Jeopardy! Season 37 (2020-2021)

[saber5055]

Interesting discussion on Shelly's Juan vs. every Spanish-speaking person's Juan. I guess the Jew-ann pronunciation is because of Shelly's forced rhyming (Thanks fisher) since I'm not aware of recordings from Shelly's time. But then, there are a lot of things I'm not aware of, as most of you know.

[MrAtoz]

19 hours ago, saber5055 said:

I question the player getting an okay for his answer of Democratic Republic of THE Congo for DRC. Especially since he put the "the" in the middle of all the words.

So far as I know, "the" is part of the country's official name.  Wikipedia seems to confirm this.

I think Alex was mistaken in saying "Grand Pooh-Bah."  The character in The Mikado is just called Pooh-Bah.

[saber5055]

2 minutes ago, MrAtoz said:

I think Alex was mistaken in saying "Grand Pooh-Bah."  The character in The Mikado is just called Pooh-Bah.

On TheJeopardyFan.com, the answer was given as (Grand) Poo-Bah. Maybe because Alex said it?

I wonder if a player wrote Poobah without the hyphen, it would have been incorrect. (Because that's what I wrote, having forgotten the hyphen part of the clue.)

[Browncoat]

29 minutes ago, saber5055 said:

Interesting discussion on Shelly's Juan vs. every Spanish-speaking person's Juan. I guess the Jew-ann pronunciation is because of Shelly's forced rhyming (Thanks fisher) since I'm not aware of recordings from Shelly's time. But then, there are a lot of things I'm not aware of, as most of you know.

Still not Shelley -- it was Byron.  🙂 

[saber5055]

42 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

Still not Shelley -- it was Byron.  🙂 

GAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I gotta quit copying off of other posters and actually read posts. I know, what a novel idea!

Edited December 29, 2020 by saber5055

[j5cochran]

1 hour ago, saber5055 said:

On TheJeopardyFan.com, the answer was given as (Grand) Poo-Bah. Maybe because Alex said it?

I wonder if a player wrote Poobah without the hyphen, it would have been incorrect. (Because that's what I wrote, having forgotten the hyphen part of the clue.)

I immediately thought Poohbah, too, without the hyphen, with Pooh because of the Milne part of the clue. But the clue also said something about two words, so I don't know if the missing hyphen makes a difference.

[Emma9]

Interesting, with Calypso and Oh God, two John Denver clues directly in a row.

[chessiegal]

After the game was over, I couldn't resist telling my husband, "By jove, he did it!"

[Prevailing Wind]

23 hours ago, saber5055 said:

It's probably just me (of course it is), but CURRENT BLACK PRESIDENTS as one of the color categories made me uncomfortable.

It WAS one of the SNL categories, so I'm OK with it - it was a parody of SNL's parody of J!.

[Driad]

9 minutes ago, Prevailing Wind said:

it was a parody of SNL's parody of J!.

Thank you.  I wondered if it originally aired on April 1, but it was November 2009.

[853fisher]

An awful lot of negs this episode, it seemed like, many to the returning champ's detriment.   I fell into the Palmer hole along with Sarah and was trying to remember what the other big cursive method is when Hancock was revealed.  I am not much for math, but I surprised myself by sweeping that category.  No luck on FJ, though.  It seems a bit YKIOYD: you know it or you don't.  I ruled out Jefferson on the basis that his well-known home was Monticello and arrived at Franklin on the basis that I couldn't name his home, so maybe it was Shadwell.  Too bad.

The Brooklyn Museum clue referred to the "Sensation" art show, which originated in London before making its way to New York via Berlin.  I remember reading about "The Holy Virgin Mary," a painting of her as a black woman with female genitals cut out from porn magazines standing in for the cherubim, featuring elephant dung as supports for the canvas and one bared breast.  Giuliani apparently described it to the press as a painting of the Virgin Mary at which the artist had thrown elephant dung, which wasn't nearly right.  It sold for $4.5M five years ago.  There were plenty of other stir-causing pieces too.  Nevertheless, one German newspaper's art critic reported that it was found all a bit underwhelming there.  Those Berliners don't shock easily, I guess. 

6 hours ago, ams1001 said:

I noticed... 😉  (I just chose not to correct it.)

50 quatloos to the one who took the setup and ran with it!

Edited December 30, 2020 by 853fisher

[ams1001]

I am so bad at Roman numerals.

