But Paley's big-money contest triggered even more brutal ratings competition, which became all-consuming and desperate. NBC immediately copied the concept several times over, most notably with Twenty One, which pitted two contestants against each other. Sponsored by a relaunched patent medicine (Geritol: "America's number one tonic for tired blood!"), Twenty One put even more prize money at stake. But its ratings climb against CBS didn't happen until Charles Van Doren—a handsome, deep-voiced, and patrician English instructor at Columbia—showed up to challenge the reigning champion, Herb Stempel of the Bronx. Stempel had a big nose, thick glasses, and an abrasive manner. The producer would later say, "You want the viewer to react emotionally to a contestant. Whether he reacts favorably or negatively is really not that important….Viewers would watch him [Stempel] and pray for his opponent to win."

Tim Wu, The Attention Merchants, loc. 484