Pod Insights American Scandal Quiz Show Rigging | The Perfect Contestant | 2 About this episode Herbert Stempel is given the opportunity of a lifetime when television producer Dan Enright offers him a guaranteed winning streak on the quiz show Twenty-One — so long as he follows the script. Stempel enjoys his newfound celebrity and financial success, but as ratings plateau, the producers search for a fresh face to take his place.
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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 a September evening in 1956. Twenty-nine-year-old Herbert Stempel darts around his apartment in Queens, New York, frantically dusting tabletops and fluffing pillows to spruce the place up for an important guest. And as he begins stacking his wife's collection of Life magazines into a neat pile on the coffee table, he hears the knock at the door. Stempel's heart skips a beat. He knows who it is: Dan Enright, a TV producer for the quiz show 21. A few weeks ago, Stempel applied to be a contestant on the show. He has a remarkably high IQ and a photographic memory, so if he could get on the show, he thought he'd have a decent shot at winning some money. Even though his wife's family is already wealthy, he doesn't want to be beholden to them financially.
1:08 Lindsay Graham? And this could give him the independence he craves while he finishes getting his college degree. Still, Stempel knew being selected was a long shot. So he was pleasantly surprised when just an hour ago, he got a call from Enright, asking to meet about being cast as a contestant. The producer was so eager to get the ball rolling, he offered to come right over to Stempel's home. Stempel takes a final look around the living room before opening the door. Mr. Enright, thanks for coming by. Please, call me Dan. Oh, sure thing, Dan. Come on inside. Can I get you a drink? No, no, thank you. I'd like to just get right down to business, if that's all right. The two men take a seat on the couch.
1:50 Lindsay Graham? Stempel watches as Enright opens his black briefcase and removes several stacks of rectangular note cards. Can we start with a little practice round? See how you do? You know the game, right? We give you a category and ask what level of difficulty you want. One to 11. One's easiest, 11 is hardest. Yeah, I understand. What's the category? Novels. Well, I'm a big reader, so let's go for nine. And writes thumbs through the stack and begins reading from the card. All right, for nine points, which Charles Dickens character is based on Dickens' own godfather, the shipping magnate Christopher Huffman? Well, let me first think about which of his novels involves shipping. Oh, that's great. Talk us through what you're thinking, just like that. Even if you know the answer, the audience wants to hear your process. Draw it out.
2:33 Lindsay Graham? Oh, okay. Um, well, I remember now that the novel Dombian's Son is about a family in the shipping business, so I suppose the magnate would be the patriarch of the family. His name was Paul Dombey. For nine points, that's correct. Herb, you're a natural. Uh, let's try another. The next category is baseball. Ooh, not my forte. I'll try for three points. All right, for three points, who was the winning team in the first World Series in 1903? Oh, jeez, well, uh, my dad loves the Yankees, and if it was them, I think he would have mentioned it. So I'm just gonna guess and say it was the Detroit Tigers. I'm sorry, the correct answer is the Boston Americans. Oh, I, no, I would never have known that. Maybe we should try a different category.
3:16 Lindsay Graham? I'm better with things like geography or science. You got any of those? No, it's okay, Herb. Uh, you know, this is just a practice round. We're feeling it out. You know, I've really only got one more question for you, and it's the only one that matters. How would you like to make $25,000? $25,000? Well, who wouldn't? Then play ball with me, and I'm gonna make it happen, okay? I, I mean, is 25 about what I could win if I do well on the show? Well, it's not a question of could win. You're going to win tomorrow night, and then come back as the returning champion to win again. 25 is just the minimum I see for you. It could be potentially much more. Well, I appreciate your confidence in me, and I will try my best, but I'm sure the other contestants will be plenty smart as well.
3:58 Lindsay Graham? Herb, I need you to listen to me carefully. I've got another stack of cards here, and these are the questions we're going to ask in the actual show tomorrow. I'm gonna leave them here for you, and I want you to start studying so you'll be fully prepared. You catch my drift?
4:16 Lindsay Graham? As Enright pulls the cards from his breast pocket and hands them over, Stempel finally understands what this meeting is about. Twenty-one is rigged. He's not being cast as a genuine contestant, but more like an actor in a play. Looking at the cards, Stempel's mind races through all the legal and ethical implications of what Enright is proposing. But then he thinks about the money. He'd be a fool to say no to 25 grand, and all he has to do is go along with a little charade. Besides, Enright is a TV professional. If he's OK with putting on a phony game, then it must be just how things are done. So after a moment, Stempel looks up at Enright, meeting the producer's eyes. He gives Enright a little nod and says he's in.
