History Series / WinBenSteinsMoney

The program featured another unique conceit: Since his own paycheck was at stake in each episode, Stein would actually turn the [[GameShowHost hosting/moderating duties]] over to Kimmel during the game's second round and would join the contestants as a contestant himself. The BonusRound featured the winning contestant going head-to-head with Stein in a "Best of Ten Test of Knowledge", a timed rapid-fire questionnaire. Stein was no slouch as a contestant; highly competitive (especially when defending his earnings), he regularly trounced the actual contestants and rarely gave a wrong answer — although there ''were'' quite a few times when he lost the entire $5,000 pot to some "superior intellect", as he would say.

* BonusRound: The Best of Ten Test of Knowledge. If the player lost, they only kept any money they won previously. If there was a tie, the player would win $1,000 in addition to the money they've already earned[[note]]though initially the full $5,000 before an ObviousRulePatch; see below[[/note]]. If the player wins, he/she won what remained of the $5,000 pot. In at least one "champions" episode, the pot was upped to $25,000, and the contestant who faced off against Ben for it [[spoiler:ended up winning the money, taking his total amount of money won from Ben to $30,000]][[note]] (Theoretically speaking, Ben's remaining stash could actually be LESS than the contestant's take during the first two rounds.)[[/note]].

* BerserkButton: Never accidentally answer by using "What is...?"

** Violators had to wear a DunceCap until the next commercial break.

** In the lead-in to Ben's turn at the BonusRound, after being informed of the score he needed to beat, Ben would usually say, "I shall do my best" or "I take all challenges seriously".
** Occasionally in the Best of Ten round, when told that the contestant had scored less than five points, he would say, "I take all challenges seriously."

* TemptingFate: In a legendary second season episode, at the Best of Ten, Jimmy wheeled out the safe with Ben's shoes on it (they played ''Strip Ben Stein of His Clothes'' in Round 2, but only one answer from the challengers to strip was provided), and asked Ben to drop his pants if he lost the final, saying HE will do it too. Cue opponent Bob becoming the first challenger in the show's history to answer all 10 questions correctly, and Ben missing one and ensuring a loss.

* OhCrap: The look on Ben's face when he got a question wrong, occasionally resulting (especially during the BonusRound) in a PrecisionFStrike...although perhaps not ''that'' explicit.

-> ''Hello, I'm Ben Stein, and today, I'm going to make history. I'm putting up $5,000 that says I know more than you. So if you're smart enough, fast enough, and if you've got the guts, you could [[TitleDrop win Ben Stein's money]].''

Also see ''Series/TheChase'' and ''Series/BeatTheGeeks'', two shows that also requires players to outsmart a '''highly''' intelligent trivia expert to win money.

-->''(if the contestant lost or tied in the Best of Ten Test of Knowledge)'' That means today, I have successfully defended $<x> of my money, which I will use to take on my next opponents./''(if the contestant won the Best of Ten Test of Knowledge)'' It's been proven that it can be done. ''(regardless)'' Therefore, I challenge all of you to write, call, or email at futility.com, in the hope, as infinitesimal as it might be, that on some planet on some distant day, you might [[TitleDrop Win Ben Stein's Money]].

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first season had traditional pull cards for the categories as opposed to being done on TV monitors; the Best of 10 Test of Knowledge had the clock barely displayed on center stage, as opposed to two clocks, one for each booth. Also, the money didn't drop if a contestant won the $5,000 grand prize, and the logo was displayed differently (the second and third words in the center, with the first and last on the top and bottom respectively).

* FlawlessVictory: The famous episode where Ben agreed to drop his pants if he lost the Best Of 10 saw challenger Bob achieve this by becoming the first person not named Ben Stein to score a perfect 10 in the round, guaranteeing at least a tie[[note]]which would add another $1,000 to Bob's winnings no matter what[[/note]] and forcing Ben to accomplish the same feat, which he failed to do. Cue pants drop.

* HeadDesk: One of Ben's reactions to a particularly nasty-sounding category title.

--> '''Contestant Dave:''' [[OhCrap Who is...]] Elizabeth Cady Stanton?
--> '''Jimmy:''' Who is leaving the show, Dave? The answer is you!

