The nation is infatuated with this game show that requires absolutely nothing except the contestant must recognize the numbers “1” through “26”.  And be able to yell them out.  You don’t have to know trivia or name a tune or solve a word puzzle.  Twenty-six beautiful young women, dressed alike, stand on risers holding silver attache’ cases numbered one through twenty-six.  The contestant then picks the one case they think holds the million dollar figure.   They proceed to open the other cases; and periodically a mysterious banker makes them a cash offer to give up and go home.   What amazes me is the shock & surprise on the face of the contestant when he or she opens a case that holds, for instance, $500,000.00!  There is one of the 26 amounts of cash in each suitcase, so what’s the big surprise?  Eventually they are going to see every amount, right?  We are so easily entertained and amused. When “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” debuted on network television, at least a little brain power was required!   But I have to admit, for some reason I find myself tuning in to watch Howie Mandel (yup, the same Howie Mandel who, during his stand-up comedy routine, used to wave his hand in our face and ask, ‘’What?  What?”) as he prances the stage accompanied by a suspenseful soundtrack, calling the lovelies by name as he instructs them to “open the case”!  I think they put shows like this on the air to distract us from the important issues at hand.  Oh well!  And I can just hit the mute button during the political ads.  Life is good.