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Matt Damon, Ken Jennings win $1M for charity on ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’
Matt Damon and Ken Jennings won $1 million for Damon's charity Water.org thanks to unexpected savior Jimmy Kimmel on the celebrity edition of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."
Matt Damon and “Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings joined a select group on Wednesday night, winning $1 million for charity on the celebrity edition of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.”
After winning $250,000 on the season premiere last week, the pair returned to endure another round of insults from “Millionaire” host and longtime Damon frenemy Jimmy Kimmel.
The late-night host mostly focused on Damon’s scruffy beard, which the actor grew for the role of Odysseus in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming movie “The Odyssey.”
“Ken Jennings and what appears to be a yak are in the hot seat,” Kimmel quipped.
“Where were you on January 6?” the host added. “Are you waiting for the FBI to read your manifesto before you shave?”
How Matt Damon, Ken Jennings won $1 million
Ironically, with both Damon and Jennings totally stumped on the $500,000 question, Kimmel was their savior.
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After using the “Ask the Host” lifeline, Kimmel definitively told them the answer to the following question:
With another career path already established, who got his first taste of the entertainment world when he entered a Steve Martin look-alike contest? A. Dr Oz, B. Jerry Springer, C. Bill Nye, D. Anthony Bourdain.
After locking in the answer (Bill Nye) and deciding that Kimmel probably wasn’t pulling an elaborate prank on Damon, the pair moved on to the final question.
With $1 million for Damon’s charity Water.org on the line, Jennings came through in the clutch on the following question:
Which of these words is often used to describe one of the most beautiful auditory effects on Earth: the sound made by the leaves of trees when wind blows through them? A. Apricity, B. Petrichor, C. Susurrus, D. Eudaemonia.
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After Jennings stating he was fairly certain it was C and was 100 percent certain it wasn’t B, the pair used their 50-50 lifeline to be safe, which left only B and C as choices.
“We caught a break,” Jennings said, laughing. “Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.”
With that, the pair became only the third celebrity duo to win $1 million on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” joining actor Ike Barinholtz and his father, Alan; and restaurateur David Chang and ESPN writer/host Mina Kimes.
Even with safe drinking water for 200,000 people guaranteed by their “Millionaire” success, Kimmel vowed his revenge on Damon and Jennings.
“I’m coming on ‘Jeopardy!’ with someone you hate,” he said.
For those who missed last night’s episode, full episodes of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” are streaming on Hulu.
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