* NintendoHard: Round 2 and the Best of Ten. Ben Stein is '''smart''', and more worrying, he is ''aggressive''.
* ObviousRulePatch: Originally, the contestants were to receive the full $5,000 prize if the contestant and Ben were tied in the Best of Ten Test of Knowledge. (One early contestant won the $5,000 this way.[[note]]Despite being one of the first episodes taped, the only episode in which this happened aired in the middle of the show's first season.[[/note]]) However, the producers figured out that ties could happen rather frequently[[note]]and in this scenario, it meant that the contestant scoring a 10 was an automatic win for them since it made Ben having to play pointless[[/note]]. As a result, if the contestant ended up tied with Ben, the contestant received $1,000 (which was added to what the contestant had already won).

---> '''Ben:''' ...I'm putting $5,000 on the line, and I'm giving these three totally strange strangers a chance to take it all away from me. ... Why have I done such a thing? Call me crazy.
---> '''Audience:''' YOU'RE CRAZY!

** Ben almost always says "I will do my best" at the start of his Best of 10 round.

--> '''Ben:''' Okay wait a minute, this is unbelievable. This is ''unbelievable''!\\

** Many contestants answered in the form of a "[[Series/{{Jeopardy}} What is...?]]" question, either by accident or just to cheese off Ben. In either case, he'd respond by forcing said player to wear a dunce cap for the remainder of that round (except on the rare occasion where the contestant caught him/herself in the process).

** When Ben asked Jimmy to explain the BonusRound's rules, the response would be something akin to "Yes, [[Series/RedDwarf Nipple Nuts]]".

-->'''Jimmy''' (''if Ben won''): Would you like to cuddle after the show?
-->'''Jimmy''' (''during a Ben win''): Are hookers deductible as "entertainment expenses"? (''To which Ben answered, "Yes, of course."''')
-->'''Jimmy''' (''if Ben lost''): How does it feel to lose $5,000?
* SmartPeopleKnowLatin: One of the categories was called "I speak Latin, ''ergo'' I am annoying."

* TemptingFate: In a legendary second season episode, at the Best of 10, Jimmy wheeled out the safe with Ben's shoes on it (they played ''Strip Ben Stein of His Clothes'' in Round 2, but only one answer from the challengers to strip was provided), and asked Ben to drop his pants if he lost the final, saying HE will do it too. Cue opponent Bob becoming the first challenger in the show's history to answer all 10 questions correctly, and Ben missing one and ensuring a loss.

---> '''Jimmy:''' [[ADateWithRosiePalms I won't be able to masturbate for a week!]]

--> '''Jimmy:''' If you are too stupid to answer the questions in this round, we've got three ways to help you cheat. Number one, [[UsefulNotes/NineHundredNumber you can dial 1-900-ASS-PARTY]]; they may not have the answers, but it is a lot of fun. Number two, you can poll our audience, [[TakeThatAudience but they're really only good if it's a drug question]]. And, number three, you can ask me, [[SelfDeprecation but that's not usually much help either]].
** Which also counted as BitingTheHandHumor- as explained above, Creator/{{Disney}}/Creator/{{ABC}} produced this show through their Buena Vista TV arm.

[[caption-width-right:260:It's ALL about the Benjamins.]]A GameShow produced for Creator/ComedyCentral in the late [[TheNineties 1990s]], hosted by [[DeadpanSnarker deadpan actor]] and former political speechwriter [[Film/FerrisBuellersDayOff Ben Stein]], and featuring radio personality turned late-night TalkShow host Creator/JimmyKimmel as TheAnnouncer. Using the common "quiz show" game model, and sporting a humorous atmosphere (as befitting a Comedy Central program), the show might have been forgotten as merely another ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'' clone if not for its unique concept — [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the contestants really were competing for Ben Stein's money]].

Also see ''Series/TheChase'', which also requires players to outsmart a '''highly''' intelligent trivia expert to win money.

