‘$100,000 Pyramid’ Contestant Explains His Embarrassing Osama Bin Laden/Barack Obama Mix Up

A contestant from a recent episode of “$100,000 Pyramid” is trying to save face after what is arguably the most humiliating moment in the history of TV game shows.

On Sunday night, Evan Kaufman took part in the ABC show where teams of two compete in a word-association game. Kaufman was paired up with former “Saturday Night Live” star Tim Meadows, who had a front-row seat to the most awkward answer of all-time.

When host Michael Strahan introduced the question, “People with the last name Obama,” instead of naming Barack or Michelle or any of their children, Kaufman took a deep breath, and said, “Bin Laden.”

choking on my own tongue. pic.twitter.com/9VtRysTXEL

— bobby (@bobby) August 13, 2018

The clip quickly went viral, with many finding it hilarious, some seeing it as racist, and Kaufman himself finding it utterly mortifying. In a Twitter thread explaining his actions, Kaufman called it “perhaps the most embarrassing moment of my life.”

Kaufman walked readers through his thought process, revealing that as a new dad he was “very tired”, though he didn’t gloss over his mistake or deny the “inherent racism” in the answer.

“The producers of the show tell us beforehand, if we get to the final round, to study the questions VERY hard. “People misread them!” They say. They have no idea,” Kaufman tweeted.

I was on $100,000 Pyramid. I’m playing with Tim Meadows, one of my heroes from SNL. My son had been born two weeks prior. I am very tired but excited to win money for my family. We play up the whole tired Dad thing. (2/13)

— Evan Kaufman (@EvanKaufman) August 14, 2018

Despite the new father fatigue, Kaufman and Meadows made it to the final round where they were faced with the now infamous question. Reading carefully as instructed, Kaufman explained: “I breathe. I read ‘People Whose Last Name is Obama.’ I freeze. There’s only one. BARACK OBAMA. The man I would have voted for three times*! (*H/T Jordan Peele).”

The first square flips. I breathe. I read “People Whose Last Name is Obama.” I freeze. There’s only one. BARACK OBAMA. The man I would have voted for three times*! (*H/T Jordan Peele) (6/13)

— Evan Kaufman (@EvanKaufman) August 14, 2018

But instead of picking the former U.S. President, Kaufman’s mind started to wander. “Here’s what my brain decided. Who is associated with Obama? Who did he kill? What sounds like Obama!,” he said. “And so you have this perfectly viral clip. A clip that is insanely funny. It would be so funny if it wasn’t me.”

“Who else is a famous Obama?” My brain is racing. I need to list multiple people. I can’t just say Barack. What I should have said was, “Michelle, Sasha, Malia, Bo! The PORTUGUESE WATER DOG BO!” (7/13)

— Evan Kaufman (@EvanKaufman) August 14, 2018

Here’s what my brain decided. Who is associated with Obama? Who did he kill? What sounds like Obama! (8/13)

— Evan Kaufman (@EvanKaufman) August 14, 2018

He added: “This just goes to show you that even a liberal Globalist Cuck like yours truly has some inherent racism lurking in my brain. What a disaster.”

But this just goes to show you that even a liberal Globalist Cuck like yours truly has some inherent racism lurking in my brain. What a disaster. (10/13)

— Evan Kaufman (@EvanKaufman) August 14, 2018

It wasn’t all bad though, Kaufman did quickly correct himself and Meadows nailed the answer, allowing the foolish contestant to walk away with at least some money, even if he left his dignity behind.

“I leave with $8500… and the story of the worst pyramid guess of all-time,” Kaufman concluded.

On Wednesday, Kaufman appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and revealed what exactly Meadows was thinking about all this at the time. According to Kaufman, the former “SNL” cast member was more concerned that he messed up on a later question involving “margaritas”, and never said anything about the “Bin Laden” snafu.