Jeopardy! Season 37 (2020-2021)

[Grundoon59]

Like you @saber5055, the Gulag Archipelago made a big impression on me back in the day (partly because I had a chance to go on a student trip to parts of the Soviet Union in 1977 and read a lot about Russia/USSR before and after) so FJ was an instaget. 

Antarctica is still on my bucket list (but enjoyed your accounts of your trip @Browncoat) but I went through a period of fascination with books about exploration so I knew Shackleton as well - the book I read about his journey was enough to convince me much of the world would have remained unexplored if it were left to wimps like me. 

Also count me in the chorus shouting JOHNSON and BLIGH but luckily the weather in Michigan has turned a little rainy and chilly after a glorious spring weekend so my neighbors wouldn't be disturbed by me. 

[j5cochran]

I was yelling "Bligh" along with the rest of this gang, but with a big dollop of irony. In my on-air game, the Final Jeopardy clue was "In 1790 Thursday October Christian became the first child whose birth was recorded on this remote island." I knew he was the child of the leader of the Bounty Mutiny, but I couldn't come up with the name of the island. Pitcairn Island is now engraved in my brain!

(I think irony is the right choice of words. I'm sure someone here will correct me.)

[saber5055]

 

4 hours ago, MrAtoz said:

I hadn't heard about that.  Where can I find out more about it?

Andy mentioned it on TheJeopardyFan in his pre-game thoughts, then Emily Sands posted the details in the comments if you scroll to the bottom of this page.

Edited May 5, 2021 by saber5055

[Driad]

Standing for an hour or two is difficult for many people (bad back etc.).  A while ago I asked if the show can accommodate contestants who cannot stand for the time it usually takes to play a game (50 minutes?).  No one answered then; does anyone know?

[shapeshifter]

30 minutes ago, Driad said:

Standing for an hour or two is difficult for many people (bad back etc.).  A while ago I asked if the show can accommodate contestants who cannot stand for the time it usually takes to play a game (50 minutes?).  No one answered then; does anyone know?

I was wondering the other day if there has ever been a blind or a deaf contestant. 

Since I cannot sit for more than 10 minutes without pain due to my body's own particular brand of sciatica, I would be fine standing for the show, especially since they have the podiums to lean on. But to actually perform as a Jeopardy contestant, I would need some sort of astral plane visitation by my late mom, who would really clean up with the correct questions.
But I'm guessing there might be a stool placed behind the podium for a contestant who needs one.

[ams1001]

2 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

I was wondering the other day if there has ever been a blind or a deaf contestant. 

Eddie Timanus was a blind 5-time winner in 1999, and TOC semi-finalist (plus a couple other special events). Accommodations included giving him a card with the categories in Braille, a Braille keyboard so he could type his name and FJ answer, and no video clues (and according to a reddit post, there was an audio signal to let him know when they could ring in to answer, since normally they are signaled by a light). It was also when they first had the contestants start at the podiums instead of walking out as they were introduced (which became standard practice in 2000). 

Google doesn't come up with any deaf contestants (or any other blind ones). I think if there were they wouldn't have to change too much, other than not using audio clues, and maybe needing a sign language interpreter (assuming the person can't speak clearly enough and/or read lips).

[Katy M]

19 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

Google doesn't come up with any deaf contestants (or any other blind ones). I think if there were they wouldn't have to change too much, other than not using audio clues, and maybe needing a sign language interpreter (assuming the person can't speak clearly enough and/or read lips).

I think they would have to rely mostly on reading the clues, just because it's so fast paced, I don't know that the interpreter would finish at the same time as the host.   But maybe an interpreter for answers. It does beg a question, though. ASL is not as wordy as spoken English.  If the category is colors and the answer is red that's fine.  But, if it's movie or book names, The Old Man and the Sea is most likely going to be signed Old Man and Sea, which would be wrong in English, but the interpreter would say The Old Man and the Sea. Maybe they would use SEE (Signed Exact English).  They'd have to fingerspell people's names out.   It would be interesting to see how they handle it if a non-verbal Deaf person gets on the show.

[saber5055]

50 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

I would be fine standing for the show, especially since they have the podiums to lean on.

Oh, but if you lean on the podium you will be raked over burning coals by posters in this thread and be forever damned.

[HissyFit]

The name Christiaan Barnard would not come to me, but I did know immediately that the doctor's name had an unusual spelling with "aa" somewhere.  I wish phrenology could explain my brain's filing system.

[853fisher]

5 hours ago, Trey said:

I have noticed, since the first guest host, that they no longer say the game is a runaway or a contestant "can't be caught". They might say that contestant has a really big lead but that's about it.