5:03 Speaker 01 I'm Lauren Malloy, the host of the podcast My Mom's Murder. For 30 years, I thought my mom died of natural causes. That's what everyone told me. That's what I believed. Until one day, I got a phone call that changed everything. A woman claiming to be my mom's best friend told me my mother was murdered and that no one had ever investigated it. So I did what the detectives wouldn't: pulled the threads, knocked on doors, and confronted the contradictions. And what I found? It's worse than I imagined. Something happened to my mom. Someone killed her. And I won't stop until I find out who. The system may have given up on my mom,
5:48 Speaker 01 but I never will. Listen to My Mom's Murder wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all 10 episodes early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
6:03 Speaker 02 I'm Gemma Whelan, and in the new season of The Spy Who, we tell the story of the original femme fatale, the spy who was Mata Hari. A famous dancer turned World War I secret agent, accused of seducing Allied officers to uncover their plans. But was she a temptress or a scapegoat for French failures? Follow The Spy Who now, wherever you listen. You can also listen to the full season of The Spy Who Was Mata Hari early and at free on Audible.
7:05 Lindsay Graham? In 1955, a quiz show called The $64,000 Question premiered on CBS and quickly became one of the hottest things on television. Audiences were captivated by the format of the show, in which contestants answered a series of trivia questions to either double their money or be sent home empty-handed. In the wake of the show's success, other networks raced to fill their lineups with competing game shows, and TV producers like Dan Enright were eager to cash in on the craze. Enright pitched NBC his concept of a show based on the card game Blackjack. He called it Twenty One, and the network quickly snatched it up. But when the pilot episode premiered in September of 1956, it was a flop.
7:47 Lindsay Graham? The contestants were unable to answer most of the trivia questions, leaving the show devoid of any drama or stakes. The show needed to change course quickly, so Enright devised a brazen new plan. He would find a compelling contestant and simply feed them the correct answers before the show taped, providing the continuity of a repeat champion so one viewers could get invested in rooting for or against, week after week. Enright thought he had found that contestant in Herbert Stempel. And soon after Stempel agreed to the plan, it seemed like the perfect partnership. Enright would get his returning champion, and Stempel would get the prize money. But Stempel did not realize that he was replaceable, and as soon as the audience began losing
8:29 Lindsay Graham? interest in him, Enright would begin looking for his next star. This is Episode Two: The Perfect Contestant.
8:39 Lindsay Graham? It's September 1956 in Herbert Stempel's living room. And now that Stempel has agreed to participate in the rigging of Quiz Show 21, producer Dan Enright is making sure Stempel is prepared to make his debut on tomorrow night's episode. Enright sits next to Stempel on the couch, reading off the questions he'll be asked, and Enright is impressed with the way Stempel carefully talks through every question, building suspense before he gives the correct answer. This is exactly the type of drama Quiz Show audiences love. So when Enright is satisfied that Stempel has the questions down cold, he moves on to the next and equally important item on his agenda: wardrobe. Enright tells Stempel he'd like to see what clothes he has in his closet to help him pick out what he might wear.
9:24 Lindsay Graham? So Stempel leaves Enright into the bedroom, opens his closet door, and pulls out a black pinstripe suit. He explains this was the suit he wore in his wedding, the nicest one he owns. Looking it over, Enright thinks to himself, "It is indeed a nice suit. Too nice." Because Enright believes that every story needs a villain, and he's casting Stempel in that role. Enright's idea is to portray Stempel as a human computer, a nerdy trivia savant devoid of any charisma or style. Enright wants Stempel to irritate the audience so that they tune in week after week, hoping to see him lose. But Enright knows Stempel would balk at this vision, so as he flips through Stempel's closet, he keeps it to himself.
10:08 Lindsay Graham? Enright then pulls out a half dozen other suits and lays them on the bed. Then he steps back to look the collection over. One of the suits immediately jumps out. It's a boxy, double-breasted navy blue number that looks to be about 50 years old. Enright holds it up to Stempel's body and smiles. It screams schlubby and charmless. Enright tells Stempel he'd like him to wear this one for the show, but Stempel pushes back, explaining it belonged to his father-in-law who passed away, and it doesn't fit him well. In fact, he was planning to give it away to charity. Enright pauses to choose his next words carefully. He knows he can't tell Stempel that he wants to make him unlikable, but he does need to offer Stempel some sort of explanation for why he prefers this bad suit.
