Jeopardy! Season 32 (2015-2016)

[peeayebee]

I think you just had to ignore the schwa part of it and concentrate on the stuff about the word itself. That's why I thought this was a silly category.

[teebax]

I sensed that Fred was just really nervous in the first round. I was surprised when Alex said he was ahead because I don't pay much attention to the scores during the game. He had a better second round.

 

I got FJ but wasn't surprised Kyle missed it. I was rooting for her because I'm worried about this season's lack of TOC contenders. 

I hope Dr. Ben Carson finds his inner gas pedal tomorrow.  He didn't even seem to be able to describe his own work without dozing off between words.  He seems like a nice man, but . . .

That right there is funny.

[Scott]

I almost talked myself out of Thermopylae, because I somehow had it in my head that "wouldn't be something Jeopardy contestants would be expected to know". No idea why I thought that, and I was glad to be proven wrong, since I wasn't giving people enough credit.

I chuckled at seeing the Archer and Danger Zone categories together, even though I knew neither would be about Archer the TV show.

[operalover]

Jen Arnold is very accomplished. She does a wonderful job running the simulations at the hospital. On Little Couple they showed her directing a few simulations, one specifically for separating co-joined twins. It's a practice run with dummies and doctors and nurses all simulating how it is going to be. She is quite accomplished as well as a NICU doctor. She brings a stool around with her. 

 

As for Schwa, I didn't know what is was but my 22 year old son did. They never taught me that in school, I never heard of it. This is why I watch, to learn new things. 

 

Emily Dickinson is always the answer I notice when there is a poem.

[The Wild Sow]

 

I never watched The Little Couple either, so I had no idea who she was. I thought watching her tonight, "Is she a little person?" Good to know she's a cool lady.

Very little!  Jen & Bill at their wedding (with average-height people for comparison)

 

I know it's terrible, but at first glance when Alex introduced the Children's Hospital doctor, I thought "The DOCTORS are children?", and then I realized.

Aw, she gets that a lot!   Including from me the first time I met her (when she got onto a parking garage elevator with my family.)   Then I just had to suppress the urge to follow her to her car to see how she could drive!  After she moved onto my block I got to know her a little better - again, very cool person & I'm happy to see her success.

 

I almost talked myself out of Thermopylae, because I somehow had it in my head that "wouldn't be something Jeopardy contestants would be expected to know". No idea why I thought that, and I was glad to be proven wrong, since I wasn't giving people enough credit.

They know it if they saw the movie 300.

 

William Tell and Lady Chatterly's Lover both seemed obvious to me.

I knew "Elmer Gantry" as well.

If you know that "Helvetica = Swiss" William Tell should be obvious.  If you only know it as a font, maybe not!

 

I knew Lady Chatterly's Lover  but sometimes wonder if people think it was written or set earlier than the 20's (Victorian porn, maybe?)  I know I thought that until I read it at around 20 years old.  But yes, Connie Chatterly's husband was paralyzed in WWI.  Hence her taking a lover.

 

I knew Elmer Gantry, but I'm always going to be one of those people who mix up Sinclair Lewis with Upton Sinclair.  I think the way to remember is Upton = JUngle = MUckraker....and Sinclair Lewis is the other one!  I also tend to get John UPdike in the mix, not just because of the "Up" because I conflate Sinclair Lewis's Babbit with Updike's Rabbit.  Who was a (wrong!) FJ answer last week!

[The Wild Sow]

OT but hilarious story about Sinclair Lewis:

 

A Canadian coworker had this to tell about Sinclair Lewis' stay in Toronto in the late 1920s.  Lewis was attending a dinner party  at the home of some of Toronto's "High Society" folks.  The hostess asked Lewis where he was staying, and he told her Jarvis Street (which was at the time a notorious red-light district!)

 

The society lady sniffed and said, "Why, Mr. Lewis....Jarvis Street is hardly a fashionable neighborhood!"