* AllOrNothing: At the end of the first two rounds, the contestant with the lowest score is eliminated and any money they earned is taken away and returned to Ben Stein's Prize Pot. Averted with the last remaining player, who got to keep any money they already earned regardless of the outcome of the Best of Ten Test of Knowledge.
* BonusRound: The Best of Ten Test of Knowledge. If the player lost, they only kept any money they won previously. If there was a tie, the player would win $1,000 in addition to the money they've already earned. If the player wins, he/she won what remained of the $5,000 pot. In at least one "champions" episode, the pot was upped to $25,000, and the contestant who faced off against Ben for it [[spoiler:ended up winning the money, taking his total amount of money won from Ben to $30,000.]] [[note]] (Theoretically speaking, Ben's remaining stash could actually be LESS than the contestant's take during the first two rounds.)[[/note]]

** TheAnnouncer: Jimmy Kimmel is the most well-known.

--> '''Ben Stein''': All right, contestants. In the first round, questions are worth anywhere from $50-$150 of my money. Now every time you manage to answer a question correctly, you win money, and I lose it.

--> '''Jimmy Kimmel:''' Now we'll see just how smart Ben really is as we play more of "Win Ben Stein's Money".\\
'''Ben Stein:''' Welcome back. As this rounds begins, Troper 1 has $<x> of my money, Troper 2 has $<y> of my money, and I have a mere $<5,000-(x+y)> remaining of my original $5,000 stake, which I will now defend by becoming a common contestant!\\

* {{Cosplay}}: Ranged from TV shows (including ''Series/GilligansIsland'') to political figures (with Ben in drag as First Lady Barbara Bush).

* ADayInTheLimelight: Ben and Jimmy once swapped their traditional duties [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tghGTcyG6Y for an episode.]]

* GoldenSnitch: The $400 and $500 questions. Despite the second round's dollar values being much higher than those in the first round, having Ben as a contestant made [[LuckBasedMission come-from-behind victories difficult to accomplish]].

--> '''Contestant Dave:''' Who is... Elizabeth Cady Stanton?

* ObviousRulePatch: Originally, the contestants were to receive the full $5,000 prize if the contestant and Ben were tied in the Best of Ten Test of Knowledge. (One early contestant won the $5,000 this way.[[note]]Despite being one of the first episodes taped, the only episode in which this happened aired mid-season.[[/note]]) However, the producers figured out that ties could happen rather frequently[[note]]And in this scenario, it meant that the contestant scoring a 10 was an automatic win for them since it made Ben having to play pointless[[/note]]. As a result, if the contestant ended up tied with Ben, the contestant received $1,000 (which was added to what the contestant had already won).

** As mentioned above, Ben dressed up as First Lady Barbara Bush in one episode.

--> '''Jimmy:''' If you are too stupid to answer the questions in this round, we've got three ways to help you cheat. Number one, you can dial 1-900-ASS-PARTY; they may not have the answers, but it is a lot of fun. Number two, you can poll our audience, but they're really only good if it's a drug question. And, number three, you can ask me, but that's not usually much help either.

[[caption-width-right:260:It's ALL about the Benjamins.]]A GameShow produced for Creator/ComedyCentral in the late [[TheNineties 1990s]], hosted by [[DeadpanSnarker deadpan actor]] and former political speechwriter [[Film/FerrisBuellersDayOff Ben Stein]], and featuring radio personality turned late-night TalkShow host Jimmy Kimmel as TheAnnouncer. Using the common "quiz show" game model, and sporting a humorous atmosphere (as befitting a Comedy Central program), the show might have been forgotten as merely another ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'' clone if not for its unique concept — [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the contestants really were competing for Ben Stein's money]].

* UnwinnableByDesign: On Ben's end. In the first round, the contestants can take his money unchallenged, which means that unless they ''all'' totally blow the first round, Ben's going to lose at least part of his $5,000.

[[caption-width-right:260:It's ALL about the Benjamins.]]A GameShow produced for Creator/ComedyCentral in the late [[TheNineties 1990s]], hosted by [[DeadpanSnarker deadpan actor]] and former political speechwriter Ben Stein, and featuring radio personality turned late-night TalkShow host Jimmy Kimmel as TheAnnouncer. Using the common "quiz show" game model, and sporting a humorous atmosphere (as befitting a Comedy Central program), the show might have been forgotten as merely another ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'' clone if not for its unique concept — the contestants really were competing for Ben Stein's money.

