. I'll try for eight points. Okay, for eight points.
3:44 Lindsay Graham? Because of a disagreement with his commanding general, Ulysses Grant was placed under arrest for a brief time in 1862. Who was the commanding general of the Union Army at that time? Oh, I know his name. Halleck. General H.W. Halleck. That's correct, and you have eight points. Van Doren's headphones go silent again as Barry turns to Stempel to ask another question. Then a moment later, Barry's voice returns in the headphones. Back to you, Mr. Van Doren. Your next category is newspapers. How many points you want to try for? I think I should go for seven, but I'm worried Mr. Stempel may be pulling ahead, so I'll take 10. All right, for 10 points, this is a tough question.
4:25 Lindsay Graham? The grandsons of Joseph Midill, two of the most successful journalists from 1914 on, were the owners and managers of the Chicago Tribune and the New York Daily News. What were their names? Van Doren pauses for a moment, reaches into his pocket. He pulls out a handkerchief, wipes a few beads of sweat from his forehead. Well, the, the Chicago Tribune, um, that would be Colonel Robert R. McCormick. That's correct. And the Daily News, ah, wouldn't, wouldn't that be Patterson, Joseph Patterson? It would be, and now you have 17 points. Moments later, the game ends in a tie. The show's host, Jack Barry, informs the audience that Van Doren and Stempel will
5:09 Lindsay Graham? face off again next week, and the ultimate winner will go home with an enormous cash prize. As Van Doren heads backstage, he feels queasy, though, because despite his performance, he's not quite the trivia expert he just played on TV. In fact, he was given all the answers to the questions in advance by the show's producers. The whole game was rigged from the start, and if the truth is ever revealed, it would bring a level of shame to Van Doren and his family that would tear his entire world apart.
5:37 Speaker 01 Confidence. It's listening to your gut. It's moving forward even when the path ahead is unclear. For nearly 160 years, Pacific Life has helped people keep their promises, building confidence for generations. Whether you're confident in your financial future or just beginning to envision it, we're here to help. Ask a financial professional how. Pacific Life, the power of a promise. Pacific Life Insurance Company, Omaha, Nebraska, and in New York, Pacific Life and Annuity, Phoenix, Arizona.
6:12 Speaker 02 Hey, I'm David Brown, the host of Business Wars from Audible Originals. Indian Motorcycle and Harley-Davidson once defined American riding until Indian collapsed. Decades later, against the odds, one company dared to bring the iconic brand back, and the rivalry has returned. Listen to Business Wars on Audible or wherever you get your podcasts.
6:38 Lindsay Graham? From Wondery, I'm Lindsay Graham, and this is American Scam.
7:03 Lindsay Graham? In the 1950s, Americans fell in love with a new medium of television. At the start of the decade, less than 10% of households had a TV set of their own. But by 1955, that number soared to 50%. Watching TV quickly became a habit for much of the country. Nothing captured their attention quite like the quiz show phenomenon. Shows like 21, The $64,000 Question, and Dado became some of the most-watched programs on television. Viewers were hooked by the drama of watching real people compete for prizes, sometimes in the form of life-changing amounts of cash. But many of these early game shows were not what they seemed. Pressured by their corporate sponsors to maintain high ratings, some quiz show producers began
7:48 Lindsay Graham? engineering the games to favor the most popular contestants. And there was no contestant more popular than Charles Van Doren. The tall, handsome scion of a prominent literary family, Van Doren's victory over rival contestant Herbert Stempel was a smash hit with viewers, and the four-month winning streak that followed would make Van Doren a household name. All the while, behind the scenes, Van Doren was provided with the answer to every question he was asked. But Stempel, and a handful of contestants from other rigged quiz shows, soon grew resentful about being forced to lose. And before long, they decided to expose what was really happening behind the scenes. Within a few years' time, the entire quiz show genre came tumbling down.
8:32 Lindsay Graham? And when the full truth came to light, America's relationship with TV would never be the same. This is Episode 1: All the Answers.