[Browncoat]

I seem to recall FJ from before, and I seem to recall saying I'd have to move out of Virginia if I'd missed it.  It was an instaget (again?) for me.

I also got Republicans, Calypso, Rodney Dangerfield, and cormorant.  Sadly, when I visited Galapagos, we did not go to the island where the cormorants live, so I didn't get to see them.  However, I totally blame Alex and Jeopardy for my never-ending love affair with Lindblad and Nat Geo trips.  

[saber5055]

Well I got some TSs. Republican, bronze, Calypso and St. Joseph. I've been to St. Joe many times so that one was easy for me. As was the Missouri category as I sold my nine-acre "estate" there last year. However, I'm not surprised no one got AT's "nyet nyet nyet" for Moe/MO since Curly was the Stooge who said that. Yes, big Stooge fan here!

I also got Frank Gehry as the Bilbao museum architect since I absolutely HATE every building that man has designed. If I think it's ugly, it's Gehry's.

I had no idea there is a Flightless Cormorant. So while I am familiar with the regular old cormorant, that was a stumper for me, too. Friends went to the Galapagos a few years ago and said it was the best trip they had ever been on. It would be a dream trip for me.

FJ was Ben Franklin for me based on all-the-books thing. Didn't know Thomas had a bigger library than Ben.

[zoey1996]

I lived in St. Joe in 1970-71, so that plus MO was easy-peasy.  I did not know some  cormorants were flightless. And I’m not good with Roman numerals either.

Shadwell was Jefferson’s birthplace. One of Jefferson’s famous quotes is “I cannot live without books.” He sold books to raise money, and then turned right around and bought more books.

 

Edited December 30, 2020 by zoey1996

[shapeshifter]

I said “Jefferson” aloud, but then second-guessed myself and considered Franklin. Had I been there, I might have missed it. 

[Mindthinkr]

   I thought the Animal Song category was fun and ran it, as well as the funny man category. My TSs were: Republicans, Silver, I would have gotten Guggenheim correct since AT said it was an acceptable answer besides FG. I also got Rodney Dangerfield and the FJ of Thomas Jefferson.  
   I turned on the Today Show this morning to listen to see if there’s any important news while I was making my morning cuppa. It was a montage of the people we have lost in 2020 and of course I was still in the room to see their tribute 30 seconds to Alex. It made that first sip of tea hard to swallow. 

[shapeshifter]

13 minutes ago, Mindthinkr said:

I turned on the Today Show this morning to listen to see if there’s any important news while I was making my morning cuppa. It was a montage of the people we have lost in 2020 and of course I was still in the room to see their tribute 30 seconds to Alex. It made that first sip of tea hard to swallow. 

I replied in the Remembering Alex Trebek thread here:  https://forums.primetimer.com/topic/112739-remembering-alex-trebek/?do=findComment&comment=6523749

 

[ams1001]

11 hours ago, saber5055 said:

I had no idea there is a Flightless Cormorant. So while I am familiar with the regular old cormorant, that was a stumper for me, too. Friends went to the Galapagos a few years ago and said it was the best trip they had ever been on. It would be a dream trip for me.

I didn't get cormorant; I just said, "I dunno but he's adorable!"

10 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I said “Jefferson” aloud, but then second-guessed myself and considered Franklin. Had I been there, I might have missed it. 

I said Franklin first but then changed to Jefferson in time.

11 hours ago, zoey1996 said:

And I’m not good with Roman numerals either.

My real problem with the Roman numeral category was converting it, doing the math, then converting it back, all in under ten seconds.

[Clanstarling]

14 hours ago, Emma9 said:

Interesting, with Calypso and Oh God, two John Denver clues directly in a row.

I was never that fond of the Calypso song - but started singing it immediately. I think I've revised my opinion.

 

12 hours ago, saber5055 said:

FJ was Ben Franklin for me based on all-the-books thing. Didn't know Thomas had a bigger library than Ben.

As a former library student, I knew Jefferson's books were the foundation of the Library of Congress v.2 (after the Brits had burned the original down in the war of 1812). He sold his books and came up with the cataloging system that was the bane of my library school days. Dewey Decimal is FAR more logical, imo.

That being said, Shadwell threw me for a bit, and then I said screw it, and went with the connection I knew the best - just in time.

[MoreCoffeePlease]

Quote

My real problem with the Roman numeral category was converting it, doing the math, then converting it back, all in under ten seconds.

After the 1st one, I didn't even try. Jove, in the middle, was pretty darn good at this.

