ABC

ABC to Launch Oscars Live Play-Along Game With $50,000 Grand Prize

ABC is hoping to drive viewers to its host-less telecast of the 91st Academy Awards on Sunday by dangling the promise of cold, hard cash to one lucky winner.

The broadcaster is launching “The Official Oscar Game,” a live game that will let viewers play along in real time during the awards presentation. The game’s interactive ballot will allow fans to earn points by predicting Oscar winners in each category and will also pose trivia questions — with all players who earn points entered into the $50,000 grand-prize drawing.

To play, users can sign up starting Saturday, Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. ET at oscar.com/game. Then they must watch live on Sunday, Feb. 24, starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on ABC in order to play. Viewers will earn points for correct Oscars predictions and trivia questions presented during the show, as well as participation in real-time polls.

One winner will be randomly selected from among players who have at least one point, with each point representing an entry into the sweepstakes. The top point-getters also will appear on The Oscar Game’s Top 100 Leaderboard.

It’s the first time ABC is launching play-along live trivia game for the Oscars, after movie fans have been printing out ballots and following along with the TV broadcast for years. The game is among the latest cash-based live digital games spawned by the popularity of HQ Trivia since it debuted a year and a half ago.

The 2019 Oscars telecast has generated more than its fair share of controversy. Kevin Hart backed out of hosting the kudocast, and producers ultimately opted to go with no host. Then last week, after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that four awards would be presented during commercial breaks resulted in a major backlash, the Academy reversed the decision just days later.

In addition to the game itself, ABC’s Official Oscar Game will feature behind-the-scenes content throughout the live telecast. The game is open to legal residents of U.S. and Washington, D.C., who are 18 or older.

ABC7's Reggie Aqui speaks with 'Jeopardy!' Host Alex Trebek about a new format for All-Star Games airing on ABC

No result found, try new keyword!Starting tonight for a limited time on 'Jeopardy!', it will no longer be a solo mission to win. Teams will compete to win the grand prize of $1 million and having bragging rights of being the brainies...

Lavish Boutique and Coffee Bar in Jasper to be on season 10 of ABC’s ‘What Would You Do?’

The ABC series “What Would You Do” will feature an episode in Alabama at Lavish Coffee Bar in Jasper. Monday night, the shop posted an announcement on its Facebook page that the series, hosted by journalist John Quiñones, wrapped up filming.

Now in its 10th season, “What Would You Do” uses hidden cameras to document how ordinary people behave when confronted in public with uncomfortable situations.

Last season’s episodes featured a coach who didn’t want his student athletes to kneel during the National Anthem and a restaurant manager who told a man he needed to remove his “Make America Great Again” hat.

In the Facebook post, Lavish said they were proud of their “awesome community” for showing kindness, love, and compassion during the scenario filmed inside the coffee bar.

“I’m so proud of everyone that was involved for stepping up and doing the right thing!” said the post.

Dustin Beaty, who owns Lavish with his wife Shannon, says the show came to the shop to film all day Monday, February 18, after a months-long process.

“It was a wonderful experience,” Beaty told Al.com over the phone.

He says producers initially reached out to the coffee shop in November with the aim of filming the show in different types of businesses in Alabama.

“At first I thought ‘Who’s playing a joke on us?' ” said Beaty, laughing.

After a few site visits, he says the show runners decided they wanted to film an episode at the shop in January.

While he couldn’t give too many details over the phone, Beaty says the show filmed two scenarios on Monday and both situations left him and his wife emotionally inspired.

Some clues to the episode may lie in host John Quiñones’ Facebook posts.

One scenario seems to address the topic of race. In one video post, a black manager confronts a retired officer because he makes African American customers “uncomfortable.”

Another situation addresses a child who seems to be left alone in the coffee shop.

Beaty says he and his wife were proud to help represent a shining image of their city on national television.

“We are kind of nationally looked down on in Alabama. And Walker County kind of gets a deeper black eye. It was emotionally inspiring to watch this community pour its heart out to help people," said Beaty.

He says watching the coffee shop’s customers and community come together during the filming was both humbling and rewarding.

“My wife said God showed up and showed out through our people. Everybody referenced the Golden Rule. This is what we do in Jasper.”

Beaty says Lavish may be featured on two different episodes during the season. He says they won’t know exactly when the episodes featuring their shop will air, but they plan to host a watch party and post the details on social media.

In May, “What Would You Do” will return to ABC on Fridays at 8 pm CST. For more information and to see previous episodes, go to ABC.com.