8:44 Lindsay Graham? It's January 1955, nearly two years before Charles Van Doren's quiz show debut. At the Madison Avenue headquarters of cosmetics company Revlon, television producer Lou Cowan is preparing to make one of the biggest pitches of his career. Cowan is waiting in one of the company's upscale conference rooms with a briefcase tucked under his arm. A handful of Revlon executives walk in, including the company's founder, Charles Revson, and his brother Martin, the company's second-in-command. Cowan stands and shakes their hands. Then as all the men take their seats, Cowan opens his briefcase and removes a handful of documents and poster boards for his presentation. Before turning back to face the executives though, he takes a deep breath.
9:26 Lindsay Graham? His instincts tell him he's got a winning idea on his hands, but still, he knows his groundbreaking new concept could be a tough sell. At 46 years old, Cowan has already built a successful career, having produced more than 50 shows across TV and radio. He first struck gold in the 1940s, creating the hit radio shows Quiz Kids and Stop the Music, before venturing into the new, more lucrative medium of television. But to get that money, the first, most important step in selling a new TV show is getting a sponsor on board. If they agree to cover the cost of producing the show, Cowan can take it to one of the three major broadcast networks and get it on the air. But sponsors like Revlon don't know much about how TV works, so Cowan often uses metaphors to sell them on a new idea.
10:12 Lindsay Graham? Cowan starts his pitch by placing an oversized photo of Mount Everest on an easel at the end of the conference table. He asks the executives to think back two years, to 1953, when Sir Edmund Hillary became the first climber to reach the summit of Everest. Cowan reminds them that this event captured the imagination of people around the world. It was front-page news for months. And with this new show Cowan is imagining, they too can capture the magic of scaling the world's tallest mountain with a half-hour televised trivia competition. Cowan looks around the room to gauge the reaction, but he only finds blank stares. Revlon founder Charles Revson clears his throat and checks his watch. Afraid of losing the room entirely, Cowan quickly pivots
10:56 Lindsay Graham? and brings the pitch back down to sea level. He asks the executives to recall the old radio quiz show Take It or Leave It. Cowan didn't create that show, but he always admired the format. Contestants were tasked with answering a series of increasingly difficult trivia questions, with each correct answer being awarded twice as much money as the previous question. And if they get a question right, contestants could choose to go home with all the money they'd earned, or risk it all to continue playing. Cowan explains this was the real magic of the show. That moment when everyday people were given the choice to take the money and run, or risk it all for a chance to double their winnings. This is what he wants to create. A moment of choice, a moment of high stakes, a moment of drama.
11:41 Lindsay Graham? Cowan can see Charles Revson's eyes narrow as they meet his own. He finally seems to have the founders' full attention. So Cowan reminds the executives of the payout structure for Take It or Leave It. The first question was worth just a dollar, the second question worth two, but eventually contestants would build their way up to the show's big grand prize moment, the $64 question. It worked great for radio, but Cowan asserts that $64 isn't enough to lure a TV audience. Cowan looks up and sees the executives are leaning forward in their seats. Now's the time for the big reveal. He tells the room that his new show is called the $64,000 question. The executives look around at each other, their eyes wide.
12:24 Lindsay Graham? Cowan explains that $64,000 would be the most money ever given away on a quiz show, 20 times what the average American makes in a year. If people liked the $64 question, they'd go absolutely wild for a show that's offering 1,000 times that. Cowan points back at the photo of Mount Everest, explaining that $64,000 is truly an Everest-worthy number, the kind of money that captures imaginations. All Cowan needs now is a presenting sponsor. Cowan looks directly at the Revson brothers. He can see Charles Revson rubbing his chin, deep in thought as he considers the implications of giving away that much money. And he watches as Martin Revson begins sketching numbers on a legal pad. So Cowan says he knows he's asking for a lot here.
13:08 Lindsay Graham? The show will not be cheap to make. But he tells the room to imagine the newspaper headlines the day after the first contestant wins the grand prize. It'll be covered like the day Everest was scaled. And even better, people will associate the achievement with Revlon. Cowan promises the company's investment will pay for itself many times over. Cowan then takes a seat, wrapping up his presentation, and gives the room a minute to think it over. At the head of the conference table, he sees Charles Revson grin. Cowan knew he had a good idea. And based on the look in Charles's eye, it appears he may also have a sponsor.
