Jeopardy! Season 37 (2020-2021)

[Trey]

13 hours ago, Grundoon59 said:

Joe was clearly a good sport who was having a grand time. But hokey smokes, I was ready to reach through the tv set to make him stand still.  I swear I was getting seasick. 

Hokey smokes indeed, Bullwinkle!  I don't notice a little bit of swaying but he was pretty bad.

Only one ts for me: ELO.

I did get Everest after considering Taj Mahal and Black Hole of Calcutta.   I had no idea who Everest was named after but couldn't think of  any other landmarks in India which apparently Everest isn't even in - just looked at the clue again and it doesn't specifically say Everest is in India.

[ams1001]

3 minutes ago, Trey said:

Only one ts for me: ELO.

I got that one but I don't know how... "I dunno, ELO?.....really?! 😄"

[Mindthinkr]

I missed a lot of the game last night because somebody dared to call me. It was my daughter, so I did answer the call. Usually I’ll ignore any calls until the game is over. So I didn’t get any TSs and said the Taj Mahal for FJ even though I knew it was wrong. 

[DrSpaceman73]

So glad he did not win.  I could not watch him again.  Stand still!!!!

I first thought Taj Mahal but then went with Everest.  I assumed they were going for natural and not man made geographic places. 

It seems Ken Jennings guest hosting is about over, end of this week or next.  He has done pretty well, better than I expected.  Wouldn't mind if he was the permanent choice. 

I got the Jimmy Butler TS.  You have to know Jimmy.  Jimmy doesn't like going unrecognized!  Jimmy is getting upset!

[MoreCoffeePlease]

Cake category was relatively easy. What are they going to do next? Pies? Here is a picture of a cherry pie, here is a peach pie, ooh ... here is rhubarb!

Yay Phil!

[shapeshifter]

5 minutes ago, MoreCoffeePlease said:

Cake category was relatively easy.

I kept waiting for tiramisu, but Wikipedia calls it a "dessert" rather than cake.

 

1 hour ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

It seems Ken Jennings guest hosting is about over, end of this week or next.  He has done pretty well, better than I expected.  Wouldn't mind if he was the permanent choice. 

Agreed. I imagine Alex would be happy about how Ken was handling the show. 

[bad things are bad]

Damn you all. Now I really want cake 🙂

I agree that Ken is doing a fine job, starting to develop his own style. I guess we'll have to see if anyone else is in the running 

[shapeshifter]

30 minutes ago, bad things are bad said:

Damn you all. Now I really want cake 🙂

I agree that Ken is doing a fine job, starting to develop his own style. I guess we'll have to see if anyone else is in the running 

Ten years in the future Jeopardy answer for category JEOPARDY FANDOM --perhaps hosted by Ken Jennings:

Answer: In this year the dessert tiramisu was entirely bought out in some locales by fan-hosted Zoom dessert luncheons during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Question [Contestant A]: What is 2019?
[KJ]: No. Anyone else?
[Contestant B]: What is 2020?
[KJ]: No, Contestant C, would you like to try?
[Contestant C buzzes in]: What is 2021?
[KJ]: That's right, for $2,000!

 

Edited February 17, 2021 by shapeshifter

[illdoc]

Question: Did ELO really belong in the Alphabet Rockers category? ZZ Top is just ZZ Top, Run DMC is just Run DMC, etc. But ELO is actually just an abbreviation for Electric Light Orchestra. Granted, it's almost always referred to as ELO, but that's not really its name. Would CCR (Creedence Clearwater Revival) fit the category? Would you get away with "The Stones" instead of "The Rolling Stones"? 

[853fisher]

49 minutes ago, illdoc said:

Question: Did ELO really belong in the Alphabet Rockers category? ZZ Top is just ZZ Top, Run DMC is just Run DMC, etc. But ELO is actually just an abbreviation for Electric Light Orchestra. Granted, it's almost always referred to as ELO, but that's not really its name. Would CCR (Creedence Clearwater Revival) fit the category? Would you get away with "The Stones" instead of "The Rolling Stones"? 

Generally speaking, I thought it belonged in the category.  I don't know much about the band, other than that I like "Livin' Thing," but I thought their billing and perhaps occasionally self-description eventually became ELO.  At any rate, given the very broad colloquial usage, I think I would be fine accepting ELO or Electric Light Orchestra interchangeably in response to any clue.  Especially in the alphabet category when the clue asked for "this 3-letter band," no problem.  But beyond that, to name another, I would expect TWA to be accepted for Trans World Airlines, as the company and its customers used both names at different times.  I bet the materials furnished to contestants have a more succinct explanation about this, whatever their rule is exactly: this is just my opinion.