10:53 Lindsay Graham? So Enright explains that he doesn't necessarily want Stempel to look stylish for the show. He wants to portray Stempel as a cash-strapped veteran, just an ordinary guy trying to make ends meet as he works his way through college. Exactly the type of guy who would borrow his father-in-law's old suit for a TV appearance. Stempel looks unconvinced, so Enright reminds him that if they're going to be partners, they need to work together to make the most compelling television possible. Stempel should begin to think of himself as a character on a scripted program, and Enright as the director. Letting Enright pick the outfit is part of the deal. And if Stempel goes along with it, he's guaranteed to win $25,000 on the show. Stempel still is clearly not happy.
11:38 Lindsay Graham? He offers to put on the suit so Enright can see how bad it truly is. And while he heads to the bathroom to change, Enright notices a wristwatch on top of the dresser. It looks like the type you could buy for a dime at the Salvation Army. The band is made from fake brown leather, and the ticking is so loud that it fills the room. Enright thinks it's certainly loud enough to be picked up by the microphone in 21's isolation booth, and that could be a nice touch. Not only will it complete Stempel's cheap look, the ticking sound would add suspense as the audience waits for Stempel to answer. So when Stempel returns from the bathroom, Enright tosses him the watch and stands back to look at his creation. A grin creeps across his face. Enright knows it for sure.
12:21 Lindsay Graham? He's just created 21's first villain.
12:28 Lindsay Graham? The night after his meeting with Dan Enright, Herbert Stempel makes his debut on 21. Having already been supplied with the answers beforehand, he easily wins all three games in the episode, earning around $9,000. And he continues to win for the next three weeks, again thanks to the answers provided by Enright. After a month on the show, Stempel has earned around $50,000, double what Enright originally promised him, and by far the most money he's ever earned in his life. And with Stempel's run performing well in the ratings, he's also become a bona fide celebrity. His old army buddies call to congratulate him, and he gets plenty of positive attention from his classmates and professors at college. Stempel is on top of the world.
13:12 Lindsay Graham? But as his fifth appearance on 21 approaches, with another big payday in his sights, he learns that things aren't quite as they appear. On an afternoon in late October 1956, Stempel arrives at Enright's Manhattan office to rehearse the questions and answers for tomorrow night's show, just like he has every week before. But as they conclude this session, and Stempel gathers his coat to leave, Enright says there's something else he wants to discuss. As Stempel sits back down on the couch, he can feel the mood shift in the room. Enright begins by explaining that the show's sponsor Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a weekly budget for the show. And in that budget, there's a cap on prize money that can be paid out to contestants. "It's standard procedure for any game show," he says.
13:57 Lindsay Graham? But Stempel's eyes narrow. He doesn't like the sound of this. So he leans forward and asks Enright exactly what all this means. Enright lets out a sigh and replies that unfortunately, he's not going to be able to pay Stempel the full amount he's won on the show so far or in future episodes. Stempel jumps to his feet. He reminds Enright that for the last month, they've been working hand in hand as partners. Enright has been to his home, met his wife. Stempel considered them to be friends. He can't believe Enright never brought this issue up before. Enright gives what feels to Stempel like a half-hearted apology, and says there's nothing he can do. His hands are tied by the sponsor's budget, which is limited to $10,000 a week for contestant winnings. Anything over that would have to come directly
14:42 Lindsay Graham? out of the producer's pocket. Stempel feels his chest tighten in anger. Rather than lash out, he takes a breath to calm himself and tries to reason with Enright. He points out that his appearances have been a boost to ratings. Perhaps a sponsor will make an exception for their payout policy. But Enright just shakes his head. The sponsor is in this to make a profit and they'll never change a contract to give away more money if they don't have to. Then Enright pulls a document from his desk drawer and hands it to Stempel, telling him he needs to sign it. In the document, Stempel sees exactly how the reduced payment scheme is laid out. There are tiers. If he wins between forty and sixty thousand dollars, Stempel will be paid only forty thousand. For sums between sixty and eighty, he'll receive fifty thousand.