13:46 Lindsay Graham? Soon after Lou Cowan's pitch, Revlon agrees to sponsor the $64,000 question. And within just a few months, they find a home for the show on CBS. The program debuts in June of 1955 and quickly proves to be an enormous hit. Within just a few weeks, it's the top-rated show on Tuesday nights. And by the end of July, it takes the crown as the number-one show in all of television, beating out iconic programs like I Love Lucy and The Ed Sullivan Show. All across America, audiences are captivated by the enormous grand prize of $64,000, the equivalent of more than $750,000 today. They also responded well to the show's format.
14:27 Lindsay Graham? In each episode, contestants answer a series of questions in a single area of expertise, like opera, boxing, or royal families. And when a contestant passes the $4,000 mark, they are only asked one new question per episode, returning week after week to see how far they can climb. They become like recurring characters in a drama series, with audiences tuning in to see how their favorite player's journey will end. But within a few months of the show's debut, a flaw emerges in its design. By August of 1955, not a single contestant has won the grand prize. In fact, no one has even chosen to attempt it, opting instead to stop at the second-to-last $32,000 question, rather than risk losing it all.
15:12 Lindsay Graham? And while Revlon has been delighted with the ratings, they're worried that if nobody ever answers the $64,000 question, audiences will eventually lose interest. So the company begins pressuring Cowan to deliver a grand prize winner. One Wednesday morning, just hours after yet another contestant has declined to attempt the final question, Cowan invites his friend Mark Goodson to his Manhattan office to talk things over. Goodson is himself a veteran producer of game shows for radio and TV, and Cowan wants to get his perspective. Hey, Mark, thanks for coming by. Man, I'm in a real pickle with this show. I need to pick your brain on it. Have a seat. A real pickle, huh? You've got the number-one show on TV.
15:56 Lindsay Graham? What on earth could be the problem? Is Revlon selling too much lipstick? No, no one's complaining about the ratings, but Revlon wants to see a grand prize winner. Frankly, I agree with them. If we go the whole season without anybody even attempting the final question, let alone getting it right, the audience is gonna notice. I mean, it's in the title of the damn show, "Sixty-four thousand dollar question." It's our entire selling point. Well, what do you think's holding back the contestants? I mean, is thirty-two grand just such life-changing money that nobody wants to risk it? I think that's part of it, but there's another problem. Even if they were to win the sixty-four thousand, it would push them into a new tax bracket. In effect, the final question is really only worth a few extra thousand in what they take home. Statistically, the contestants are making the right choice, and I suspect some of them
16:41 Lindsay Graham? have gained that out. I'm sure they have. Anyone who gets to thirty-two grand is no dummy. Maybe you could, um, bring on wealthier contestants who are already in those tax brackets. Maybe they just want a chance to be remembered as the first-ever grand prize winner. Yeah, we thought about that, but there's only so many rich people around. Most of them have no desire to appear on a television quiz show. Besides, the audience won't root for people that already have a lot of money. Yeah. There's something else you could do. Just sort through that big pile of applications you got and find the most likable contestants. You know, nice smiles, relatable backstories. And just give them the answer to the final question. Give them the answer? Rig the show? Well, in so many words, yeah. I mean, at least the final question. That's really the only way you can be sure they'll try it.
17:25 Lindsay Graham? I can't believe you're saying this. Well, what's the big deal? I mean, be honest, Lou. Half the show is already smoke and mirrors. You're keeping the questions onstage in an oversized bank vault with a pair of armed guards. We both know that's all for show. I mean, I'm not criticizing. It's great TV. You've got the number-one show in the country. But you might as well take it one step further. No, no, I don't think so. It would be unethical. Well, unethical, maybe, but not illegal. We're making entertainment, not documentaries. Your only job is to give the audience the drama they want and keep Revlon happy. What the audience doesn't know won't hurt them. Ah, Mark, all it would take is for one contestant to blab and the whole thing would come tumbling down. Imagine how Revlon would react if the audience turned on them for putting on a fraudulent show.
18:10 Lindsay Graham? We'd be canceled the very next day, and I'd never work again. There has to be another way. Well, you know, it's just an idea. I'll think on it. But look, I've got another meeting. Yeah, yeah, I do too. Thanks for stopping by. I'm sure I'll figure something out.