I've noticed that too and have thought it seemed purposeful.

 

The way Alex would sometimes put it, I wondered whether some folks wouldn't just tune out upon hearing that the game's outcome was pretty well settled.  It never bothered me because it was of course true, but if I had purchased an ad in the last break, I guess I wouldn't love it.

Of course, whether the host says it's a runaway or not, anyone can do some pretty easy math and figure it out themselves.  So maybe my stab at a reason for this change is way off and it's just a stylistic preference or what have you.

[SoMuchTV]

14 minutes ago, 853fisher said:

I've noticed that too and have thought it seemed purposeful.

 

The way Alex would sometimes put it, I wondered whether some folks wouldn't just tune out upon hearing that the game's outcome was pretty well settled.  It never bothered me because it was of course true, but if I had purchased an ad in the last break, I guess I wouldn't love it.

Of course, whether the host says it's a runaway or not, anyone can do some pretty easy math and figure it out themselves.  So maybe my stab at a reason for this change is way off and it's just a stylistic preference or what have you.

Yeah, it's not a runaway if you're Cliff Claven.  Isolated example, I know, but I can see why they (Alex or other hosts) don't want to presume that the leading player will make the most logical wager.

[saber5055]

51 minutes ago, 853fisher said:

The way Alex would sometimes put it, I wondered whether some folks wouldn't just tune out upon hearing that the game's outcome was pretty well settled.  It never bothered me because it was of course true, but if I had purchased an ad in the last break, I guess I wouldn't love it.

Alex said it a lot and it bothered me every time as I took it as his way of saying "You other two players are moronic dumbass idiots and you don't have a chance. Have fun driving home with nothing, losers."

I'm glad the guest hosts are not pointing out the obvious, thereby sparing the feelings of two players who had their hopes dashed. They know they aren't winning, let them leave with some dignity and a bit of pride that they at least made it onto the show.

[Katy M]

I didn't get FJ.  All i could think of that was spelled differently was colour, and couldn't think of an album title.  I was expecting to get it wrong when I saw the category, though, so there's that.

the only missed clues I got were Bianca and Ohio.

I got the entire category of religion right.

[Prevailing Wind]

I like Whitaker as a reporter on 60 Minutes, but his voice seems a bit thin/reedy to sound like a game-show host.  Yeah, I know - I'm shallow.

I enjoyed the Non-Alexander Hamilton category. LOL.

I pre-guessed "Tapestry" but couldn't think of "Rumours" - you can put it in the same category as Gulag Archipelago as things I couldn't think of to save my life. Bwaahahahaha.

[Browncoat]

I really should stop trying to multitask when Jeopardy is on!  I did not get FJ, and tonight, I'm blaming the multitasking.  Yeah, that's the ticket.  It's certainly an album I should have known!

I got the TS of Bianca, and I'd like to thank the movie, "10 Things I Hate About You" for that one.  I also got Toulouse, but I have no idea how or why.

 

[Mindthinkr]

I got loudmouth and neuralgia. I pre-guessed either Sticky Fingers or Dark Side of the Moon for FJ and then couldn’t come up with Rumours. 

[PaulaO]

I pulled Rumours from the vast vault of useless information, I.e., my brain, about 3 seconds before time was up.

[saber5055]

40 minutes ago, Prevailing Wind said:

I pre-guessed "Tapestry"

Oh, man, Carol King. Gold star for you, even if it wasn't the FJ answer. Carol, Joni and Stevie (Wonder) provided the background music for my misspent youth. So did Stevie (Nicks), but I never paid attention to song names or album titles. I would tank immediately on Name That Tune. So yeah no, I did not even have a guess for FJ, even though that album is in a box somewhere around here.

@BuckeyeLou, did you get the Ohio TS? I spent a lot of time in Delaware when I lived in Columbus.

[ams1001]

1 hour ago, Browncoat said:

I got the TS of Bianca, and I'd like to thank the movie, "10 Things I Hate About You" for that one.  I also got Toulouse, but I have no idea how or why.

lol...me, too. I love that movie. I only got Toulouse because I actually caught what category was picked (I was lucky to be awake so that was an accomplishment).

[shapeshifter]

9 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

I only got Toulouse because I actually caught what category was picked (I was lucky to be awake so that was an accomplishment)

I wonder if I would have guessed “Toulouse” if I’d seen the category. 