15:27 Lindsay Graham? And for anything over eighty, he'll just receive sixty. Stempel rubs his temples as he thinks it over. There are no witnesses here to see him sign the paper. It's not even on official company letterhead. This whole contract feels shady and possibly illegal. But Stempel isn't sure what he can really do about it. He could tell Enright he wants to bring the document to a lawyer to look it over. That's what would happen in any normal business arrangement. But this one has been anything but normal from the start. Stempel knows that if he angers Enright, the producer could just manipulate the outcome of the next episode, ensuring that Stempel loses. Or he could cut Stempel from the show entirely, right here and now. Enright holds all the cards, and Stempel needs the show much more than the show needs him.
16:12 Lindsay Graham? So Stempel begrudgingly signs the paper. But as he slides it back across the desk, he takes a fresh look at Enright's face. And for the first time, he starts to wonder if this man, one he considered a partner and friend, can ever really be trusted.
16:30 Lindsay Graham? The night after this meeting, Herbert Stempel appears on Twenty One again and wins the game with ease, having already been given all the answers. But even with Stempel having agreed to take a reduced payout, the show's lead producer, Dan Enright, and his assistant Albert Friedman, soon begin discussing when and how to remove Stempel from the show. After Stempel provided an initial spike in ratings, viewership plateaued over the subsequent weeks, and by the first week of November 1956, Twenty One has fallen out of the top ten, lagging well behind rival quiz show The Sixty Four Thousand Dollar Question. So the producers come through contestant applications again, looking for a replacement, but they don't find anyone that has the combination of wits and star quality they're looking for.
17:14 Lindsay Graham? Enright tells Friedman that he needs to be more proactive about recruiting a new star contestant, makes it clear that Friedman's job may depend on it. Friedman hears the message loud and clear, and soon after, he meets an intriguing young man at an upscale cocktail party in Greenwich Village. That night in November 1956, Friedman mingles with a dozen other guests in the fancy living room of one of his friend's apartment. He stands in the corner, sipping a Tom Collins, as he surveys the room. Every time he's left home for the past week, he's kept an eye out for anyone who can make for a potential star on 21. But he's not entirely sure what he's looking for: a man, a woman, young, old, upper-class, blue collar? But he's hoping he'll know it when he sees it.
17:58 Lindsay Graham? When he finishes his drink, Friedman heads to the kitchen to make another one, and as he gets closer to the ice bucket, Friedman spots a tall, handsome man, about 30 years old, pouring a pair of drinks for himself and the young woman on his arm. At first glance, Friedman thinks this gentleman may be television-worthy, so he puts out his hand and introduces himself. Hey there, I don't think we've met. I'm Albert Friedman. Well, pleasure to meet you, Charles Van Doren. Nice party, isn't it? Yeah, really is. Van Doren, you say? I've heard that name before. You are related to the writers Mark and Dorothy Van Doren? I am, in fact. They're my parents. Well, with those genes, you must be quite the writer yourself. Well, I don't know about that.
18:40 Lindsay Graham? I haven't been able to finish a novel yet, so for now, I'm a lowly English instructor at Columbia. Friedman can sense Van Doren's slight insecurity about not living up to the family's name, and perhaps this is something he can use to his advantage. We can't all be Pulitzer Prize winners, you know? I'm just a lowly TV producer myself. I work on one of those silly quiz shows, 21. I'm sorry, I've never seen it, or any quiz show for that matter. I don't even own a television. Well, you know, it's not a bad way to make a living, and I'll tell you my favorite part of the job: it's that moment at the end, when the host adds up how much the contestant has won... Just a look on their face when they realize they've made life-changing money. We have a fellow on a winning streak right now who's made about fifty grand. Oh my goodness, that that really is a lot of money.
19:25 Lindsay Graham? Yeah, I'm sure it's pocket change to a Van Doren, right? No, not to me it wouldn't be. That's much more than I make at Columbia. I'm barely making do with a small apartment right up the street from here. Well, then let's get you on the show. I mean, I bet you'd be great on TV. And when you win, then you'll be the most famous Van Doren of all. Oh, I don't know. I'm sure the other players are plenty smart. Don't sell yourself short. You're obviously very well-read. Why don't you come by my office this week and we'll we'll give you a test. I bet you'll ace it. Well, it couldn't hurt to take the test. I mean, worst case, I guess I'll have a fun story to talk about at the next cocktail party, right? Right. Here, take my card. Give me a call, okay? We'll set up a time for you to come in. All right, thanks. Oh goodness, I've forgotten your name already. Albert Friedman.
