10+ Conspiracy Theories That Turned Out to be True

In the 1950s, Americans were hooked on TV quiz shows, cheering brainy contestants who won huge prizes. After losing on “Twenty-One,” contestant Herb Stempel claimed the show was rigged and winners got answers in advance. People mostly dismissed him as a bitter loser. He would know.

More contestants came forward, and Congress held hearings in 1959. Star champion Charles Van Doren, a beloved college instructor, admitted producers had fed him answers. Stempel had been told to lose on purpose. Several shows were canceled, and rigging quiz shows became a federal crime.