[BuckeyeLou]

1 hour ago, saber5055 said:

Oh, man, Carol King. Gold star for you, even if it wasn't the FJ answer. Carol, Joni and Stevie (Wonder) provided the background music for my misspent youth. So did Stevie (Nicks), but I never paid attention to song names or album titles. I would tank immediately on Name That Tune. So yeah no, I did not even have a guess for FJ, even though that album is in a box somewhere around here.

@BuckeyeLou, did you get the Ohio TS? I spent a lot of time in Delaware when I lived in Columbus.

Yes, I did: I have friends who live in Delaware(Ohio, that is :)  And my hubby is an avid Fleetwood Mac fan so we got "Rumours" right away, one of his favorite albums.

[catrice2]

It is a wonder why anyone wants to guest host just to be picked apart. I never knew or cared about Alex's political or other views.  The truth is, no one really knows public figures beyond what they choose to reveal which is not always the truth. 

I personally think that everyone they've had has been passable and enjoyed themselves in different ways.  I didn't expect anyone to come in and be Alex,  or maybe I am easily pleased All of them had their little quirks, but Alex did too.  Of course some are better than others, but this is not their regular job. 

I knew at the beginning that the champ would be replaced and that the Scrabble player would be the new champ. 

For some reason the Final Jeopardy would not come to me, but somehow I missed 1977 while in the other room or I may have gotten it. 

[Bastet]

I managed to run a religion category.  That must be one for the record books.  I also ran Shakespeare, which is not typical for me, either.  If not for I Love Lucy (which was such a V8 head slap moment when it was revealed, but I was trying to think of a two-word title starting with "Love"), I'd have run the entire first round.

In DJ, though, I only ran African cities and medical, but I wasn't terrible in any category, missing eight clues total.

FJ came to me very quickly, so I had a great game after several lackluster performances recently. 

[stonehaven]

I love all kinds of music and 1977 was a banner year for a few great albums. Rumours was my first CD bought through my Columbia House Membership back in the day. So, when the clue was read, I was thrilled as I shouted out Rumours!!!!

I was watching a rerun of Jeopardy right before it...and was thrilled they mentioned an old sea shanty called "Blow Ye Winds" which I knew from an old Kingston Trio record.

So, musically I killed it on those clues. I'm good with that....

[Cotypubby]

For “loudmouth” I came up with “trouble-rouser” to fit the “double ou” category 😂 Don’t know if that’s actually a real term but it sounded good to me!

Edited May 6, 2021 by Cotypubby

[MrAtoz]

I thought of "Rumours" after the time had expired, but before the correct answer had been revealed.  Yay, me, I guess.  I was wondering whether the specific mention of "the bass player" in the clue was supposed to be any kind of hint.  Fleetwood Mac's bass player was John McVie, who was one of the British members, and prominent enough to be the source of the "Mac" part of the band's name.  Bass players aren't always famous, but John is pretty well-known.

[Trey]

My ts's were I Love Lucy, loudmouth, and Toulouse.

I was dismayed at the FJ category - I know song titles but not album titles. The only album I could pre-call was Rumours. So cool that it was the FJ answer! During the commercial break I had also been thinking of the difference between British and US spellings of some words so that really confirmed my answer.

[Good Queen Jane]

I always read the FJ clue on the New York Times site before the show since I sometimes miss the actual airing (giving myself only 30 seconds to answer so I'm not cheating in the Final Jeopardy Contest here). I could not come up with an answer. Within 10 minutes after I conceded failure, the radio DJ said "And now a song from the Fleetwood Mac's famous album, Rumours ." And so I smacked myself on the forehead to the curiosity of my fellow office workers. As my mother used to say, " A day late and a dollar short."

[bad things are bad]

13 hours ago, stonehaven said:

Rumours was my first CD bought through my Columbia House Membership

Ha, my first non-Monkees album was Led Zeppelin II when my dad got a Columbia House membership. He let us each pick an album for ourselves. 

IIRC, though, I had Rumours on cassette :) and played the crap out of it. FJ was an Instaget for me; 1977 is right in my music wheelhouse

[saber5055]

14 hours ago, stonehaven said:

Rumours was my first CD bought through my Columbia House Membership back in the day.

Get six albums for just one penny!

[Clanstarling]

4 hours ago, MrAtoz said:

 Bass players aren't always famous, but John is pretty well-known.

I tried to figure out a Who album with the right date because of Entwhistle. So I was far off. Didn't think of combined Brit,/US bands. Despite the fact that I own the Rumours album.

26 minutes ago, saber5055 said:

Get six albums for just one penny!

I still have albums I should get rid of because I got them to get the deal, and knew nothing about them. Turned out I didn't like them.