[DrSpaceman73]

I think ccr would have been acceptable as well in that particular category if they had a clue about that band.  They leave the category broad enough for inclusion.  

[Scott]

28 minutes ago, 853fisher said:

Especially in the alphabet category when the clue asked for "this 3-letter band," no problem.

If I were the clue writer, I probably would have steered it toward "the band known by this three-letter acronym" just to try to be clearer.  As it was written, though, I think they certainly covered themselves well enough that a) it fit the category, b) "ELO" was the intended answer, and c) "Electric Light Orchestra" would not be accepted.

[Bastet]

1 minute ago, icemiser69 said:

I had this episode on in background, I wasn't paying much attention to it, but was that the name of the category?  Was Run DMC one of the answers?   If they were, I don't consider hip hop the same as rock.   I wouldn't have put Run DMC in that category at all.

The category was Alphabet Rockers & Rappers.  Run-DMC was one of the answers, along with AC/DC, ELO, LL Cool J, and ZZ Top.

[ams1001]

2 minutes ago, icemiser69 said:

I had this episode on in background, I wasn't paying much attention to it, but was that the name of the category?  Was Run DMC one of the answers?   If they were, I don't consider hip hop the same as rock.   I wouldn't have put Run DMC in that category at all.

It was ALPHABET ROCKERS & RAPPERS and yes, Run-DMC was the $1600 clue (and Ken had to read the chorus to "It's Tricky"; he joked about his "amazing reading" of it 😄).

[shapeshifter]

I didn't do well with the Alphabet Rockers & Rappers except: Did anyone Not recognize LL Cool J? 

Edited February 17, 2021 by shapeshifter
Typo

[Trey]

53 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

I didn't do well with the Alphabet Rockers & Rappers except: Did anyone Not recognize LL Cool J? 

I only recognized him because I used to watch NCIS: LA, not from his music career.

I was very surprised that I got three in that category; instead of ZZ Top I was trying to reduce Buckwheat Zydeco to just a few letters.

[dcalley]

The LL and J in LL Cool J are short for something, too: Ladies Love Cool James!

[Bastet]

I'm glad the LL Cool J clue included a photo, because I wouldn't have known it based on the text.

[ams1001]

11 minutes ago, dcalley said:

The LL and J in LL Cool J are short for something, too: Ladies Love Cool James!

I knew that, but I never knew what his real name was until I looked it up just now. Somehow I didn't expect him to have such a generic-sounding name as James Smith...

(Full name James Todd Smith)

[Browncoat]

I finally got to watch last night's game.  I got FJ, but I really wasn't sure.  It was the only landmark I could think of in that part of the world that a surveyor might have had something to do with.  I was sure I was wrong, in fact, and pleasantly surprised.

The only TS I got, though, were "Do not go gentle into that good night" and ELO.  

[shapeshifter]

35 minutes ago, Bastet said:

I'm glad the LL Cool J clue included a photo, because I wouldn't have known it based on the text.

Yes. Exactly. I should have specified: Does anyone Not know LL Cool J’s face?

[853fisher]

I was relieved to run the Catholicism category.  Otherwise, I would've had to apologize to the Sisters of Mercy, the Benedictines, and the De La Salle Christian brothers.  As it stands, they must have managed to teach me something.

I would have liked Phil to pull it out at the end again.  He was building a nifty little narrative for his time on the show, but alas.  It was cute to see Andy get excited the two or three times he didn't think he really had the answer. 

Just now, shapeshifter said:

I didn't do well with the Alphabet Rockers & Rappers except: Does did anyone Not recognize LL Cool J? 

I have heard of him and know he is a musician but couldn't tell you what he looks like even now that I've seen him.  As far as the meaning behind his name, which I learned on MADtv years ago, I say: show, don't tell.

35 minutes ago, icemiser69 said:

ETA:  Posting is getting a little wonky for some reason, I am not sure what is going on.

I can see your posts OK!  No duplicates etc.  Hopefully whatever it was worked itself out.

[ams1001]

Man, I was hoping the middle guy would be left with $6 just so they'd end at 5-6-7. Just for my own amusment.

No FJ, here. Only category I ran was Novel's Narrator. But I got 4/5 in six other categories. Not too bad.

[illdoc]

If she had just "sat it out" (i.e. bet $0), she would have won! Given how close the two men's scores were, it would have been the smart move (figuring they both would have bet big---if either gets FJ right, she had no shot of winning, even betting it all, but if neither does, she'll win with what she has).