18:26 Lindsay Graham? As Cowan walks his friend out and closes the door behind him, he feels a knot growing in his stomach. The idea of rigging the game feels dirty, even if it could help persuade more contestants to take a chance at the grand prize question. Cowan knows there has to be a better, more ethical solution to the problem, but in the meantime, he'll just have to pray that someone finally has the guts to play the game all the way through.
18:53 Lindsay Graham? Throughout the summer of 1955, Revlon continues to pressure Lou Cowan to produce the first grand prize winner of the $64,000 question. And Cowan continues to resist rigging the outcome of the show. But when Cowan leaves for another job, Martin Revson, second-in-command at Revlon, takes a more direct role in overseeing the show. Revlon's sponsorship has proven to be more successful than the company's executives ever dreamed. Their gross earnings are at an all-time high, and the stock price has more than doubled. Revlon has come to see their fortunes as being directly tied to the show's success. And when one of the show's producers, Merton Copland, travels to Revlon's Madison Avenue headquarters for a meeting,
19:35 Lindsay Graham? he discovers firsthand just how eager the cosmetic company executives are to maximize the show's success.
19:42 Lindsay Graham? As the meeting begins, Martin Revson slides a chart across the desk to Copeland. It's a graph with two lines, one tracking the weekly ratings of the show and the other showing weekly sales for Revlon. Copeland listens as Revson explains how they move up and down nearly in lockstep. Revson then passes over another chart, this one showing how the ratings fluctuate up and down each week based on who the contestants are. As Copeland looks it over, Revson says this proves that the $64,000 question cannot afford to have too many unpopular contestants. He tells Copeland that to juice the ratings and Revlon's bottom line, he needs to make sure that the most compelling contestants stay on the show for as long as possible.
20:26 Lindsay Graham? Copeland instantly understands the implications of Revson's point. It sounds like the Revlon executive is pressuring him to engineer who wins or loses week to week. But Revson goes one step further. He notes that when Lou Cowan initially pitched the show, he promised that the first $64,000 winner would create massive media coverage for the show and Revlon. So Revson tells Copeland that he needs to deliver on Cowan's promise, and soon. If Copeland can't make that happen, then Revlon may need to bring in their own team of producers or find a new quiz show to sponsor. Copeland doesn't know what to say. He's been given a seemingly impossible choice: either manufacture a winner or lose his job. Logistically, he knows he could rig the show.
21:11 Lindsay Graham? Not only is he responsible for picking which questions are used, he also spends significant time with contestants in the days leading up to their first appearance, discussing their topic of expertise and helping them prepare. So he has plenty of opportunity to give the answers to Revson's preferred contestants. But Copeland also knows that if a contestant were ever to go public about this, his career would be over. Copeland racks his brain, trying to find a way to give Revson what he wants without making the show fraudulent. Eventually, Copeland offers a compromise. He says that once a contestant proves to be good for TV, he'll spend extra time with them before every show and really narrow down their exact area of expertise. For example, if the topic is geography, he'll find out which areas they know the
21:56 Lindsay Graham? most about. Then he'll write specific questions he's confident they'll be able to answer. That way, Revlon can get what they want without the liability of going over the line into rigging the show. Leaning back in his chair, Revson says he likes the sound of that. But there's still the issue of how to make sure at least one of the contestants attempts the $64,000 question. Copland admits that this will be a tougher challenge. But he assures Revson that he's already got an idea for how to make it happen, for how to stage it so that the $64,000 question becomes the most talked-about show on television.
22:35 Speaker 03 Imagine you're reading Pride and Prejudice, except you're not reading it. Harris Dickinson and Marissa Abella are reading it to you on Audible. Her barbs sting you. His coldness sends a shiver up your spine. Your heart aches. Your ears burn. You yearn for Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy to profess their undying love for one another. You can't bear it any longer. Well, maybe a chapter longer. Performance is so good, you'll give love a second chance. Audible: Stories That Speak to You. You stepped out for your morning jog. Except it's not your usual morning jog. You started listening to an epic sci-fi book on Audible. Thirty chapters later, you've accidentally run a half marathon. You lost track of how far you've run, somewhere just past the city limits.
23:20 Speaker 03 You can't stop. You have to find out what happens next. Then it's over. The universe seems bigger. You feel different. You feel like you have no idea where you are. Audible: Stories That Speak to You.