I liked how the returning champion did a "true daily double" in the alphabetical homophones category. If you understood the theme of the category, it was a good assumption that you would be able to figure out the clue.

[853fisher]

I forgot to mention that I feel about “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” the way many of us feel about Elmo. A-wimo-no way. Yuck.

[Clanstarling]

1 hour ago, MoreCoffeePlease said:

After the 1st one, I didn't even try. Jove, in the middle, was pretty darn good at this.

Yeah, when I heard what was expected, I decided I'd sit that category out. I mean, even working out what anything higher than 20 means takes me longer than it would to answer the questions - doing math with them? No way.

[saber5055]

2 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

Yeah, when I heard what was expected, I decided I'd sit that category out. I mean, even working out what anything higher than 20 means takes me longer than it would to answer the questions - doing math with them? No way.

I actually got a couple, which amazed me to no end.

[PaulaO]

Justin aka Terry the Toad, is a Thursday contestant.  He and Charles Martin Smith had to have been separated at birth.  The resemblance is scary.

[secnarf]

6 hours ago, 853fisher said:

I forgot to mention that I feel about “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” the way many of us feel about Elmo. A-wimo-no way. Yuck.

One of my earliest memories is of walking down the street with my dad and singing that song, so it always makes me smile, and last night was no exception.

[ams1001]

So, yeah, I know nothing of Bond movies...

Got all the proverbs, though, and Red White or Blue. And all but one of Before, During and After. 🙂

The doctor/Army reservist looks like he's 14. This was nine years ago; I wonder what he looks like now. (Googled him and found him on his hospital's website; he doesn't look much different.)

Love Alex in all the costumes; he looked like he was having a blast.

 

[Browncoat]

Well,  I remembered this game, but I did not remember FJ.  I'm pretty sure I said Joan of Arc the last time -- I said it again this time.  Boo hiss.

I am thrilled that we got a special Alex "Camus"!

[saber5055]

40 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

I am thrilled that we got a special Alex "Camus"!

Yes! Although I believe you mean "Cam-mooo."

I'm familiar with the painting of a dead Marat in his tub, but never gave a thought to who he was or who might have murdered him, much less that it was a woman I've never heard of.

1 hour ago, ams1001 said:

Love Alex in all the costumes; he looked like he was having a blast.

I was wondering at the value of those costumes, especially Caruso's robe from 1902. I guess AT was given special privileges to put them on for the show? AT always said how much he loved opera so this was a very special episode and category for him.

Edited December 31, 2020 by saber5055

[853fisher]

I could picture Marat in the tub, courtesy of the painter David, and knew was killed by a woman, courtesy of my high school art history teacher.  But her name I did not have.  I don't suppose "who is the woman who killed Marat" would have flown.  I also forget every few years, and get to rediscover, that Paderewski was a political leader.  I need to read one of his biographies.

The Olsen twins are almost 35!  Who would've thunk it.  Tom might've had an easier time remembering the second Bush twin's names now that Jenna Bush Hager is a Today Show host.  If "the Olsens" was accepted for the $200 clue, I'm not sure why not "the Bushes" for that one.  Perhaps he should at least have tried?  I knew "cervus" in a roundabout way from an episode of Rick & Morty, which can be a little crude for my tastes but is often very funny.

It was very nice seeing Alex have the time of his life at the opera.  I would've liked a longer look at Caruso's cape!

Edited December 31, 2020 by 853fisher
' wrong

[ams1001]

23 minutes ago, 853fisher said:

If "the Olsens" was accepted for the $200 clue, I'm not sure why not "the Bushes" for that one.  Perhaps he should at least have tried?

That's what I was thinking. The clue didn't specify first names (only the Chang and Eng one did, I think). I knew Barbara and I thought Jennifer but I knew it wasn't quite right. At least I was closer.

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, ams1001 said:

1 hour ago, 853fisher said:

If "the Olsens" was accepted for the $200 clue, I'm not sure why not "the Bushes" for that one.  Perhaps he should at least have tried?

That's what I was thinking.

I guess we will never know? 
I kept yelling Bushes! Bushes! Bushes! until it was obvious he felt their names were required. 
Looking here: http://www.j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=3755
I see:
A: These twins, actresses & entrepreneurs, were born June 13, 1986 in Sherman Oaks, California
Q: The Olsens

and:
A: These twins & recent First Daughters were named for their grandmothers
Q: (Tom: Who are Barbara and...)
     (Alex: You are half way there.)
     (Tom: I am half way there. Uh...)
     (Alex: But hurry!)
     Barabara & Jenna

If there is a notable difference why "Mary Kate & Ashley" were not required for The Olsens, I can't see it.
Maybe it is like on The Match Game when a variation is accepted if the celebrity makes a convincing case?