 

[Trey]

2 minutes ago, Clanstarling said:

I still have albums I should get rid of because I got them to get the deal, and knew nothing about them. Turned out I didn't like them.

Better check to see if any are valuable before you dump them.

[Driad]

2 minutes ago, Clanstarling said:

I still have albums I should get rid of

Depending on where you live, there may be stores that buy and sell used records.  

[Prevailing Wind]

10 minutes ago, Driad said:

Depending on where you live, there may be stores that buy and sell used records.  

Look on eBay first, to see how many are floating around that the owners want to ditch. I discovered that a Nilsson album I though to be rare was all over eBay, going for a buck or two.

[Gimmick Genius]

On 5/5/2021 at 8:53 AM, MrAtoz said:

 

It was such a well-oiled machine when Alex was there, but I suppose it's not surprising that the guest hosts may be having some trouble.  There's no other job that's quite like hosting a fast-moving game show, so there's no real way to get experience before you actually do it.

On Facebook this morning I saw a clip from Jeopardy noting that outgoing champ Hanna Howard's sister had been a contestant. They included a brief screen shot of Liz Howard's appearance from July 4, 2018. I realized, I met her! We were in the studio the same day. I was in the second show taped, she was in the third, and neither of us was a winner. After her game came the lunch break so Liz and I had lunch together in the Sony Cafeteria (at the LOSERS' TABLE, since we could no longer mingle with the other contestants!😉).

So, Scott (Mr. Atoz)... you and I  and Liz all had the dubious honor of losing to Suzanne Koppelman!😆

[Gimmick Genius]

On 5/5/2021 at 7:28 AM, DrSpaceman73 said:

Cook??  Come on.  He died in hawaii.  There are two movies about mutiny on the bounty.  

Three. Charles Laughton, Trevor Howard, and Anthony Hopkins as Bligh.

The movies are one reason I supposed no one guessed Bligh; they might have thought that story was fiction.

Actually, mistaking Bligh for Cook isn't too outlandish -- I remember from reading ...BOUNTY that, in order to ingratiate himself with the Tahitians Bligh misrepresented himself as the "son of Cook." (Or 'Toot' as the islanders pronounced it)

Edited May 6, 2021 by Gimmick Genius

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, Gimmick Genius said:

After her game came the lunch break so Liz and I had lunch together in the Sony Cafeteria (at the LOSERS' TABLE, since we could no longer mingle with the other contestants!

Wait. What?!? Jeopardy has a Losers’ Table??? Did Alex know about this?

 

18 minutes ago, Gimmick Genius said:

The movies are one reason I supposed no one guessed Bligh; they might have thought that story was fiction.

Actually, mistaking Bligh for Cook isn't too outlandish -- I remember from reading ...BOUNTY that, in order to ingratiate himself with the Tahitians Bligh misrepresented himself as the "son of Cook." (Or 'Toot' as the islanders pronounced it)

Interesting. 
I’m pretty sure in the early 1960s a teacher showed us at least part of The Mutiny on the Bounty using a reel-to-reel projector–––and that is why I knew “Bligh” (but not the correct spelling). 

[proserpina65]

I must shamefacedly admit that I did not come up with Rumours for FJ.  I love, love, love that album, but Led Zeppelin got stuck in my head, even though I knew the year wasn't right, and I couldn't get it out of the way.

5 hours ago, Trey said:

My ts's were I Love Lucy, loudmouth, and Toulouse.

I got all of those.  I've actually been to Toulouse.

20 hours ago, Katy M said:

the only missed clues I got were Bianca and Ohio.

I got those, plus I ran the Brits in Boats category.  My interest in the Royal Navy paid off.  I was amused that neither of the two British Navy officers who show up the most on Jeopardy were not in that category: Cook and Nelson.

[proserpina65]

1 minute ago, shapeshifter said:

I’m pretty sure in the early 1960s a teacher showed us at least part of The Mutiny on the Bounty using a reel-to-reel projector–––and that is why I knew “Bligh”

I actually read a biography of William Bligh once.  The man had 3 different mutinies against him: the Bounty in 1789, HMS Director in 1797 (as part of the much larger mutiny amongst the British Navy ships on the Nore) and the Rum Rebellion in New South Wales in 1808.  The second had nothing to do with Bligh personally - it was a protest against harsh conditions in the Navy, and the third would've happened to any royal governor who attempted to put an end to the private trading which the New South Wales corp engaged in.

[saber5055]

I was browsing museum sculptures and came across this one that should be recognized by at least one poster here. Your mom is looking for you!

[Bastet]

Since I'll be watching something else tonight, I just checked the archive.