23:46 Lindsay Graham? In late summer 1955, Merton Copland, producer of the $64,000 question, starts looking for a contestant who might finally attempt to answer the show's final grand prize question. For weeks, he examines one contestant after another, assessing their likability and their appetite for risk. Before long, he identifies a possible candidate: Richard McCutcheon. McCutcheon is a marine captain, which should make him easy for viewers to root for. Copland also figures that a person who's seen combat may be more willing to risk his previous winnings by going for the top prize. And on the night of September 13th, 1955, Copland is thrilled to see McCutcheon do just that.
24:28 Lindsay Graham? Copeland is backstage, watching the show live on air at Rockefeller Center. McCutcheon has returned to the stage after successfully answering the $32,000 question the previous week. Now, the show's host, Al March, asks McCutcheon if he'd like to go home with the money he's already won, or try for one more question, attempting to become the first grand prize winner in the show's history. Without hesitation, McCutcheon says he's going to go for it. Copeland pumps his fist as the room fills with applause. A moment later, the isolation booth is wheeled to the front of the stage, and a young female assistant leads McCutcheon inside. As the crowd goes silent, the stage lights dim, leaving a single spotlight on the booth.
25:10 Lindsay Graham? Copeland watches anxiously as host Al March takes the question envelope from a security guard onstage. Copeland holds his breath, knowing he's done all he can to prepare McCutcheon for this moment. The previous afternoon, he spent hours with him, giving him practice questions about his chosen topic of expertise: cooking. What he learned is that McCutcheon has a deep knowledge about the history of British cuisine, so Copeland custom-tailored the final question. Now, as Copeland and the rest of America watches, host Al March opens the envelope and reads the question. He asks McCutcheon to name and describe five dishes and two wines from the menu of a royal
25:49 Lindsay Graham? banquet hosted by King George VI in honor of French President Albert Le Brun in 1939. It's an incredibly specific and difficult question, truly worthy of the $64,000. Copeland knows only a tiny fraction of all the people on Earth could answer it correctly, and he made sure that McCutcheon is one of them. The two men discussed this exact meal in their practice session yesterday. McCutcheon even brought it up on his own, inspiring Copeland to craft the final question around it. So now Copeland watches as the music ends and McCutcheon has asked for the answer. He cracks his knuckles and grins with confidence. Knowing what's coming, Copeland smiles as well.
26:33 Lindsay Graham? McCutcheon moves through the first five delicacies and two wines with ease, even throwing in some additional details about the meal for good measure. And when the answer is confirmed correct, the audience explodes in applause. McCutcheon steps out of the booth beaming with pride. Copeland imagines Martin Revson watching at home equally as happy. Copeland has finally delivered the big winner as promised. And on top of that, he's found a successful formula for engineering the show, ensuring that there will be even more grand prize winners to come. When ratings from McCutcheon's victory are reported the following day, Merton Copeland sees that his gambit has paid off.
27:16 Lindsay Graham? Fifty-five million Americans watched the broadcast, making it the highest rated episode in the history of television. By this time, TV game shows have become a full-blown cultural phenomenon. Hoping to replicate the success of the $64,000 question, the major networks have filled dozens of time slots with other game shows, such as The Big Surprise, Treasure Hunt, and The Price is Right. Among those eager to cash in on the craze are producer Dan Enright and host Jack Barry. They quickly get their program Tic Tac Toe onto NBC, and soon after they follow it up by creating another quiz show called 21, offering a unique twist on the popular card game Blackjack.
27:58 Lindsay Graham? On each episode of 21, two contestants go head-to-head, taking turns answering trivia questions on a variety of topics. Each question is assigned a point value from 1 to 11, with harder questions earning more points. The goal is to end the round with a score as close as possible to 21. Enright and Barry bring on a sponsor, Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, the makers of the multivitamin Geritol. And together they find a home for 21 on NBC. But when the first episode airs in September of 1956, it proves to be a flop. So the following morning, when Enright walks into Barry's office, his expression is grim.