 

Without missing a beat, Lewis replied, "Madame....Toronto is hardly a fashionable neighborhood!"

[Trey]

I got all three DDs; I don't think any of the contestants got their own DD.  The only TS I wrote down was Paranoid in the Schwa category.  I don't think we were ever taught about schwas in school but it seemed pretty obvious what it was all about.

 

Fred seems like a very nice guy but I hope he can speed things up next game.

 

Re FJ, I knew what they were going for but couldn't remember the name of the battle, even though I did watch the movie, 300.

[rubaco]

Old person here (in my 50s), but Phonics was a grade-school class back in the day (I'm gathering not anymore!), which is where we all learned about the schwa. Back when I took a horse-and-buggy to the one-room schoolhouse (OK, just kiddin' about that). I was practically giddy when I saw it was a Jeopardy category!

[Trey]

Old person here (in my 50s), but Phonics was a grade-school class back in the day (I'm gathering not anymore!), which is where we all learned about the schwa. Back when I took a horse-and-buggy to the one-room schoolhouse (OK, just kiddin' about that). I was practically giddy when I saw it was a Jeopardy category!

 

I am older than you and loved Phonics but I still have no memory of learning about the schwa.  But that is probably due to my advanced age:)

[Jesse]

I think you just had to ignore the schwa part of it and concentrate on the stuff about the word itself. That's why I thought this was a silly category.

That's true so often! "Blah blah blah....female poet...blah blah blah blah" = Dickinson regardless of the category. 

 

I chuckled at seeing the Archer and Danger Zone categories together, even though I knew neither would be about Archer the TV show.

 Me too! I also kept singing it ala Sterling.

[Browncoat]

It makes me kind of sad that Fred won again.

 

It also makes me a little sad that he was the only one who knew FJ.

[Tunia]

Perhaps I have a narrow understanding of the meaning of the word "philanthropist", but I was surprised that the female contestant described herself in this manner...even more so when, during her interview, she explained that she worked for an organization that performs philanthropic work.  Does that automatically make the individual employee a philanthropist?  I've always associated the term with an individual who gives of their own assets, rather than someone who disburses an organization's funds.  Even after googling, my understanding is no clearer, but that may just be that I'm too committed to my original thinking on this.  Thoughts?

 

For FJ, I first thought of Hi and Lois as the anniversary couple, but remembered Blondie and Dagwood in what would have been sufficient time.

Edited January 26, 2016 by Tunia

[Trey]

 

Perhaps I have a narrow understanding of the meaning of the word "philanthropist", but I was surprised that the female contestant described herself in this manner...even more so when, during her interview, she explained that she worked for an organization that performs philanthropic work.  Does that automatically make the individual employee a philanthropist?  I've always associated the term with an individual who gives of their own assets, rather than someone who disperses an organization's funds.  Even after googling, my understanding is no clearer, but that may just be that I'm too committed to my original thinking on this.  Thoughts?

Totally agree with you.  If you are not giving away your own money, you are not a philanthropist.

 

I thought Fred was marginally faster today.  And he seems to have a pretty good knowledge base.

 

My TS gets were pneumonia, Styles and Versailles.

 

I pre-called Nick and Nora Charles for FJ but once the clue came up it was an instaget.

[GreekGeek]

I was kind of surprised FJ went with a comic strip couple. I briefly thought of Walt and Phyllis Wallet from Gasoline Alley, but that's been around even longer than Blondie. (1918--wow! And its main character is still alive, even though the characters are supposed to age in real time.)

[ottoDbusdriver]

Fred should not have been credit in the Treaties category for his answer of 'What is Antartica ?' -- he forgot to pronounce the first 'c' since it is spelled Antarctica.

 

Here we go again with that 'Women Authors' category.  Seriously clue writers, just make it 'Authors', and then just surprise us when all the clues turn out to be about women.

 

FJ was pretty easy.

[Prevailing Wind]

 

If you are not giving away your own money, you are not a philanthropist.