An 800-degree calzone made me laugh out loud.

Looking at the game dynamics, Kalee had a really bad day.

The Appalachians TS surprised me.  So did amphitheater, helicopters, stage fright, and Munich (at least that no one threw that out there as a guess, but it was a $2000 clue, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised no one wanted to risk it).

I had another great first round, getting everything but polar bear & grizzly (I thought Duh! when I unveiled it).  In DJ, though, I only ran Potent History and On Speaking.  I blew the entire roles in common category.  Across the remaining categories, I only missed four, so if it wasn't for that category, I'd have had an excellent game, because I got FJ, too.

Edited May 7, 2021 by Bastet

[Tunia]

Tonight's episode was SNL-worthy!  Has there ever been a game played this poorly before?

Bill Whitaker still isn't "working" for me.  Nexxxxxt...

 

[Katy M]

I briefly considered Andorra, but stuck with my first answer of Monaco. 

I got the missed clues of American tragedy, amphitheatre, polar & grizzly, helicopter, baker, cyrillic, Munich and Oscar Madison.

I got the entire catgories of 12 letter words, saints, 20th century reads, potent history right and the entire category o speaking wrong.  Oliver WEndell Holmes stuck in the back of my head and wouldn't come forth.

[Browncoat]

What a terrible game!  I felt bad for Kalee.  That said, I did not get FJ --  I also said Turkey.

So many TS!  I got oven (calzone?  really?), polar bear and grizzly, Appalachians, helicopters, bakers, lodestone, stage fright, Shaft, and Oscar Madison.  I give Bill major props for pronouncing "Appalachians" correctly.  Also, there are no "Blue Smoky Mountains".  And I really want to know what kind of furniture a filibuster is.

In other news, I have had the School House Rock "Interjection!" song stuck in my head since that clue was read.

[shapeshifter]

So are we going to blame Bill Whitaker again for jinxing? (suggesting there would be a bigger winner) 

I had at least the TSs of Appalachians, helicopters, Shaft, and baker, but probably more too. Given another half minute, I would've had Munich and Oscar, which means a Jeopardy contestant probably should have. 

I wondered if Kalee's button wasn't working, but maybe she just froze?

36 minutes ago, Bastet said:

An 800-degree calzone made me laugh out loud.

Right?!? 😂

2 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

I really want to know what kind of furniture a filibuster is.

 I might bid on a filibuster to furnish my home just to see what it is. 😆

[SoMuchTV]

1 minute ago, Browncoat said:

 I give Bill major props for pronouncing "Appalachians" correctly.

Thank you! So it’s not just me! They’re not the appellations!

[ams1001]

30 minutes ago, Bastet said:

The Appalachians TS surprised me.  So did amphitheater, helicopters, stage fright, and Munich (at least that no one threw that out there as a guess, but it was a $2000 clue, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised no one wanted to risk it).

I got all those except helicopter. Also pizzly (I know that was the clue and not the response; I just like the word pizzly 🐻), bakers, lodestone and Oscar Madison.

6 minutes ago, Tunia said:

Tonight's episode was SNL-worthy!  Has there ever been a game played this poorly before?

Oh my god, I said at least twice "Did you even read the clue?"

3 minutes ago, Katy M said:

I got the entire catgories of 12 letter words, saints, 20th century reads, potent history right and the entire category o speaking wrong.  Oliver WEndell Holmes stuck in the back of my head and wouldn't come forth.

Okay, clearly I was not totally paying attention because I don't even remember there being a 12 letter words category...(off to the archive - I still got all but one of them right).

[Driad]

19 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

And I really want to know what kind of furniture a filibuster is.

Either (1) a chest that you can fill until it busts, or (2) a compactor to prevent or delay (1)?

[Prevailing Wind]

4 hours ago, Gimmick Genius said:

The movies are one reason I supposed no one guessed Bligh; they might have thought that story was fiction.

When I was a travel agent, back in 71, a woman came in carrying a scrapbook. She asked if we had any brochures or information on Pitcairn Island. She was close to obsessed with it and her scrapbook was full of Pitcairn stuff, including postage stamps. That incident pretty much burned Pitcairn Island in my mind.

I did really well in the first have of DJ, but ran out of steam. Then I said Liechtenstein for FJ. Feh.

A filibuster is a special insulated table for your 800° calzone.

[shapeshifter]

4 minutes ago, Prevailing Wind said:

A filibuster is a special insulated table for your 800° calzone.

🤣 
Does a filibuster table have a drawer for Double Stuf Oreos?
(NY Times crosswords)