28:41 Lindsay Graham? Jack, you got a second? Yeah, sure Dan, what's going on? I'm gonna level with you, I think we're in trouble with 21. I knew the ratings weren't gonna be great, but the sponsor is even more upset than I was expecting. Just got off the phone with them. He called the show a total dud, lacking any sort of suspense or drama. Well, honestly, I agree. Even onstage, I could almost feel the audience yawning. Well, we're never gonna let that happen again, something has to change. Yeah, to me, the problem's the contestants. They just weren't that good, you know? They barely got any questions right. Nobody wants to watch people miss questions, over and over again. So we either need to find smarter players, or get dumber questions. And we certainly need more correct answers, that's for sure. But I don't want easier questions.
29:24 Lindsay Graham? The audience wants to see a challenge, to be impressed by the contestants. Alright, so what are your ideas? I'm thinking about a more drastic change. I mean, you've seen the numbers for $64,000 question. People aren't tuning in just to see someone get a big pile of money, they're tuning in for the people on the show they know and like. It's no different than how people follow their favorite characters on sitcoms or soap operas. They get attached to these contestants, they're not even contestants anymore, they're characters. They wanna see how far they'll go, where their story ends. Yeah, sure, but how do we make it happen on 21? Well, remember Richard Jackman, the contestant we had on Tic Tac Toe? Writer from upstate. Yeah, did some modeling. Yeah, he was good, good-looking, well-spoken, but we're not gonna be able to find ten more Richard Jackmans. I don't think we have to, we just bring him back, on 21.
30:09 Lindsay Graham? Okay, easy enough, we can cast him for the show, but who says he'll win? Nah, well, here's the idea. I'll give Jackman a practice quiz before the show, just like I do with everyone else. But for him, I'll use the real questions. And if he gets any wrong, I'll just tell him the right answer. Dan, that sounds like rigging the game. I mean, he's a smart guy, he'll figure out what you're doing. Of course he will, but what's he gonna do, refuse to take the money? I don't know. What if Jackman tells someone, or worse, he could think we've made a mistake and stop me live on air, say he's already been given the answers? Now, look, Jackman said it himself, he's a struggling writer, right? This guy's gonna make more money in one night than he's made in the past decade. And then he'll show up to double it the next week.
30:52 Lindsay Graham? Trust me, he's not gonna say a word, nobody is that honest. Well, we need to save the show. And if you think this is what's needed, then I'm not gonna stand in your way. But leave me out of it. I'm just gonna ask the questions on the cards, you're gonna have to handle the rest.
31:09 Lindsay Graham? As he leaves Barry's office, Enright shakes his head. He was hoping Barry would be more excited about this creative solution. It's his job to make sure the show is working. Sometimes that means manufacturing a little drama for the audience. So when Enright returns to his own office, he reaches for the filing cabinet, pulls out Jackman's file, praying that this plan will work. Because if it doesn't, in the new cutthroat world of TV game shows, 21 could go bust.
31:41 Speaker 02 For decades, two legendary brands fought for the hearts of American bikers: Indian Motorcycle and Harley-Davidson. The battle looked a lot like Coke versus Pepsi or Ford versus Chevy. But tastes changed, and Indian didn't adapt fast enough. The icon all but died. Then came the Con Men, the Dreamers, a string of spectacular failures that kept Indian in the grave, until one company finally got it right. This is the story of an improbable revival and the reignition of an old rivalry. Hey, I'm David Brown, the host of the podcast Business Wars. And every season, we bring you the true stories behind the companies that shape our world. Indian's new owners are going all in, but an existential crisis looms. Can Indian and Harley recruit enough younger riders to survive?
32:24 Speaker 02 Make sure to follow Business Wars wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of Business Wars early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
32:36 Speaker 04 There are books that change how you see the world, and there are books that change how you see yourself. In a new podcast series, A Great Book with Barack Obama, President Obama sits down with a series of surprising and sharp guests to explore six books that have shaped his life and perspective on the world. From Song of Solomon and The Fire Next Time, to All the Pretty Horses and Gilead, the president is joined by guests like Tom Hanks and Ta-Nehisi Coates to reflect on how these timeless stories shaped his thinking on everything from fatherhood to leadership and discover together what they tell us about the world we live in and the world we want to create.
33:19 Speaker 04 Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of A Great Book with Barack Obama ad-free right now, plus access each audiobook discussed in the series. Download the Audible app today.
