A Hollywood A-lister has secured the top prize on a primetime game show, marking a rare achievement in television history. The Oscar-winning actor walked away with the full $1 million jackpot during his appearance on ABC’s “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” with every penny earmarked for humanitarian work.
Actor Ben Affleck partnered with “Jeopardy!” winner Jamie Ding for the episode that broadcast on Wednesday, July 29. Their prize money will go entirely to the Eastern Congo Initiative, which Affleck co-founded as the first United States-based charity focused exclusively on providing assistance to people living in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Affleck established the organization in 2010 with entrepreneur Whitney Williams, developing it into a vehicle for supporting grassroots groups and pushing for increased global awareness of the region’s challenges.
Presidential Pardon Tradition Stumps Contestants
The final question centered on an annual White House custom. Contestants faced the prompt: “In an annual Thanksgiving tradition, all but which of these have been the names of turkeys pardoned by a U.S. president?”
Four possible answers appeared: Peanut Butter & Jelly, Tater & Tot, Mac & Cheese, and Spaghetti & Meatball.
President George H.W. Bush formalized the turkey pardoning ceremony in 1989, creating a holiday staple that has continued for decades. Despite the duo’s trivia prowess, identifying which name had never been used required outside assistance.
The pair activated their Ask-The-Host lifeline, handing the puzzle to host Jimmy Kimmel, Affleck’s close friend. Kimmel deliberated aloud before suggesting Spaghetti & Meatball as the outlier, conjuring an image of President Donald Trump holding a dish of pasta to explain his reasoning.
Seeking additional confirmation, Affleck and Ding used their Phone-A-Friend option to contact Stephen Morrison, Ding’s trivia colleague. Morrison declined to weigh in, forcing the contestants to rely on Kimmel’s uncertain recommendation. Affleck ultimately declared he would bet on Jimmy and proceed.
Dramatic Reveal Caps Historic Victory
Ding submitted Spaghetti & Meatball as their response, triggering excruciating suspense in the studio. The host admitted he had a terrible stomach ache while the contestants’ anxiety grew visible.
An unusually extended silence followed as Affleck looked around the room in confusion, unable to tell whether the gamble had paid off. A drum roll eventually signaled their success. Both contestants leaped up and hugged while confetti fell, and Kimmel presented them with an oversized check for $1 million designated for Affleck’s foundation.
Matching a Co-Star’s Achievement
The win comes nearly a year after Matt Damon, Affleck’s “Good Will Hunting” writing partner and lifelong friend, claimed the identical prize. Damon teamed with “Jeopardy!” icon Ken Jennings, directing their earnings to Water.org.
Kimmel ribbed Damon following his appearance, joking that Damon’s million-dollar victory was the show’s most anticlimactic top prize ever. Affleck’s suspenseful conclusion provided a stark contrast.
The Affleck-Ding partnership enters an elite circle of celebrity teams who have secured the show’s maximum charitable prize. Other winners include “The Office” cast members Oscar Nuñez and Kate Flannery, sibling comedians Ike and Alan Barinholtz, and celebrity chef David Chang, who received Phone-A-Friend guidance from sports analyst Mina Kimes.
Though Affleck and Damon didn’t appear together this time, both can now boast membership in the same rarefied group, each having directed a transformative sum toward meaningful causes. The two actors, who penned “Good Will Hunting” together and have shared numerous career highlights across decades, have added parallel game show triumphs to their résumés.
The Eastern Congo Initiative receives a significant financial infusion thanks to one calculated guess about pasta and a pardoned bird, underscoring the charitable focus that has characterized much of Affleck’s off-screen efforts.