I was hoping she was a lottery winner.  I told a child of my friend that when people ask her what she wants to be when she grows up, she should say, "Philanthropist."  I think the optimism in that is splendidly funny.

[secnarf]

Fred should not have been credit in the Treaties category for his answer of 'What is Antartica ?' -- he forgot to pronounce the first 'c' since it is spelled Antarctica.

Many people pronounce it with the first 'c' as silent, and there is much debate/disagreement over what is actually the correct way to pronounce it. I don't think he should have been ruled incorrect for that. There are many many words in the English language that are not pronounced exactly as it would be if you sounded it out, and many more with debatable pronunciations.

[chessiegal]

Many people pronounce it with the first 'c' as silent, and there is much debate/disagreement over what is actually the correct way to pronounce it. I don't think he should have been ruled incorrect for that. There are many many words in the English language that are not pronounced exactly as it would be if you sounded it out, and many more with debatable pronunciations.

Dictionary.com shows it pronounced both ways.

[YoureSoUrban]

 

Totally agree with you.  If you are not giving away your own money, you are not a philanthropist.

I'm with you guys. I don't watch the interviews but during the intros I thought, What is she, an heiress? 

 

I was surprised The Sting was almost a TS when the hint had bee-related, confidence game, Redford, and the year.

 

FJ was an instaget for me too. I have vivid memories of reading Blondie and eating Froot Loops when visiting my grandparents (my parents didn't allow sugared cereal so it was a big deal to me). 

 

Fred ramped it up a little, like from snail to tortoise.

Edited January 26, 2016 by YoureSoUrban

[Bastet]

I was surprised The Sting was almost a TS when the hint had bee-related, confidence game, Redford, and the year.

 

Same here.

 

The FJ clue was one I answered correctly based on the good luck that my knowledge of the subject matter is limited but includes the right answer -- I was never much of a comics reader, so Blondie and Dagwood were the first couple I thought of when thinking about strips dating back that far ... and remained the only couple I thought of. 

[Pallida]

I find Fred's voice soothing. And since he doesn't name the whole category or add in words like "can I have" or "please" I think his speed is fine.

Adrien acknowledged the difference between a philanthropist and a program associate (her actual title) on Twitter. I'm optimistic that it was an oversimplification to help with the interview portion.

Edited January 26, 2016 by Pallida

[Tunia]

I'm with you guys. I don't watch the interviews but during the intros I thought, What is she, an heiress?

 

That was my thought too...until her interview.

 

Adrien acknowledged the difference between a philanthropist and a program associate (her actual title) on Twitter. I'm optimistic that it was an oversimplification to help with the interview portion.

 

Thanks for the update, Pallida.  Good to know.

[NorthstarATL]

I was hoping the lifeguard would know more than he did. FJ was easy for me. When my brother and I were kids my Dad got a job and moved us all from NYC to the farthest reaches of Minnesota (my parents often reminded me of the couple from Green Acres), and my Grandfather sent us weekly "care packages" of all the New York Sunday Comics! There were maybe three strips in our local paper, so Wednesdays were spent reading Sunday comics, including Blondie and Dagwood.

[teebax]

Fred is growing on me, which means he won't be around for long.

I got FJ, but my mom guessed Popeye and Olive Oyl, which made me wonder if they were ever married. Then I started wondering about the Archie and Veronica answer. Then I wondered if the couple had to be married to have an "anniversary." So I was really over-thinking this FJ!

Edited January 26, 2016 by teebax

[peeayebee]

My TS gets were pneumonia, Styles and Versailles.

I got pneumonia, too, and was surprised no one knew that. I guessed Versailles for the estate question (doh), and then it came up later!

 

What was 'Styles' in answer to?

 

I got Blondie and Dagwood pretty quickly. I didn't read that comic, but it seemed the obvious answer. Plus, I kind of remember their anniversary being noted.