33:46 Lindsay Graham? After producer Dan Enright recruits the handsome and engaging Richard Jackman as a contestant on 21, he gets to work prepping him for his appearance. The day before the episode is set to tape, Enright spends hours with Jackman practicing trivia questions, sneaking in the actual questions Jackman will be asked on the show. Enright leaves Jackman completely unaware that he's been handpicked to be 21's first breakout star, but that proves to be a disastrous miscalculation. On the night of October 3, 1956, Enright is backstage at 21's studio inside Rockefeller Center. The episode is nearing its end, and Enright is ecstatic. Jackman has already defeated two opponents, and he's one question away from beating the third.
34:30 Lindsay Graham? Enright watches as Jackman answers his final question correctly, winning the game 19 to 7. And as Jackman steps out of his isolation booth, host Jack Berry congratulates him on his incredible performance. He informs Jackman he's earned more than $24,000, the most ever won on the show, and invites Jackman back next week for a chance to win even more.
34:56 Lindsay Graham? The crowd explodes in applause. It's clear they love Jackman, and that Enright's scheme is working according to plan. When the episode wraps up its broadcast, Jackman walks offstage, and Enright greets the new champion with a slap on the back.
35:10 Speaker 02 Well, Richard, heck of a show. I knew you'd be great. Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it, because I certainly did not. What do you mean?
35:17 Lindsay Graham? Jackman pulls Enright by the arm, away from the crowded backstage area into a secluded hallway. "Those questions were identical to the ones you gave me in the practice quiz yesterday. Please tell me that was some sort of mistake." "Well, you got me there. I just wanted to make sure you performed well. And based on how the games went, I'm guessing you didn't give that sort of help to my opponents? Look, you're a smart guy. You probably could have won on your own. All I did was help things along. You're great on camera, and we'd like to keep you on the show for a while. You should be thrilled." "You should have told me about your little scheme. I never would have agreed to come on the show. I am an honest man, not some sort of quiz show crook." "Well, I have to tell you, Richard, I'm shocked at this reaction. I've never seen a man so upset about making $24,000 for a half hour of work."
36:01 Lindsay Graham? "Well, I've got news for you. I'm not taking a dime of that money. You can send it to the other contestants or give it to charity. It could be 24 million for all I care. My conscience is not for sale." "Well, I'm very sorry, Richard. Well, it seems like we should have told you that this is how the show works, but, but, well, listen, what... Go home and, and take some time and cool off. When you come back next week, we'll play a clean game. No answers in advance." "Oh, I don't have any intention of returning. You'll just have to figure out something else."
36:33 Lindsay Graham? Jackman storms off toward the green room while Enright watches stunned. He rubs his temples, absorbing what just happened and thinking about what to do next. Just moments ago, he was celebrating the success of his seemingly foolproof plan, but now it's blown up in his face on the very first try. He'll need to figure out a new way forward, and fast.
36:57 Lindsay Graham? In the days following Richard Jackman's victory on 21, Dan Enright continues talking with him, imploring Jackman to return and compete again on the following week's episode. Because Enright knows if Jackman simply disappears from the show, it will be confusing to the audience at best, and at worst, deeply suspicious. Eventually, Enright convinces Jackman to accept a payout of $15,000, significantly less than what he earned on the show. Jackman also agrees to appear at the top of the next episode and explain to the audience that he's chosen to retire from the game because he doesn't want to risk the portion of his winnings that he would forfeit if he were to lose. Enright is relieved to have put the immediate problem behind him. But he's still left with figuring out how to ensure the most entertaining outcomes
37:42 Lindsay Graham? and produce a compelling repeat champion. Someone who's not only likable and charismatic, but willing to keep quiet about being fed the answers. So on the night of October 16th, 1956, two weeks after Jackman's first appearance on the show, Enright begins sifting through a stack of contestant applications on his desk. Each one includes a headshot, along with biographical information and the results of the sample quiz the contestant took when applying. But it's hard to know which of these people would make a compelling champion, let alone if any of them will be willing to play along with the scheme. After a few minutes of digging, Enright sits back in his chair, feeling defeated. He realizes there's no way to ensure any of these potential contestants will behave any differently than Jackman.