20:10 Lindsay Graham? Albert, I'll give you a call.
20:14 Lindsay Graham? As Friedman watches Van Doren and his date return to the party, he can barely contain his excitement. At long last, he may have just found the perfect contestant. A bright, handsome young man from a famous family, one looking to make a name for himself. So he can't wait to get Van Doren into the office so he can meet Dan Enright. And once they convince Van Doren to play along, they can finally replace Herbert Stempel and make Twenty One the hit it deserves to be.
20:44 Speaker 03 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've lost track of how far you've run, somewhere just past the city limits. 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.
21:14 Lindsay Graham? By 1779, Benedict Arnold had sacrificed more for the Revolution than almost any other man in America. One of George Washington's most effective commanders, he had nearly lost a leg in the Second Battle of Saratoga. But in return, Arnold believed he had been humiliated by Congress and cheated of his glory by lesser men. So he decided to make them pay. Hi, I'm Lindsay Graham, the host of the podcast American Scandal. We bring to life some of the biggest controversies in U.S. history: presidential lies, environmental disasters, corporate fraud. In our latest series, Benedict Arnold turns his back on his comrades in the Continental Army and secretly defects to the British. With the help of his wife, he plots to hand over the most important colonial fortress to the
21:58 Lindsay Graham? enemy and doom the Revolution he once served. Follow American Scandal wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of American Scandal early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
22:25 Lindsay Graham? In November 1956, Charles Van Doren finds himself with an opportunity he never considered. Despite never having seen a TV quiz show or even owning a television, he performs well on the trivia test and the producers are impressed with his family pedigree, handsome looks, and smooth demeanor. But what Van Doren does not know is that Twenty One is a rigged game, with the outcome of each episode tightly controlled by producers Dan Enright and Albert Friedman. So later that month, when Friedman invites Van Doren to his apartment to discuss his debut appearance on Twenty One, Van Doren arrives feeling excited and nervous. He hopes that if he is in fact going to be a contestant, he'll get enough questions right to do his family proud.
23:10 Lindsay Graham? Friedman answers the door, but Van Doren is immediately puzzled to see a worried look on Friedman's face. Charles, thanks for coming. I need to talk to you about something and I didn't want to do it on the phone. Oh goodness, is everything alright? Yeah, just, just come in. The two men take a seat on Friedman's couch as they talk. Here's the thing, our current champion, this guy Herbert Stempel, we just got a call from the sponsor and they want him off the show as soon as possible. We thought we'd have more time, but they're really pushing hard. Uh, I don't understand. Well, you know, Stempel, he's made for a great villain. Uh, you know, he's an arrogant know-it-all and people tuned in to see if anyone could beat him. But now he's out worn his welcome. Ratings have dipped and the sponsor's anxious for someone to take him out. That's where you come in.
23:55 Lindsay Graham? Well, I'm, I'm willing to give it a try and I'm flattered you think I could do it. But if he's been on the show for a month, he must be very sharp. Well, that's what I want to discuss with you. I want to make sure you win. So you and I will go through the answers before the show. Van Doren is stunned. He feels his body filled with tension. Oh, goodness, I wasn't expecting this. I, I don't think I'm comfortable with being given the answers. Is that even legal? Well, it doesn't matter. Nobody's gonna find out because this will be just between you and me, right? The sponsor won't know, the audience sure as heck won't, the host won't even know. Yes, but I will and I'm not sure I want to live with that. Well, you know, it's just a TV show. There's no victim here. Stempel's played his part. He's made a bundle.
24:36 Lindsay Graham? Now it's your turn. All you have to do is answer the questions, uh, throw in a few dramatic pauses for effect. Well, I'm sure I could give the performance, but I don't know if I want to. Charles, here's the deal. I can promise you eight grand, minimum. And if the ratings jump like I suspect they will, then we'll have you back to make a lot more. Eight thousand dollars, minimum. And even more important, I want to help you make a name for yourself. No man should have to live in the shadow of his parents, right? Play ball with me and you'll be the biggest star in your family.
25:09 Lindsay Graham? Van Doren leans forward, holding his head in his hands as he thinks over Friedman's offer. He knows that Friedman is trying to manipulate him by bringing up his family. But the producer isn't wrong. It would be nice to be in the spotlight for once. The money wouldn't hurt either.
