Are You Dumber Than a Fifth Grader?

Okay.....I finally broke down and watched the damned show last night, and I think the last time my skin has crawled like that was in college..... when I inadvertently pitched a tent in the middle of a poison ivy patch.....in summer.....barefoot.....wearing swim trunks.

Or the last Ben Affleck movie I sat through......it's a toss-up.

For those of you who don't know....it goes like this. Non-Mensa level contestants compete alongside grade school kids for money. They get to choose among various categories (1st grade Geography, etc), then get their question. The lifelines consist of "peek" (look at the kid's answer), "copy" (adopt the kids answer without "peeking"), and "save".....which basically means that if you're too stupid to live, and get it wrong, the little tyke next to you saves your ass.....provided he's got the right answer. Each right answer moves you up a money board ala "Who Wants to be a Millionaire".....

Simple, huh?

OH.......OOOOHHHHHH........how simple.

One of the questions: Which is furthest WEST....Nevada, California, or Alaska? The answer, of course is ALASKA. He guessed California. Little Buddy kept this numbnut in the game with a correct answer. Did I happen to mention that he's a REAL ESTATE AGENT???!!!

He thankfully bailed out at the 50K level.....what would have gotten him to the 100K plateau? "In square inches, what is half the area of a square that is 12 inches long?" * Choked. Dropped out. Couldn't figure the area. Did I happen to mention that he's a REAL ESTATE AGENT?

So....I picked my jaw up off the floor and waited for the next contestant, sure to be a shining example of the average Joe or Jane, someone who could restore my faith in mankind......or at least in game shows.

Did she disappoint me? Were my expectations too high? YOU BETCHA!! She used a "peek" on the following gem:

"What country are you in if you cross the northern border of the United States?" Easy, right? Well, if you think so......take off, eh?

Oh, the humanity.

*(incidentally......the answer is 72)