A couple who lost $800,000 on a Fox game show — despite giving the right answer — has been invited back for a second try.
On Monday's episode of new game show "Million Dollar Money Drop," contestants Gabe Okoye and Brittany Mayti bet $800,000 on the question: which product was sold in stores first, the Macintosh computer, the Post-It Note or the Sony Walkman?
The couple quickly dismissed the Macintosh and then debated between the Post-It and the Walkman, with Okoye confident enough that it was the Post-It to risk $800,000 on the answer. The show said he was wrong, but, it turns out, he was right.
Due to a research error, the show's producers had the wrong information on the original date the Post-It was rolled out in stores. The Walkman debuted in 1979, while the Post-It debuted in 1980, the show originally thought. But internet research later revealed that 3M, who had given the show the 1980 date, was mistaken: "the product was originally tested for sale in four cities under the name 'Press 'N Peel' in 1977, sold as 'Post-its' in 1979 when the rollout introduction began and sold nationwide in 1980," the show's executive producer said in a statement.
As a result, the show has invited the couple back for a second chance. The executive producer, Jeff Apploff, released the following statement:
Unfortunately, the information our research department originally obtained from 3M regarding when Post-it notes were first sold was incomplete. As a result of new information we have received from 3M, we feel it is only fair to give our contestants, Gabe and Brittany, another shot to play 'Million Dollar Money Drop' even though this question was not the deciding question in their game. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the viewers who brought this to our attention, and we're thrilled to give Gabe and Brittany the opportunity to return to play the game.