25:27 Lindsay Graham? A few days after meeting with Albert Friedman, Charles Van Doren agrees to play his role in the rigging of 21. And with contestant Herbert Stempel also being supplied with the answers beforehand, their impending matchup will mark the first time that both players are on board with a fully scripted episode. When the contestants face off on the night of November 28th, 1956, it goes just how Friedman and his boss, Dan Enright, planned it. Both contestants perform their roles to perfection and play to three consecutive ties. And as the prize money rolls over and escalates with each subsequent tied game, the suspense only grows, with Van Doren and Stempel now set to return the following week. The morning after this episode airs,
26:12 Lindsay Graham? Enright calls Friedman into his Manhattan office to celebrate and plot the next steps for the show. Enright is at his desk, looking over printouts of last night's ratings, when Friedman enters the room. Enright holds up the papers and shares the good news. "Last night's episode produced the highest ratings in the history of the show, and the number of viewers steadily increased as the episode went on." The sponsors ecstatic, and according to the studio manager, "People have been lined up since dawn trying to get tickets to see next week's rematch." Enright goes on to gush over Van Doren's performance in particular, congratulating Friedman on finding the perfect contestant. He explained that it's now obvious that Van Doren should be the ultimate victor, but he wants to talk through how to script it.
26:54 Lindsay Graham? Enright suggests that since the three straight ties were such a smashing success, they should have the two men tie three times again next week, send the ratings even higher. But Friedman pushes back, arguing that six consecutive ties could arouse suspicions. He wonders aloud what the statistical likelihood of that would be. "All it would take is for one mathematically inclined viewer to run the numbers, and people might start poking around into what's really going on behind the scenes." Enright argues that ties may now have been proven to be the secret to the show's success, and they'd be foolish not to milk them for all their worth. The room goes silent for a moment as both men think it through. Then Friedman speaks up, offering a compromise. Perhaps they could have just one more tie game at the top of the next episode,
27:39 Lindsay Graham? and then Van Doren could win in the second game. Enright mulls it over, then finally with a nod agrees. Then he moves on to the topic of how to get Stempel off the show in the most entertaining fashion. He compares it to professional wrestling, in that in every staged match, there's a moment near the end where it looks like the villain is seconds away from pinning the hero. But then the villain makes a foolish mistake, allowing the hero to score a dramatic, come-from-behind win. The crowds just eat it up. Friedman likes the idea, so Enright suggests that in their final game, Stempel should run up a seemingly insurmountable score. Fifteen to zero, or even more. Then he'll have Stempel miss an easy question, something most people watching at home would get.
28:24 Lindsay Graham? The audience will finally get the satisfaction of seeing that Stempel, the so-called human computer, is mortal after all. Friedman loves the idea, and with the basic scripting settled, he heads down to his own office to call Van Doren with the good news. But that leaves Enright to begin thinking of how best to break the news to Stempel. He's expressed that his time on the show has been one of the greatest experiences of his life. So if he learns that he's being replaced by a new star contestant, Enright knows there's a chance that Stempel will not go quietly.
28:59 Speaker 02 I'm Gemma Whelan, and in the new season of The Spy Who, we tell the story of the original femme fatale, The Spy Who Was Mata Hari. A famous dancer turned World War I secret agent, accused of seducing Allied officers to uncover their plans. But was she a temptress, or a scapegoat for French failures? Follow The Spy Who now, wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also listen to the full season of The Spy Who Was Mata Hari, early and ad-free on Audible.
29:29 Speaker 04 Hey, I'm Cassie DePecce, the host of Against the Odds from Audible Originals. In each episode, we share thrilling true stories of survival, putting you in the shoes of the people who lived to tell the tale. In our latest series, we tracked the story of Hugh Glass, the real-life revenant that inspired the 2015 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. In 1823, Glass was brutally mauled by a grizzly bear in present-day South Dakota and left for dead. His survival depended on trekking through 350 miles of wilderness alone with grave injuries. But he was driven by his thirst for revenge. Follow Against the Odds wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of Against the Odds early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
30:26 Lindsay Graham? By the first week of December 1956, Herbert Stempel has reigned as Twenty-One's champion and breakout star for more than a month. In that time, he's won a life-changing amount of money and come to enjoy being treated as a celebrity by the public, and he's done it with the help of the show's lead producer, Dan Enright. Stempel has received the answers to trivia questions before each episode, and in exchange, Stempel has done everything Enright has asked. He stuck to a tightly-controlled script, altered his appearance and mannerisms to portray himself as a charmless nerd, and even signed a secret agreement to accept a reduced payout of prize money. But on the most recent episode, Enright introduced a new wrinkle to the show that has Stempel worried.
