Ben Affleck and Jeopardy! champion Jamie Ding triumphed on Wednesday’s episode of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire — winning $1 million for charity.
The 34-year-old Oscar-winning star competed on the Wednesday (July 30) episode of the ABC game show, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.
Jamie Ding, a 31-game “Jeopardy!” champ from earlier this season
, sat beside him as his partner.
The pair won the $1 million grand prize when they correctly answered the 15th and final question.
The million-dollar question read: “In an annual Thanksgiving tradition, all but which of these have been the names of turkeys pardoned by a U.S. president?” The possible answers were A. Peanut Butter & Jelly, B. Tater & Tot, C. Mac & Cheese, or D. Spaghetti & Meatball.
“You must be kidding me,” Ben said after Kimmel read the question.
After Kimmel reminded them that they still have their Ask-the-Host lifeline, Ben initially turned that down and suggested they use their other lifeline, Phone-A-Friend, to call Jamie’s friend.
“Probably the best person in the world to ask this question to.”… “If I’m wrong, I’m so sorry,” Kimmel said. “But Spaghetti and Meatball is my final answer.” Ben and Jamie thanked Kimmel for his help, but still decided to call up Jamie’s friend, who told the pair to go with Kimmel’s answer.
“I would bet on Jimmy,” Affleck said. “I would go for it.”
After an exceptionally long pause, during which Affleck looked around the room in bewilderment, a drum roll signaled their victory. The winners jumped from their seats and hugged as confetti poured around them.
Kimmel handed them a massive $1 million check that will go toward Affleck’s foundation, the Eastern Congo Initiative, which he started with entrepreneur Whitney Williams in 2009 to support community-based organizations and advocate for greater international visibility in eastern Congo.
“The nice thing about ‘Millionaire’ is that it’s over,” Ding says. “With ‘Jeopardy!’ I guess everybody eventually loses.
In July, Kimmel told Variety of the Affleck-Ding duo, “I’m not sure Ben knew that he was paired with a champion when he agreed to do the show. But when I told him, he seemed surprised and delighted. I think he was prepared to do it on his own. He’s very smart, that Ben Affleck.”
Jamie Ding told USA TODAY: “Ooh, a little bit, especially because we were basically the spiritual successors to Ken and Matt. I really wanted to win. It would be nice that both Matt and Ben were Millionaire champs, and I mean it was also like a really nice vote of confidence from the producers to put me on as the follow-up to Ken.”
Ding felt grateful to be partnered with Affleck, whom he hadn’t met before. “We were kind of an arranged marriage,” Ding jokes, while wearing an orange-faced Doxa watch, a pricey purchase made with his “Jeopardy!” winnings. “It’s good to have different areas of expertise.”
The win arrives a year after his Good Will Hunting co-star and longtime collaborator Matt Damon also took the top prize.
Damon was similarly paired with a “Jeopardy!” wiz — current host Ken Jennings — who helped him reach the top prize for charity.
In the viral moment that consumed Wednesday night’s broadcast, Affleck and Ding faced the turkey question with minimal information after both lifelines yielded uncertain guidance.
Choosing between Peanut Butter & Jelly, Tater & Tot, Mac & Cheese, and Spaghetti & Meatball, the duo called on host Jimmy Kimmel as their lifeline. When Kimmel hesitated when guessing Spaghetti & Meatball, Affleck and Ding called upon Ding’s trivia partner Stephen Morrison, who opted not to answer.
With seconds ticking down and both celebrity and game-show worlds watching, the pair ultimately trusted the show’s host, locked in their answer, and discovered they were correct.
After the win, Ding says he and Affleck were elated. “We were just feeling so good. We did get a photo of me and Ben and my parents and my sister,” Ding says. “I thought that was nice. And then Ben did have to leave pretty quickly afterwards.”
Ding will next appear on the “Jeopardy!” Tournament of Champions,” which kicks off Aug. 10.