* TransatlanticEquivalent: ''[[http://ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Win_Beadle%27s_Money Win Jeremy Beadle's Money]]'' aired on ChannelFive from 2 August to 22 December 1999. Appropriately, Beadle was just as NintendoHard as Stein.

--> '''Jimmy Kimmel''': Now we'll see just how smart Ben really is as we play more of "Win Ben Stein's Money".\\
'''Ben Stein''': Welcome back. As this rounds begins, Troper 1 has $<x> of my money, Troper 2 has $<y> of my money, and I have a mere $<5,000-(x+y)> remaining of my original $5,000 stake, which I will now defend by becoming a common contestant!\\
'''Jimmy Kimmel''': From this point forward, Ben has no advance knowledge of any of the questions to be asked. Isn't that right, Ben?\\
'''Ben Stein''': That is right, Jimmy. It's also right--well, it's not ''right'', but it's a ''fact''--that the questions in this round have risen to the <negative adjective> level of $200-500 of my money, that is if '''you''' get them right. If '''I''' get them right, my total stays the same, but thankfully, none of my money is taken away.\\
'''Jimmy Kimmel''': And whoever has the higher score at the end of this round, whether it's Troper 1, who starts [[Administrivia/EditWar edit wars for fun]], or Troper 2, who had his [[TVTropesWillRuinYourLife life ruined by TV Tropes,]] will go on to play against Ben one-on-one for $5,000 of his money. Let's have a look at our topics. They are...

--> '''Ben Stein''': So far, you've managed to take $<x> away from me, and that is yours to keep, no matter what happens. But now you have a chance--albeit a small one--to walk away with all $5,000 of my money, which Jimmy is now wheeling towards us in this safe. And all you have to do is beat me in what we call the "Best of Ten Test of Knowledge." Would you explain it to the group, please, Jimmy?\\
'''Jimmy Kimmel''': Yes, <insert inappropriate pet name here>. I'm going to ask <player> and Ben the same ten questions. <Player>, if you can answer more correctly than Ben can, you get his $5,000. Would you like to go first or second?

-->'''Ben''': Not "what is?"! This isn't ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}''
-->'''Jimmy''': That is the cardinal sin; does he look like Alex Trebek to you?!

** Occasionally in the Best of Ten round, when told that the contestant had scored less than 5 points, he would say, "I take all challenges seriously."
** At the end of Round 1, Ben Stein would say to the viewers "I am going defend my money by becoming a common contestant. Stay tuned, you might learn something!"
** After coming back from the first commercial break, he would usually say "We're back, with more of Win MY- Ben Stein's Money."
** Before Round 2, Jimmy Kimmel would say "Now we'll see just how smart Ben really is as we play more of "Win Ben Stein's Money.""

-->'''1998-2001:''' Hello, I'm Ben Stein. And today, I'm going to make history. I'm putting up $5,000 that says I know more than ''you''. ''So if you're smart enough, fast enough, and if you've got the '''guts''', you can'' '''[[TitleScream Win Ben Stein's Money]]'''!\\

* FlawlessVictory: The famous episode where Ben agreed to drop his pants if he lost the Best Of 10 saw challenger Bob achieve this by becoming the first person not named Ben Stein to score a perfect 10 in the round, guaranteeing at least a tie[[note]] which would add another $1,000 to Bob's winnings no matter what[[/note]] and forcing Ben to accomplish the same feat, which he failed to do. Cue pants drop.

** On at least one occasion, a contestant who was behind by $450 won after responding correctly to a $500 question (which also happened to be the final question of the second round). However, comeback victories like this were ''rare''.

** Ben's responses to winning, losing and tying are pretty much the same throughout.

--> '''Ben''': Okay wait a minute, this is unbelievable. This is ''unbelievable''!\\
'''Jimmy''': (to contestant) We need a hammer, or something, to ''beat'' you with.

