Perquisite

There's a television show called Cash Cab.

The premise is simple, according to the website: Unassuming people enter the "Cash Cab" as simple passengers taking a normal taxi ride, only to be shocked when they discover that they’re instant contestants on a Discovery Channel's game show.

I happened to be walking down Lexington Avenue this afternoon and saw the Cash Cab parked on 65th. The contestants were actively soliciting pedestrians - seeking help with a particular question.

This is known as a "Street Shout-Out". If they get stumped on a question, contestants can ask someone on the street for help.

Being New York, nobody would even stop to see what was going on. I spotted the camera man and realized this was indeed "The Cash Cab" and offered my trivia services.

The question: What is the word perk short for? Perk as in a benefit outside of one's salary. I guessed percutiary. I think I was going for pecuniary. The correct answer turns out to be perquisite, a word which I don't think I've heard before.

I was of no use to the contestants. I had to sign a waiver so maybe I'll get to be on television looking like a dumbass.