31:09 Lindsay Graham? Stempel has become accustomed to winning every game handily, but this time, the episode ended in three consecutive ties between himself and a charismatic new contestant, Charles Van Doren. With each tie, the money rolled over to the next game, and now the two contestants are set to square off once again, with an enormous amount of money going to the victor, and Stempel is praying it'll be him.
31:36 Lindsay Graham? So on December 4th, when Stempel heads into Enright's office to rehearse the following night's episode, he's eager to hear what Enright has planned. But immediately, Stempel notices something odd: a pile of vinyl records stacked on the couch. Dan, what's all this? Oh, it's something I thought you'd like to have: audio recordings from all of your appearances on the show. Token of my appreciation, since this might be the last time you're here in the office. Last time? What do you mean? I'll be rehearsing with a different producer going for it? Nah, let me show you something. Close the door, please. Stempel watches as Enright walks to a chalkboard on the wall and begins sketching. See, these are the ratings for 21. You can see we started out quite low, way down here.
32:18 Lindsay Graham? Then we brought you on, and there was an immediate spike, which was great. But over the weeks, this line plateaued and then began to dip. But then last week, as soon as we introduced Charles Van Doren, we shot up to a new all-time high. I hope you can see where I'm going with this. You're saying I'm off the show? You're gonna replace me with Van Doren? Look, try not to take this too personally. You have had a very good run, and we both knew it wouldn't last forever. You agreed from the beginning to do everything I asked, and, well, now I'm asking you to lose. Stempel begins pacing anxiously, panic rising in his chest. He feels like his newfound identity as a quiz show champion is being stripped away from him. Nah, there's gotta be another way. Let's make a deal. Don't give me the answers this time.
33:02 Lindsay Graham? Let me just play Van Doren straight up. We both know I can beat him. You said I had the highest score ever on that application test. Nah, I'm sorry, Herb. You've been a great contestant, but 21 is a business like any other, and I have to make a business decision here. Well, I guess now I have my own decision to make. Once we're live on air, I can do or say anything I want, right? Maybe I'll decide to answer all the questions correctly and blow up your little plan with Van Doren. Well, I think that would be a bad idea. And why is that? Because I've got nothing to lose now. Well, because I was hoping this would be just the start of our partnership. My company has several quiz shows on the air now, and more in the works, so I'd like to put your talents to work as a full-time research consultant. You could make a
33:45 Lindsay Graham? a real career out of it, and the money for a TV producer can be quite good. Are you being serious? Of course I'm being serious. Come back and see me as soon as you graduate in June. And in the meantime, I want you to be something of an ambassador for 21, keeping you in the public eye. I'm talking to NBC right now about booking you as a guest on The Tonight Show. It all depends on you playing your role tomorrow night.
34:08 Lindsay Graham? Stempel takes a moment to consider this offer. He despises the idea of intentionally losing to a man he knows he can beat. But what Enright said is true. Stempel did agree to bow out whenever asked. He just hoped it wouldn't be so abrupt. So now he imagines himself making a good living working behind the scenes, perhaps even working directly with Enright. And sitting on the guest couch of The Tonight Show wouldn't be bad either. All of this would have been unimaginable just six weeks ago, and he'd be a fool to throw it away now. So Stempel swallows his pride and agrees that he'll follow Enright's script and bow out gracefully. But he says he's not happy about it.
34:50 Lindsay Graham? In the hours after Herbert Stempel agrees to intentionally lose on the next episode of 21, his excitement over a potential career in television gives way to resentment over being pushed off the show. NBC promotes the episode as a showdown between humble college student Stempel and the upper crust Ivy League professor Charles Van Doren. But Stempel knows he's the smarter man and finds the framing deeply insulting. So to soften the embarrassment of his impending loss, Stempel reveals to a half dozen people that he's been instructed to take a dive. He tells his wife, a family friend, his maid, even his barber and pharmacist. And on the day of the show, December 5th, Stempel shows up to the studio looking much different than previous episodes.