 

I'm impressed by Fred's knowledge base. I just wish he would pick a leeeeetle bit quicker.

Edited January 26, 2016 by peeayebee

[Trey]

 

What was 'Styles' in answer to?

It was Agatha Christie's first book featuring Hercule Poirot, "The Mysterious Affair at _______".

[sugarbaker design]

I got pneumonia, too, and was surprised no one knew that.

 

 

It's possible they knew 'pneumonia' but just didn't want to take a chance on spelling it.

[peeayebee]

I guess I can see it. For some reason it doesn't seem like a tough word to spell. 

[Bastet]

For some reason it doesn't seem like a tough word to spell.

 

Neither is calendar, yet the writers opted to put that in a spelling category.  At least pneumonia might trip someone up, especially under game conditions, on whether the E or U comes first.  I'm not sure what's potentially difficult about calendar, even for a lowest-value clue.  (I can't remember the other words in that category.)

Edited January 26, 2016 by Bastet

[Mystery Author]

and my Grandfather sent us weekly "care packages" of all the New York Sunday Comics! There were maybe three strips in our local paper, so Wednesdays were spent reading Sunday comics, including Blondie and Dagwood.

 

Oh, that's a cool story, Northstar. When I was a kid, at a rather rustic Girl Scout camp in Bear Mt., NY, mail call was a big deal and my best friend would send me a week's worth of Peanuts ... the comic strip, not real peanuts, although real peanuts would have been great too, especially if they came in chocolate bars, but I digress. Re FJ, Mr. Mystery Author and I shouted "Blondie and Dagwood" at the same time. Then he changed it to Archie & Veronica, heh-heh.

[Gimmick Genius]

In the spelling category, It think Fred guessed "F E V E R" instead of trying for Pneumonia.

When I was a kid in the northeast, our grandmother from St. Louis came to live with us - and she still subscribed to her StL Post-Dispatch that had two full pages of daily funnies - one of them in color! Our local paper only had one column of comics. We got 'em a couple of days late, but we loved em.

[Mondrianyone]

I never understood what Blondie saw in Dagwood.

[proserpina65]

Damn.  I haven't rooted against anyone as hard as I rooted against the new champ in a long time.  He was killing me with how long he took to choose the next clue and to answer.  But, like Kyle, I couldn't for the life of me think of the right battle for FJ.

 

I did, however, know anaphylactic shock.

I knew which battle they wanted but couldn't come up with the name.  I said Marathon even though I knew that was wrong.

[Scott]

Fred seems to be a decent enough champion, but that voice could be bottled as a sleeping aid.  During the interview, he managed to make roller derby sound boring.  I'm hoping for a quick end to his reign.

 

I was hoping someone would write "Who are the Bumsteads?" for FJ, but I suppose you have to actually know the answer before you can think about being cute.

[proserpina65]

otherwise I would have said "Elmer Gantry" instead of guessing "Main Street."

 

I was shouting Babbitt at the screen, because obviously I've never read either book.  But hey, for a change I had the correct author (Sinclair Lewis vs Upton Sinclair).

I'm not sure in what grade I learned about the schwa, but like haboob, it's a word I like, so it's a word I remember.

One day 'umlaut' will be the answer to FJ and I will be golden.

For FJ, I first thought of Hi and Lois as the anniversary couple, but remembered Blondie and Dagwood in what would have been sufficient time.

 

I was picturing Blondie and Dagwood but couldn't come up with their names, so I said Hi and Lois instead even though I was pretty sure it wasn't that old.

Edited January 26, 2016 by proserpina65

[Browncoat]

I have seen "calendar" misspelled as "calender" so I guess that was the potential trip-up.

[CarpeDiem54]

I never understood what Blondie saw in Dagwood.

He made great sandwiches. ;-)

For FJ I guessed Li'l Abner and Daisy Mae.

[Mondrianyone]

He made great sandwiches. ;-)

 

Well, there is that.

