Things got physical when Jimmy Kimmel’s Cousin Sal Iacono and comedian Jeff Ross played Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? with big money on the line.
The duo appeared in Wednesday’s episode of the game show, which also featured a team of Sophia Bush and Alex Edelman.
Celebrity pairs are playing for charity during the latest season of the game show, with the chance to win as much as $1 million.
Hilarity ensues with many contestants as they decide between themselves and their Lifeline options over the correct answers.
Sal and Jeff moved along with ease through their first several questions, but one particular question left them stumped.
It nearly led to Jeff ending the game for them, which irritated Sal, causing a physical moment.
Cousin Sal pushed Jeff Ross off his chair for giving an incorrect answer
Jeff Ross and Sal quickly moved up the board through the first five questions, joking around the entire way. However, when they reached the $2,000 question, they became stumped.
“For its pleasant fragrance and easy-to-decorate branches, the National Christmas Tree Association recommends several species of what tree?” Jimmy Kimmel asked in presenting the question.
Their four choices included Willow, Birch, Fir, or Redwood.
“What? Where’s pine?” Sal asked as both guys looked confused.
“I spent Christmas Eve with you guys and your nice family,” Ross said, adding, “I brought the Matzah balls.”
Jimmy joked that they had hung them from the tree, and Ross quickly asked him what kind of tree it was.
“The audience would know. Jimmy would know,” Sal said to Jeff.
“Yeah, but have you gotten a good look at the audience?” Jeff joked, bringing laughs from everyone.
Since they had no idea, they decided to use their first Lifeline and Ask the Host. Jimmy told them they were “gonna beat [their] heads against a tree” due to how easy it was.
“It’s a fir tree. Of course, it’s a fir tree,” the host told them.
“Alright, we appreciate that, but we’re gonna Ask the Audience,” Sal joked.
“Alright, we gotta go with fir tree,” he eventually said.
“We’re gonna go with birch, B,” Jeff said, nearly giving the wrong answer.
“No, no, no, no, no, no!” Sal yelled as he thrust his hand into Jeff’s chest and then pushed him in the shoulder, causing him to almost fall from his chair onto the floor.
“I didn’t do it!” Jeff said quickly, standing up to recover his chair as the audience and Jimmy laughed.
“What is wrong with him?” Sal asked as the crowd continued laughing.
Thankfully, Jeff was OK, and it was all good fun. Sal also gave “C, Fir” as the correct final answer, moving them to the next question.
“You two maniacs,” Jimmy said, laughing over their schtick.
Sal and Ross played Millionaire for Meals on Wheels
When they first arrived on the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? stage, Jimmy asked about the charity they were playing for. Jeff revealed it was Meals on Wheels and shared how he lived with his grandfather in New York when starting as a standup comic.
Jeff said when he was performing at open mic nights, the charity used to check on his grandfather and “drop off a hot meal” for him.
“So shout out to Meals on Wheels,” Jeff said, also showing he was wearing his late grandfather’s ring.
The celebrity pair reached the $125,000 question on the game board.
The question asked the slang term for “the person in charge” that became part of the country’s “national lingo” from former President Richard Nixon’s Watergate scandal.
Jeff suggested they call his Phone a Friend, who he believed was a history teacher and would know it. However, Jeff’s friend wasn’t entirely sure, venturing a guess that it was “Big Enchilada” before the call ended.
“He’s an idiot,” Sal joked since he hadn’t been 100 percent sure.
They decided to guess “Muckety-Muck” instead and ended up wrong, showing that Jeff’s friend had the right idea.
Even though they blew it on that question, they still gave viewers lots of laughs and won $32,000 for Meals on Wheels.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on ABC.