* TemptingFate: In a legendary second season episode, at the Best of 10, Jimmy wheeled out the safe with Ben's shoes on it (they played ''Strip Ben Stein Of His Clothes'' in Round 2, but only one answer from the challengers to strip was provided), and asked Ben to drop his pants if he lost the final, saying HE will do it too. Cue opponent Bob becoming the first challenger in the show's history to answer all 10 questions correctly, and Ben missing one and ensuring a loss.

* IronicEcho: In on episode from the show's second season, contestants Jason and Dave are tied at the end of the second round. The sudden-death tiebreaker question deals with one of the major players in American suffrage.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first season had traditional pull cards for the categories as opposed to being done electrical; the Best of 10 Test of Knowledge had the clock barely displayed on center stage, as opposed to two clocks, one for each booth. Also, the money didn't drop if a contestant won the $5,000 grand prize, and the logo was displayed differently (the second and third words in the center, with the first and last on the top and bottom respectively).

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first season had traditional pull cards for the categories as opposed to being done electrical; the Best of 10 Test of Knowledge had the clock barely displayed on center stage, as opposed to two clocks, one for each booth.

* BonusRound: The Best of Ten Test of Knowledge. If the player lost, they only kept any money they won previously. If there was a tie, the player would win $1,000 in addition to the money they've already earned. If the player wins, he/she won what remained of the $5,000 pot. In at least one "champions" episode, the pot was upped to $25,000, and the contestant who faced of against Ben for it [[spoiler:ended up winning the money, taking his total amount of money won from Ben to $30,000.]] [[note]] (Theoretically speaking, Ben's remaining stash could actually be LESS than the contestant's take during the first two rounds.)[[/note]]

** Which also counted as BitingTheHandHumor- as explained above, Disney/ABC produced this show through their Buena Vista TV arm.

[[caption-width-right:260:It's ALL about the Benjamins.]]A GameShow produced for ComedyCentral in the late [[TheNineties 1990s]], hosted by [[DeadpanSnarker deadpan actor]] and former political speechwriter Ben Stein, and featuring radio personality turned late-night TalkShow host Jimmy Kimmel as TheAnnouncer. Using the common "quiz show" game model, and sporting a humorous atmosphere (as befitting a Comedy Central program), the show might have been forgotten as merely another ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'' clone if not for its unique concept — the contestants really were competing for Ben Stein's money.

* CelebrityEdition: Ranged from hosts of other ComedyCentral programs, to political commentators, to porn stars.

* GameShowWinningsCap: With VERY few exceptions, contestants only appeared once, and the most they could win was the complete $5,000 pot.

* ObviousRulePatch: Originally, the contestants were to receive the full $5,000 prize if the contestant and Ben were tied in the Best of Ten Test of Knowledge. (At least one early contestant won the $5,000 this way.) However, the producers figured out that ties could happen rather frequently[[note]]And in this scenario, it meant that the contestant scoring a 10 was an automatic win for them since it made Ben having to play pointless[[/note]]. As a result, if the contestant ended up tied with Ben, the contestant received $1,000 (which was added to what the contestant had already won).

--> '''Jimmy Kimmel''': Now we'll see just how smart Ben really is as we play more of "Win Ben Stein's Money."\\
'''Ben Stein''': Welcome back. As this rounds begins, Troper 1 has $<x> of my money, Troper 2 has $<y> of my money, and I have a mere $<5000-(x+y)> remaining of my original $5000 stake, which I will now defend by becoming a common contestant!\\

'''Jimmy Kimmel''': And whoever has the higher score at the end of this round, whether it's Troper 1, who starts [[Administrivia/EditWar edit wars for fun]], or Troper 2, who had his [[TVTropesWillRuinYourLife life ruined by TV Tropes,]] will go on to play against Ben one-on-one for $5000 of his money. Let's have a look at our topics. They are...