Edited December 31, 2020 by shapeshifter

[Cotypubby]

The way I read the clue was also that it wanted their first names because of the “named for their Grandmothers” bit, but he may have been able to get away with just “the Bush twins.” We’ll never know! He did win anyway so it didn’t end up mattering. 

What I also noticed was that Tom did the “All in” push gesture for that DD so he did it first, not James! 

[Bastet]

2 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

If there is a notable difference why "Mary Kate & Ashley" were not required for The Olsens, I can't see it.

(I didn't re-watch this episode, and don't remember it with any detail, so I'm just going on what's recounted here):

It sounds like it's not about why the first names weren't required for the Olsen twins (since first names usually aren't - although when they are is not clear cut; there are obvious rules, and then there are head-scratchers), but about why they (maybe) were for the Bush twins -- because that clue revolved around the origin of their first names.  By his answer, the contestant seemed to sense that, thus trying to rattle off the two names that came from the grandmothers, without trying "Who are the Bushes?" as an answer that may have worked or, as I suspect, resulted in a BMS prompt.

Edited December 31, 2020 by Bastet

[Mindthinkr]

8 hours ago, Cotypubby said:

What I also noticed was that Tom did the “All in” push gesture for that DD so he did it first, not James! 

I noticed that too!
I got all the DDs (inc Barbara and Jenna Bush). I also loved the Opera category and seeing Alex in those costumes. What a privilege.  I wonder if someday the costumes will go into a museum so that everyone can enjoy a look at them. I’d go to have a look.
On FJ I was stuck on Joan of Arc so boo on me.

I’m glad that they chose to do these two weeks of him traveling and delivering the clues on location. He always looked so happy to be seeing these things. This is how I want to remember him. 

[shapeshifter]

4 minutes ago, Mindthinkr said:

I’m glad that they chose to do these two weeks of him traveling and delivering the clues on location. He always looked so happy to be seeing these things. This is how I want to remember him. 

Yes.
When watching old game shows on BUZZR TV (including Alex on Classic Concentration) all those clunky cars and appliances seem so worthless, but the vacations with their memories are forever. 
And when Alex went to the Galapagos or anywhere else, I am sure he left a uniquely positive impression of America (albeit as a Canadian American). Perhaps our best ambassador of American culture. 
So, yes, this selection of episodes now seems like the best—which was not obvious to me at first. 

[zoey1996]

I was so happy they started with the Operatic Costumes category, and finished it before moving on.  It would have been a shame not to have gotten through the category.

I knew very few answers in the DJ round.  And certainly didn't know FJ.

[shapeshifter]

4 minutes ago, zoey1996 said:

I was so happy they started with the Operatic Costumes category, and finished it before moving on.  It would have been a shame not to have gotten through the category.

I keep worrying about the same thing!
To those of you who have watched as devotedly over the years as did my now-both-departed parents: Did this ever happen? Did a category of videos of Alex ever not get completed?

[Trey]

I vaguely remembered Tom Nissley, not him so much as his name.  Can't say I remembered this particular game. But I did notice his "all in" gesture🙂

I knew who they wanted for FJ but her name wouldn't come to me - just knew it started with a C.  They probably would have wanted more.

[Clanstarling]

14 hours ago, ams1001 said:

So, yeah, I know nothing of Bond movies...

Me neither. But I was amused that the most famous/infamous female character, and the only one whose name I knew, wasn't used (P***y Galore).

13 hours ago, saber5055 said:

I'm familiar with the painting of a dead Marat in his tub, but never gave a thought to who he was or who might have murdered him, much less that it was a woman I've never heard of.

Me too - though the name did ring a very distant bell.

12 hours ago, 853fisher said:

If "the Olsens" was accepted for the $200 clue, I'm not sure why not "the Bushes" for that one.  Perhaps he should at least have tried? 

Here's my guess about the Olsens. They were known as the "Olson Twins" for so many years that, like Oprah, no other information is needed. <shrugs>

12 hours ago, ams1001 said:

That's what I was thinking. The clue didn't specify first names (only the Chang and Eng one did, I think). I knew Barbara and I thought Jennifer but I knew it wasn't quite right. At least I was closer.

