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actor Ben Affleck celebrates winning Who Wants To Be A Millionaire
Ben Affleck had a huge week. He won a special charity episode of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and earned the million-dollar grand prize in the process.
Ben Affleck played alongside Jeopardy! champion Jamie Ding and when they correctly answered the final question it was, quite possibly, the happiest the world has ever seen. Is this the death of the ‘Sad Affleck’ meme and the dawn of a new age?
Ben Affleck Goes Wild After Winning ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’
The final question was a tricky one. It was a question about the annual presidential ‘pardon’ for turkeys at the White House. Specifically, the question asked “in an annual Thanksgiving tradition, all but which of these have been the names of turkeys pardoned by a U.S. president?”
You could be one of the smartest people on planet earth and still have no clue what the answer is here. I think most Americans are at some point in their lives at least made aware of the ceremonial presidential ‘pardon’ of the White House turkeys, but remembering their names every single year? That’s a textbook example of ‘useless knowledge’ if I have ever seen one. Alas, they got it right.
Here is the moment Ben Affleck and his partner Jamie Ding win Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? and Ben is immediately overcome with joy, as he should be, because money won is so much sweeter than money earned.
If you didn’t watch the clip all the way through to the triumphant moment Ben Affleck wins Millionaire then let’s run through a couple slides here of his jubilation. The absolute surprise on his face at getting the final question correct after a total shot in the dark. Like a deer in headlights:
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The jubilation has begun. Their hearts are racing.
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Are they friends in real life? I have no idea. I’d think not. But in that moment they became brothers for life. Ben Affleck is going to send this gentleman a Christmas card for the rest of his days. Bonded forever with a Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? win.
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Nobody show this one to Matt Damon. Sure, Matt is on top of the world right now after the release of The Odyssey which might become the highest-grossing film ever made. But if Damon sees his best friend Ben Affleck nuzzling up to another man in celebration like that it might break his heart.
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Truly, have you ever seen Ben Affleck as happy as he is here after winning Millionaire? I cannot recall a time I’ve ever seen him express this much joy on camera. Let me know what you think down below in the comments.
Side note: their $1 million in charitable winnings went to the Eastern Congo Initiative, a nonprofit co-founded by Affleck in 2010.