Charles Van Doren faced a Congressional committee investigating quiz show fraud, where he confessed to being given questions and answers in advance while competing on 'Twenty-One'. This revelation unraveled a web of deceit that had been hidden in plain sight, as many contestants, including Van Doren, were coached on how to perform on the show to ensure good ratings and viewer engagement. During the hearings, Van Doren claimed that the producers of the show would provide him with the questions he would face, effectively scripting his participation. This scandal was not limited to Van Doren; it cast a shadow on various quiz shows that had been widely popular during the 1950s.

The exposure of this manipulation led to a significant investigation into the ethics of quiz shows on television. As the hearings progressed, many contestants testified about the pressures they faced and the lengths to which producers would go to maintain high ratings. Public sentiment shifted from enjoying the quiz show format to questioning the authenticity of television entertainment. Van Doren's testimony was pivotal: it served as a catalyst for establishing greater oversight in televised competitions, ultimately leading to the disbandment of earlier quiz shows and the strict regulation of broadcasting standards to preserve the integrity of the medium.