 

But then again, Blondie has like a six-inch waist.  Look: 

 

So maybe she's not in it for the sandwiches.  Maybe Dagwood has . . . other attractions that we don't get to see.  ;o)

[Scott]

I certainly can understand putting lobster (still in its shell) and the happiest sardine ever on a sandwich, but what are the blue things above the lobster?  Are those supposed to be really small grapes, or really large caviar?

[DXD526]

I always envied Dagwood's metabolism. All the guy did was eat like a pig and sleep, and he weighed about 100 pounds soaking wet. I hate him.

 

When the question came up yesterday, I was thinking with horror, "The Sting is going to be a TS??", and then the champ buzzed in. Whew. 

[GreekGeek]

I certainly can understand putting lobster (still in its shell) and the happiest sardine ever on a sandwich, but what are the blue things above the lobster?  Are those supposed to be really small grapes, or really large caviar?

 

I guess they could be grapes, but they don't seem like quite the right color for caviar. They could be blueberries. I'm more curious about the pink and black thing third from the bottom, and the fact that there seems to be nothing between the first and second slices of bread at the bottom.

 

Here's one of my favorite bits of comic strip trivia: Blondie was originally a flapper with the last name of Boopadoop, and Dagwood was a wealthy young playboy. When his parents disapproved of Blondie and tried to break them up, Dagwood went on a hunger strike. Given his famous gluttony, that took a lot of will power!

[Roaster]

Three good players today (Tues) but they were stymied by a tough Final Jeopardy.  (I didn't get it either.)

 

I'm actually kind of digging Fred's slowness.  Plus, in a strange interview segment, he almost got a case of the giggles when talking about the peppers in his garden.

[Pallida]

I'm way too amused by you all analyzing Dagwood's sandwich!  I was tired while watching last night and got stuck on "the dude with the sandwich! that couple!!!"

[opus]

Ben Carson wins again.

[Setra]

I always envied Dagwood's metabolism. All the guy did was eat like a pig and sleep, and he weighed about 100 pounds soaking wet. I hate him.

 

When the question came up yesterday, I was thinking with horror, "The Sting is going to be a TS??", and then the champ buzzed in. Whew. 

I called them all very bad names, then took back Fred's.

[Temperance]

I always envied Dagwood's metabolism. All the guy did was eat like a pig and sleep, and he weighed about 100 pounds soaking wet. I hate him.

Very funny! And I always pictured Dagwood in the rain.

 

I thought they should have accepted  "recreational vehicle" for the clue that the Brits call it a caravan, but now I'm not sure. 

 

I also was completely confused by Final Jeopardy and so were my roommates. I've heard "Huston, we have a problem", but was just baffled by the wording and even the category itself. Since they were looking for a city, I think U. S. cities would have been better name for the category. 

[GreekGeek]

I'm way too amused by you all analyzing Dagwood's sandwich!  

I know--I'm way overthinking it! 

 

I got FJ right away tonight; I thought Jerry might be old enough to remember Apollo 13. There was also the Tom Hanks movie. I'm trying to imagine what led Fred and Sonam to guess Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Silly of Jerry to write nothing when the answer was obviously the name of a city. Just name any American city, man!

 

The first round was the one I actually thought was kind of tough apart from the "E-S-P-N" category and the one on the northernmost state capitals. 

Edited January 27, 2016 by GreekGeek

[dcalley]

All I could come up with was Houston, so I was surprised not one of them guessed it.

 

Just name any American city, man!

How very SNL Jeopardy!

[Browncoat]

Houston was the first and only city that came to my mind.  I tried to think of anything else it might be, too, since that seemed so obvious to me.

 

And how fitting that Fred would get the question of "What is exasperation?"

[mojoween]

Christ almighty Alex she didn't know that the University of South Carolina had a hockey team, not that she didn't know what hockey is.

She was so beautiful I'm sad she did not win and I have another day with the somnambulist Fred. Today was my first exposure to him and ugh and oy.