--> '''Ben Stein''': So far, you've managed to take $<x> away from me, and that is yours to keep, no matter what happens. But now you have a chance--albeit a small one--to walk away with all $5000 of my money, which Jimmy is now wheeling towards us in this safe. And all you have to do is beat me in what we call the "Best of Ten Test of Knowledge." Would you explain it to the group, please, Jimmy?\\
'''Jimmy Kimmel''': Yes, <insert inappropriate pet name here>. I'm going to ask <player> and Ben the same ten questions. <Player>, if you can answer more correctly than Ben can, you get his $5000. Would you like to go first or second?

* BerserkButton: Never accidentally answer by using "What is".
-->'''Ben''': Not "what is"! This isn't ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}''.

** In the lead-in to Ben's turn at the BonusRound, after being informed of the score he needed to beat, Ben would usually say, "I shall do my best."

** There have been situations where a contestant behind by $450 won after responding correctly to a $500 question. However, these occasions were ''rare''.

* TemptingFate: In a legendary second season episode, at the Best of 10, Jimmy wheeled out the safe with Ben's shoes on it (they played ''Strip Ben Stein Of His Clothes'' in Round 2, but only one answer from the challengers to strip was provided), and asked Ben to drop his pants if he lost the final, saying HE will do it too. Cue opponent Bob becoming the first challenger in the history of the show to answer all 10 questions correctly, and Ben missing one and ensuring a loss.

'''Jimmy Kimmel''': And whoever has the higher score at the end of this round, whether it's Troper 1, who starts [[EditWar edit wars for fun]], or Troper 2, who had his [[TVTropesWillRuinYourLife life ruined by TV Tropes,]] will go on to play against Ben one-on-one for $5000 of his money. Let's have a look at our topics. They are...

* DareToBeBadass[=/=]ThrowingDownTheGauntlet: The OpeningNarration from Stein.

'''2001-2003:''' "Hello. I'm Ben Stein. My brain is a miraculous instrument. It contains the information I use to protect my money--$5,000. I'll put it up, but I won't give it up without a fight. But if you're smart enough, quick enough, and lucky enough, you can Win Ben Stein's Money."

[[caption-width-right:260:It's ALL about the Benjamins...]]A GameShow produced for ComedyCentral in the late [[TheNineties 1990s]], hosted by [[DeadpanSnarker deadpan actor]] and former political speechwriter Ben Stein, and featuring radio personality turned late-night TalkShow host Jimmy Kimmel as TheAnnouncer. Using the common "quiz show" game model, and sporting a humorous atmosphere (as befitting a Comedy Central program), the show might have been forgotten as merely another ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'' clone if not for its unique concept — the contestants really were competing for Ben Stein's money.

-->'''Ben''': Not "what is"! This isn't ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}''

* CatchPhrase: Of sorts. When Ben lost the BonusRound (''very'' rare), he would say to his opposition "I bow to your superior knowledge! (''bow'') I'm humbled! I'm impressed! I hate you! Get outta here!" — and then hand that contestant that hard-won $5,000.

** At the end of Round 1, Ben Stein would say to the viewers "I am going defend my money by becoming a common contestant. Stay tuned, You might learn something!"

* FlawlessVictory: The famous episode where Ben agreed to drop his pants if he lost the Best Of 10 saw challenger Bob achieve this by becoming the first person not named Ben Stein to score a perfect 10 in the round, guaranteeing at least a tie[[note]] which would add another $1,000 to Bob's winnings no matter what [[/note]] and forcing Ben to accomplish the same feat, which he failed to do. Cue pants drop.

* ObviousRulePatch: Originally, the contestants were to receive the full $5,000 prize if the contestant and Ben were tied in the Best of Ten Test of Knowledge. (At least one early contestant won the $5,000 this way.) However, the producers figured out that ties could happen rather frequently[[note]] And in this scenario, it meant that the contestant scoring a 10 was an automatic win for them since it made Ben having to play pointless [[/note]]. As a result, if the contestant ended up tied with Ben, the contestant received $1,000 (which was added to what the contestant had already won).

* RunningGag: Several.

* SmartPeopleKnowLatin: One of the categories is called "I speak Latin, ''ergo'' I am annoying."

--> '''Ben Stein''': All right, contestants. In the first round, questions are worth anywhere from 550-$150 of my money. Now every time you manage to answer a question correctly, you win money, and I lose it.