[opus]

Hate missing FJ categories I should get 🤬

[Katy M]

I got FJ.

I got the missed DD of harp.

And I got the entire category of crackle right.

I think it would have been cool if she'd won with $7.

[Driad]

Ken, you're a parent so you should know: If you don't want to hear the answer, don't ask the question. (Re aftereffects of spicy food.)

[Browncoat]

Yet another game where the contestant in third place going into FJ should have bet zero!  And even though I knew skaters don't have to trace the figures any more, I never in a million years would have been able to come up with that for FJ.  

But I did get LaCrosse, Room, and harp.  And I laughed at the clue that mentioned Kit Carson Jr.

[ABay]

Did anyone else have really bad reception during tonight's game? There's no storm in the northeast so I don't know what was going on but I got sputtering, freezing, pixelation, and just generally crappy reception.

[chessiegal]

So the new champ has $1 less than second place. Yeah, she should have bet zero.

[Prevailing Wind]

I yelled out "Mumblety Peg" instead of La Crosse.  I, too, knew the skaters don't have to do those compulsory exercises anymore, but sat here dumbfounded at FJ.

[M. Darcy]

I got FJ!  But I remember figure skating coverage mentioning that they don’t do the figures anymore. 

[Miss Anne Thrope]

40 minutes ago, ABay said:

Did anyone else have really bad reception during tonight's game? There's no storm in the northeast so I don't know what was going on but I got sputtering, freezing, pixelation, and just generally crappy reception.

I did, but I think we watch it on the same station, so it may have been specific to their feed.  It reminded me of rain fade from cable days, but we stream.

[GreekGeek]

2 hours ago, Browncoat said:

Yet another game where the contestant in third place going into FJ should have bet zero!  And even though I knew skaters don't have to trace the figures any more, I never in a million years would have been able to come up with that for FJ.  

But I did get LaCrosse, Room, and harp.  And I laughed at the clue that mentioned Kit Carson Jr.

Figure skating was the first thing I thought of and then started second guessing myself because of the wording of the clue. I knew figure skating was still an event, so I was trying to think of one of those old timey sports that aren’t part of the Olympics anymore. I did know Veronica, Room, and harp. And of course I thought of these boards at the Kit Carson (Jr.) mention.

[Bastet]

Wow, those final scores were unusual.  I wish Natalie had bet zero.  The new champ Andy reminds me of someone, but I can't figure out who - oh well, I have at least one more night to see if it comes to me.

I actually knew one and correctly guessed another in the Catholics category, so I was off to a good start despite my groaning aloud when that was the first category chosen.  I missed one each in mammals and cities, but got the rest in the first round (thank goodness the Weeknd performed the Super Bowl halftime show, or I wouldn't have recognized him).

I only knew one narrator (1.5 if there was partial credit for "Kat-something").  I also missed one each in flags and European history, but got everything else.

I didn't get FJ, though, and did a V-8 head smack when it was revealed -- that makes so much sense, but I didn't even think of it.

[mertensia]

As a Wisconsin native who spent my freshman year of college there, LaCrosse was an instaget.  I got Final Jeopardy because I remembered some Olympic commentators talking about it.

Edited February 18, 2021 by mertensia

[Mindthinkr]

Hooray for the Kit Carson mention. I came up with LaCrosse, Room, and Harp. I watch Figure Skating, but the clue threw me off and I didn’t use it as an answer for FJ. As soon as I saw their final scores I thought that Natalie should have bet 0 because I knew the men would be vying with their wagers to win. It was a shame she didn’t. 

[PaulaO]

I ran the Catholicism category despite being Protestant.    One of my bizarre fascinations is pre Vatican II nuns....  No clue as to figure skating for FJ!  

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, Mindthinkr said:

I watch Figure Skating, but the clue threw me off and I didn’t use it as an answer for FJ

So you weren’t intimidated by the category of “Winter Sports”?  
I consider myself to be sports-ignorant (also opera- and a few more topics ignorant and weak in many areas). 
I wonder if all of the 3 contestants were weak on sports knowledge and if KJ remarking when the category was revealed:   
“Winter Sports. I don’t know anything about that.  Make your wagers”   
caused them to not focus on the question’s answer as carefully as they ought to have? 
The answer is tricky if you don’t read it carefully, but no more so than many Jeopardy answers:

• The specific skill that gave this sport its name was eliminated from international competition after the 1990 World Championships

I do not mean to blame Ken. If anything, he was cautioning them on their wagers. 
Did Alex sometimes make similar remarks about categories in which he had limited knowledge?