I said Jennifer too. I was pleased that it was close. I only got Barbara because of their grandmother - I don't even remember her at all. But Jenna/Jennifer I sort of do.

11 hours ago, Cotypubby said:

What I also noticed was that Tom did the “All in” push gesture for that DD so he did it first, not James! 

Guess he's a gambler too.

53 minutes ago, zoey1996 said:

I was so happy they started with the Operatic Costumes category, and finished it before moving on.  It would have been a shame not to have gotten through the category.

I remember that category well - except, of course, for all the answers.

Edited December 31, 2020 by Clanstarling

[saber5055]

1 hour ago, Clanstarling said:

I was amused that the most famous/infamous female character, and the only one whose name I knew, wasn't used (P***y Galore).

I've seen all the Bond movies, and Ms. Galore was the name waiting in my brain for the clue that never arrived.

Maybe the Bush twins answer got ruined by the player naming Barbara. Then he had to finish with a second name. There could be no pack pedaling to "Bush Twins" once he did that. He probably relives that moment whenever he tunes in the Today Show.

Yeah, about the "all in" move: Everyone ranks on James for that and players who do it now are said to be copying him. Even AT brings it up. And all those who did it before are lost for eternity. I figure there are dozens of former players who watched James and everyone making a big deal out of his all-in push — they all are yelling "I did it first" at their teevees.

[ams1001]

1 hour ago, Clanstarling said:

Here's my guess about the Olsens. They were known as the "Olson Twins" for so many years that, like Oprah, no other information is needed. <shrugs>

 

I've heard Barbara and Jenna referred to as the "Bush Twins." I wonder if it was just that they would have accepted that but the contestant was trying to come up with both first names and Alex couldn't say "hey, we only need the last name."

 

[Trey]

1 hour ago, saber5055 said:

Maybe the Bush twins answer got ruined by the player naming Barbara.

Got ruined even more by Alex saying "You're half way there."

Edited December 31, 2020 by Trey

[853fisher]

RE Bond names, perhaps given that all ages watch J!, the writers imagined parents would prefer to explain "Tiffany Case" rather than "Pussy Galore" or "Holly Goodhead" and so on.  Tortured as they were by my propensity for questions, I'm sure "Honey Ryder" alone might have been enough for my parents to break out the Holy Water.

[PaulaO]

I got half of Wednesday’s FJ!  I knew Charlotte but blanked on her last name.  Today’s game features Roger Craig, who creeps me out.  I think of Uriah Heep when I hear his voice.

[SoMuchTV]

I know it didn’t make any difference to the outcome, and I’m sure I can look it up somewhere, but how did he mispronounce onomatopoeia in a way that made it an incorrect response?

[Browncoat]

Oooops, missed FJ again tonight!  Oh well.  I blame the ads for next week's Jeopardy that my station has started running.  They seem to think we need reminding that next week's shows are Alex's last ones.  😞 

The only TS I got were silk and growlers.  

 

[ams1001]

45 minutes ago, SoMuchTV said:

I know it didn’t make any difference to the outcome, and I’m sure I can look it up somewhere, but how did he mispronounce onomatopoeia in a way that made it an incorrect response?

I didn't catch it, but J!Archive lists his response as "onomanopoeia [initially ruled correct; reversed before Final Jeopardy."

[HissyFit]

You nink he had a code?

[saber5055]

I was intrigued by Tom Nissley wanting to become a full-time author with his Jeopardy! winnings. So I checked, and this is what Wikipedia says about him: "Tom Nissley is an eight-time champion on Jeopardy! and former Amazon books editor. He holds a PhD in English literature and has written for the Paris Review Daily, The Millions, and The Stranger. He lives in Seattle where he owns Phinney Books." He's published two book as author. I wonder if Ken Jennings frequents Phinney Books.

I really like Roger Craig, watching his hands was wonderfully peaceful. I keep thinking he's a football player though. (I know, that's the OTHER one.) I got a laugh that he held the highest daily winnings when AT was talking about maybe Roger could do that today. Too funny. I also remember him from the Battle of the Decades where his team finished third. His gutsy confidence in those DD bets today really earned him my highest admiration. Dude rocks.

The only TS I got was silk, and again, no FJ for me. Watching today made me feel like a drooling moron who should be living in a cardboard box under an overpass somewhere, not fit to exist among people who actually are smart.