38:27 Lindsay Graham? But then it comes to him. What he needs to do is make sure they're willing co-conspirators from the very beginning. He'll have to make a deal with them upfront, offering them a hefty payout in return for willingly taking part in the hoax. So with that in mind, Enright returns to the stack of applications. On the top of the pile, he finds the folder for an applicant named Herbert Stempel. He flips it open and sees his headshot. Stempel looks like the quintessential nerd. He's wearing a drab suit and horn-rimmed glasses with thick lenses. And at first, he doesn't seem especially compelling. But as Enright reads over Stempel's biography, he becomes intrigued. Stempel is a 29-year-old student at the City College of New York.
39:09 Lindsay Graham? He's a veteran of World War II, and his tuition is being covered by the GI Bill. He also has a wife and a young son, which means he'd likely be thrilled by the chance to make tens of thousands of dollars and isn't likely to risk it by blabbing about what goes on behind the scenes. Then Enright looks over Stempel's score on the sample quiz. It's outstanding. In fact, it's the best Enright has ever seen. To earn a score this high, Stempel must have an IQ in the top 1%. That would make him much more believable as a repeat champion. So Enright picks up Stempel's headshot again, leans back in his chair. He imagines how Stempel might come across on TV. He was hoping to find someone who could match the model-worthy looks of Jackman, but maybe
39:51 Lindsay Graham? Stempel could be molded into a different, but equally compelling, type of character. Enright thinks of an episode of pro wrestling he recently watched on TV. Of course, the crowd loved to see the hero win, but they were equally invested in seeing the villain lose. Maybe Stample could be 21's first villain. Enright can mold him into a smug, know-it-all kind of character, a human computer with zero charisma. The audience would tune in week after week, just hoping to see him lose. Enright finds Stample's phone number in the file and begins dialing. And as he waits for Stample to answer, a sly grin creeps across Enright's face. Stample has no idea he's about to be made into America's most hated quiz show champ.
40:38 Lindsay Graham? From Wondery, this is episode one, Quiz Show Rigging for American Scandal. In our next episode, a rivalry on 21 catapults the show in the ratings, bringing fame and fortune to a pair of contestants. But when one of the men is forced to leave the show, he threatens to expose the backstage collusion and bring the entire quiz show industry tumbling down.
41:02 Lindsay Graham? American Scandal is only possible because of listeners like you, so thank you. And don't miss an episode. Be sure to follow American Scandal on Audible or wherever you get your podcasts. And Audible subscribers can binge new seasons of American Scandal early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts. And to find out more about me, including my other podcasts, my live show, the history tours I'm arranging, and all sorts of other things, go to historyishuman.com. That's historyishuman.com.
41:35 Lindsay Graham? If you'd like to learn more about this story, we recommend the books Television Fraud by Kent Anderson, Primetime and Misdemeanors by Joseph Stone and Tim Yon, and the PBS American Experience documentary, The Quiz Show Scandals. This episode contains reenactments and dramatized details. And while in most cases, we can't know exactly what was said, all our dramatizations are based on historical research. American Scandal is hosted, edited, and executive produced by me, Lindsay Graham for Airship. Audio editing by Christian Paraga. Sound design by Gabriel Ghul. Music by Thrum. This episode is written by Corey Metcalf. Edited by Emma Cortland. Fact checking by Alyssa Junk Perry. Produced by John Reed. Managing producer is Joe Florentino. Senior producers are Andy Beckerman and Andy Herman.
42:20 Lindsay Graham? Development by Stephanie Jens. And executive producers are Jenny Lauer Beckman, Marshall Louis, and Aaron O'Flaherty for Wondery.
42:34 Speaker 05 In January 1995, 18-year-old Krista Pike and two friends lured a classmate, 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, to an abandoned steam plant and killed her. At just 20 years old, Pike was sentenced to death. 30 years later, on September 30th, 2026, the state of Tennessee tried to execute her and failed. I'm Candace DeLong, former FBI profiler and host of the podcast Killer Psyche, where we go inside the minds behind the most shocking crimes. In our latest episode, we take you inside the case of Krista Pike. The brutal crime, the childhood of abuse, three decades of appeals, and the night an execution went terribly wrong.
43:19 Speaker 05 Follow Killer Psyche wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche one week early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
Previous Muhammad Ali vs. The Draft | Black Athletes and Activism | 4 Next Quiz Show Rigging | The Perfect Contestant | 2 Page updated November 3, 2026 · transcript and summary are machine-generated