I’m probably reading too much into the topic. 
I also thought that when they all went into the red over the “Catholicism” category they must have had “Catholic guilt” in their backgrounds, heh.

Edited February 18, 2021 by shapeshifter

[Mindthinkr]

17 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

So you weren’t intimidated by the category of “Winter Sports”?  

No, I love watching the Winter Olympics. One of my neighbors (Scotty Allen) competed in Figure Skating at the Grenoble Olympics and it was neat to watch someone compete that you knew. I also schooled his horse for him during his frequent trips to compete when his mother Sonja was unable to get to the barn. 
I also enjoy Opera and have seen 16 of them. Our local University did simulcasts of them from the Met on Saturday afternoons and we were welcome to bring a picnic lunch during intermission. So many of us Seniors brought greats meals (sometimes with wine) and it was fun to see how inventive their meals were. Lots of us bonded over food, drink and music. I’m saddened that this is no longer a matinee option during these Covid times. 

[ABay]

With Kit Carson coming up last night and that damned ship last week, I've been trying to think of the ultimate Jeopardy! coat of arms. So far I have Kit reading Lord of the Flies with a stack of Proust and Camus books to the side while sitting in a deck chair on the Edmund Fitzgerald. Somewhere nearby floats the word genre.

ETA: the boat should be going over Niagara Falls during the War of 1812.

Edited February 18, 2021 by ABay

[Trey]

My only ts was lacrosse and I got the missed DD of harp.

I thought the wording of FJ was a little clunky but I did get it.  At one time I was big into watching figure skating but the constant judging drama drove me away.

I do wish Natalie had bet nothing and won the game. 

[3 is enough]

I got La Crosse, Veronica, harp, and holy days of obligation.

I also got FJ.  I remember when they eliminated the compulsory figures.  For years the winners were often skaters who did not dazzle in the free skate, but had a practically insurmountable lead following the compulsory round. Definitely a change for the better.

 I will miss Ken next week.  I think he has done a very good job and it was nice to see a familiar face on the job.  

Edited February 18, 2021 by 3 is enough

[MrAtoz]

I got Final Jeopardy after just a bit of thought.  I don't know that much about figure skating in general, apart from when the Olympics are on, but I do kind of miss the figures.  It was the only part where the scoring seemed more or less objective.

I knew "harp" as a symbol of Ireland thanks to drinking my share of Guinness! 😀

[Prevailing Wind]

28 minutes ago, MrAtoz said:

I do kind of miss the figures.  It was the only part where the scoring seemed more or less objective.

I would be a lousy judge of either figure skating or ice dancing. I am too influenced by the music. And the music and Torvill/Dean are why I stopped watching ice dancing. The rules say the music has to change tempo. Torvill and Dean performed to Ravel's Bolero, which has a constant tempo throughout. (just ask the guy on the snare drum). Sure, it gets LOUDER as it goes on, but it's the same damn tempo. Yet they won the gold...for flouting the rules. Feh.

I am very surprised how much I am enjoying KJ as the acting host. If he wants the job and they want to give it to him, I'm OK with it. I wish they'd never started with the stunt hosts.

[SoMuchTV]

1 hour ago, ABay said:

With Kit Carson coming up last night and that damned ship last week, I've been trying to think of the ultimate Jeopardy! coat of arms. So far I have Kit reading Lord of the Flies with a stack of Proust and Camus books to the side while sitting in a deck chair on the Edmund Fitzgerald. Somewhere nearby floats the word genre.

Would the motto "Good for you" be emblazoned across the bottom?

[shapeshifter]

23 minutes ago, Prevailing Wind said:

I am very surprised how much I am enjoying KJ as the acting host. If he wants the job and they want to give it to him, I'm OK with it. I wish they'd never started with the stunt hosts

Ditto.
I wonder if TPTB are thinking the same.  
OTOH, it probably helped a lot of loyal Jeopardy watchers to accept KJ at all because they weren’t being asked to accept him as a permanent replacement
—which TPTB likely considered. 

[Mindthinkr]

36 minutes ago, Prevailing Wind said:

I wish they'd never started with the stunt hosts.

LMAO at stunt hosts. 

[Trey]

2 hours ago, 3 is enough said:

I will miss Ken next week.  I think he has done a very good job and it was nice to see a familiar face in the job.

His six weeks went by so fast.  I thought he did a very good job.

[853fisher]

When those very low scores started coming up in FJ, I almost hoped one of them might win.  I'm sure it's happened before, but I can't recall a winner with a score in the single digits.  It would have been something else to hear Johnny Gilbert: "...whose one-day cash winnings total SEVEN DOLLARS."  Maybe some other time.