Anyone who sits in the guessing chair during “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” will work up a sweat – this happens not only to normal people who get involved in a quiz round with presenter Günther Jauch, but also to celebrities. Four of them – comedian Ilka Bessin as Cindy from Marzahn, “Tagesthemen” star Ingo Zamperoni, rapper Bushido and comedian Ralf Schmitz – dared to take part in the quiz show’s latest celebrity special on Thursday – and surprised people with their knowledge. Ingo Zamperoni also blew everyone away: He made it to the 500,000 euro question, but then had to pass when it came to the northernmost point of the Danube.
You might think that a “Tagesthemen” star would actually have to know a lot about geography – after all, Ingo Zamperoni always has to deal with maps in the studio. But anyone who is asked a question worth 500,000 euros in “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” has to know details that even real geography experts have to know. This is also the case with Ingo Zamperoni: After he bravely fought his way through the jungle of questions in the celebrity special of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”, a question about the northernmost point of the Danube makes him sweat a lot!
Stark question on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”: Where is the northernmost point of the Danube?
Quiz master Günther Jauch wants to know from him: Which city is at the northernmost point that the Danube passes on its way to the Black Sea? The possible answers: A) Ulm, B) Ingolstadt, C) Passau and D) Regensburg. His advantage: At that point he still has one telephone joker left. Its disadvantage: The question is actually unsuitable for this because it is much too long.
Ingo Zamperoni (here with Caren Miosga) has been moderating the daily topics for years. Now he ventured onto the board with “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”Daniel Bockwoldt/dpa
Ingo Zamperoni immediately begins to ponder. He knows where the Danube rises – but which city does it pass through at the northernmost point? “It moves up to the northeast – and then flows southeast again near Passau, towards the Black Sea,” he says, you can literally see the map of Germany in front of his eyes. Ulm is therefore too close to the source. “At Passau it goes down again, with the other cities in between. So I’ll rule out A and C.” He ponders and ponders until Jauch intervenes. “So, let’s take a look at your three telephone jokers.”
They also include Ingo Zamperoni’s father and brother. Do you know which city the Danube passes at its northernmost point? Ingo Zamperoni decides to call his father, but wants to ask the question in Italian. He rephrases it slightly – and asks about the northernmost of the four cities. The Zamperoni father’s answer: Ingolstadt! “He only said that because of Ingo,” says “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” presenter Günther Jauch after the phone call.
How does Ingo Zamperoni decide? The problem: If he makes the wrong choice, he falls back to 500 euros. “It’s a lot of money, 125,000 euros,” says Cindy from Marzahn in the background. But Zamperoni wants to gamble. Due to the tension, even moderator Günther Jauch’s microphone fails. An omen? Ingo Zamperoni makes a decision – and stops. That means: He wins 125,000 euros for a good cause. Would he have won the 500,000 euros if he had chosen Ingolstadt?
“Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”: This city is located at the northernmost point of the Danube
The answer to this question of “Who will become a millionaire?“ is: No! In fact it would have been Regensburg – near the city is the northernmost point of the Danube on the way to the Black Sea. Lucky you, Mr. Zamperoni! According to Jauch’s explanation, Regensburg is 20 kilometers further north than Ingolstadt. “So it was very close,” says Ingo Zamperoni. “I’m glad I didn’t log it in.” Sometimes the defensive solution is the best, even with “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”, says Jauch. ■