35:35 Lindsay Graham? Rather than the old, ill-fitting suits of his disheveled, unlikable character on the show, now Stempel dons his nicest suit, determined to look his best for what will be his quiz show funeral. But when the cameras roll, Stempel sticks to Enwright's script, which calls for him to tie the first game and then lose the second. But he's mortified when he's forced to intentionally miss one particular question. With Stempel leading the first game 16 to 0 and one question away from victory, he's asked, "Who won the 1955 Academy Award for Best Picture?" Stempel knows the answer is the Ernest Borgnine film Marty. Not only is this an incredibly easy question, but it also happens to be Stempel's favorite movie.
36:18 Lindsay Graham? Being forced to pretend he doesn't know the answer is humiliating. Still, Stempel keeps his promise and incorrectly answers "On the Waterfront", allowing Van Doren to stay alive and eventually tie the game in dramatic fashion. Then, in the next game, Stempel once again deliberately fails to answer a question correctly and host Jack Berry declares Van Doren the winner. In a daze, Stempel leaves his soundproof isolation booth and begrudgingly shakes Van Doren's hand. The crowd explodes in applause for the new champion as the show's triumphant theme music plays. And then, just moments later, it's all over. The music stops and the house lights come on. The audience begins to file out.
37:02 Lindsay Graham? Stempel watches as Enwright springs onto stage, brushes past him, and greets Van Doren with a big slap on the back. This gesture couldn't be any more clear. Van Doren is now 21's chosen son, and Stempel is old news. So he hangs his head and walks backstage alone to have his makeup removed. But as Stempel takes a seat in the chair, he can hear a pair of stagehands talking nearby. They're discussing the episode, and one of them remarks that he's happy to finally have a clean-cut intellectual as a champion, saying Van Doren is much more likable than Stempel, who's just some freak with a good memory. Stempel feels like he's had a knife shoved in his heart. His instinct is to confront the man, grab him by the lapels and scream that the show is rigged.
37:46 Lindsay Graham? He could have beat Van Doren. He wants to tell him that he's not a freak. He was just playing a character that Dan Enright invented. But Stempel doesn't do any of that. He just takes a deep breath as he thinks better of it. Enright has promised him a job with his production company, along with an appearance on The Tonight Show. It would be foolish to throw these opportunities away by running around backstage telling the people the show's a hoax. But as Stempel swallows his anger, he wonders if he can really trust Enright to come through with everything he's promised. This is the same man who set him up to unwittingly play the role of 21's villain, made him sign away a sizable chunk of his rightful winnings. But this time, if Enright betrays him again, Stempel has leverage.
38:28 Lindsay Graham? He knows firsthand what goes on behind the scenes of 21, and if he needs to, that's a card he's going to play. From Wondery, this is episode two of Quiz Show: Rigging for American Scandal. In our next episode, Charles Van Doren becomes the biggest quiz show star in television history. But soon, the industry's dark secrets are going to come out, and the public will demand answers. 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.
39:13 Lindsay Graham? 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. 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.
39:58 Lindsay Graham? American Scandal is hosted, edited, and executive produced by me, Lindsay Graham for Airship. ...editing by Christian Paraga, sound design by Gabriel Ghul, music by Throm. This episode is written by Corey Metcalf, edited by Emma Courtland, fact checking by Alyssa Jung Perry, produced by John Reed, managing producer Joe Florentino. Senior producers are Andy Beckerman and Andy Herman. Development by Stephanie Jens and executive producers are Jenny Lauer Beckman, Marshall Louis, and Aaron O'Flaherty for Wondery.
40:35 Lindsay Graham? In the summer of 1881, US Army Lieutenant Adolphus Greeley and 24 other men embarked on an ambitious scientific mission to the northernmost reaches of the Arctic. But despite several triumphs of discovery, the men would soon face tragedy. Hi, I'm Lindsay Graham, the host of the podcast American History Tellers. We take you to the events, times, and people that shaped America and Americans, our values, our struggles, and our dreams. In our latest series, after Adolphus Greeley and his men arrive at their destination more than 1,000 miles above the Arctic Circle, they get to work collecting scientific data and exploring the frigid landscape. But when resupply ships fail to reach them two summers in a row, they're forced to set
41:17 Lindsay Graham? out on a desperate search for rescue, and not all of them will make it home. Follow American History Tellers wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of American History Tellers: Greeley Arctic Expedition early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
Previous Quiz Show Rigging | All the Answers | 1 Next Quiz Show Rigging | Consolation Prize | 3 Page updated November 3, 2026 · transcript and summary are machine-generated