Jeopardy! Season 33 (2016-2017)

[Mystery Author]

Cindy is the energizer bunny! More so since we know her story. My yells (at the TV) were D DuMaurier (her The Birds scared the shit out of me) and James Barrie and Henry VIII. I knew he was good lookin' because I've read way too much Philippa Gregory :)

Julia made a stooopid bet on her last DD. She could have put the game away. Glad she didn't, although I don't agree that it would be a hollow victory for anyone who beats Cindy. Not unless they know she's dying and I presume they don't. You come to win. 

[ClareWalks]

6 hours ago, Mystery Author said:

Julia made a stooopid bet on her last DD. She could have put the game away. Glad she didn't

But she got the answer wrong, so it didn't matter how much or little she bet. Cindy bet enough to be ahead of her total.

[Moose135]

7 hours ago, Mystery Author said:

...although I don't agree that it would be a hollow victory for anyone who beats Cindy. Not unless they know she's dying and I presume they don't. You come to win.

From the stories I've read, only Alex and a handful of the staff knew about Cindy's condition during the taping, so whoever beats her will be happy to have done so - at least until the story came out.

[Clanstarling]

8 hours ago, Mystery Author said:

lad she didn't, although I don't agree that it would be a hollow victory for anyone who beats Cindy. Not unless they know she's dying and I presume they don't. You come to win. 

I don't think it was a hollow victory, or would become one. More that the eventual winner now knows that s/he broke the winning streak of a woman who was not only dying but, now that the shows are airing, is perhaps one of the most rooted for champions ever, it can't help but shadow it just a tad. Not in a whiny "poor me" way, but in a saddened to know the circumstances way. At least it would for me.

Edited December 21, 2016 by Clanstarling

[ChromaKelly]

I really thought this was going to be Cindy's last game. What a nailbiter! I liked Julia too. I knew FJ because I'm from Maryland.
It seems like there's been more all-female contestant shows lately.

[DXD526]

I knew FJ referred to Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky, but I had no idea where they were from. Boo hiss. 

It seemed like yesterday was going to be Cindy's last game, but like all great competitors, she keeps finding a way to win. I was happy for her, yet depressed, when she won her fifth game. It's quite an accomplishment to earn one's way into the ToC, and it's sad she's not going to be there. I'm going to miss seeing her battle against J!'s best. Cancer sucks.

[M. Darcy]

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I knew the male athlete would be Michael Phelps but I had no idea what state he was from.

One of the benefits of living in the DVM (District, Virginia, Maryland)....you definitely know where Phelps is from :-) 

[proserpina65]

I live in Maryland, where coverage of Michael Phelps' every f-ing move is almost non-stop (did I mention I loathe him?).  The moment the category title came up, I knew he would somehow be involved.  Needless to say, it took less than a nanosecond for me to get FJ.

While I'm happy enough to see Cindy continue to win, I was a little sorry that Julia didn't after building up a huge but not insurmountable lead.  I'm sure she wished she'd bet more on that last DD.  Have to admit, something about her (her voice or phrasing maybe) reminded me of British comedian/actress Miranda Hart - which is probably why I was hoping she'd win.

[proserpina65]

On ‎12‎/‎19‎/‎2016 at 8:20 PM, rubaco said:

You and me both, mojoween. I was so surprised that nobody got it (and was yelling at the TV… "C'mon! What's the matter with you people?!"). I thought "Mr. Mercedes" was very well-known (unlike the more generically named "End of Watch").

Team Cindy all the way! I had a bad feeling today was going to be her losing game, but she fought back. Kristin started out strong but she sure faded fast.

I'm not unfamiliar with Mr. King's work, but those two particular titles were completely unknown to me.  He's not my genre so that's probably why.

 

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I said buzzard instead of vulture and wonder if they would have accepted it.

I did too.  The "turkey" is what did it for me.  We've always called them turkey buzzards around here.

 

Quote

Even if we didn't know her backstory, I suspect she would be pretty well-liked.

I probably would've gotten tired of her by now due to her low-key personality, part of which is possibly due to her illness.  So I'm glad I know and therefore am not bitching about her.

Edited December 21, 2016 by proserpina65

[proserpina65]

6 hours ago, ClareWalks said:

But she got the answer wrong, so it didn't matter how much or little she bet. Cindy bet enough to be ahead of her total.

Julia got the DD correct, and if she had bet enough, she could've made the game a runaway.  Thus it wouldn't have mattered what she answered for FJ as long as she didn't bet too much on it.

2 hours ago, M. Darcy said:

One of the benefits of living in the DVM (District, Virginia, Maryland)....you definitely know where Phelps is from :-) 

Or curses.  Definitely a curse in my case.

[Moose135]

21 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

Julia got the DD correct, and if she had bet enough, she could've made the game a runaway. 

I think she bet rather conservatively a few times on DDs.  Wasn't there one where she about about a $4K lead, and she bet $1,500 or so?  Almost like she was afraid she would get them wrong and didn't want to risk much.

[ChicagoCita]

1 hour ago, proserpina65 said:

I live in Maryland, where coverage of Michael Phelps' every f-ing move is almost non-stop

Funny! I live in Chicago, which was kicked to the curb in the 2016 host city voting, so -- although I'm usually a huge Olympics fan -- I didn't watch a minute of these games. I would have been literally clueless about the correct answer.

I liked both of yesterday's competitors (both of whom were from places I've lived), but of course I want Cindy to go as far as she can. I think I've fantasized a universe where she's in the ToC, because the reality is so hard to face. I can't even begin to imagine how it must have felt to her. (And now I have to go cry.)

[teebax]

4 hours ago, M. Darcy said:

One of the benefits of living in the DVM (District, Virginia, Maryland)....you definitely know where Phelps is from :-) 

I don't think you have to be from there to know that. They hammered it to death during the Olympics, so I imagine anyone who watched the swimming events would have gotten FJ correct. Although I'm in AZ, and his connection to ASU is pretty well known too.

I am enjoying Cindy's run and share in everyone's sadness that she didn't live to get to the TOC, which she so richly earned. I think whoever does beat her better be another great contestant. If she loses to an aggressive, humorless asshole I'll really be pissed, and I'll despise them as much as I do certain other aggressive, humorless contestants.

[just prin]

Even tho I've heard all the good/usual things about Phelps mentioned zillions of times over the years, the only ones I've paid any attention to were the "oops, he done screwed up" ones. They were waay more fun to read about! So, I had no idea where he hailed from. LOL

[Writing Wrongs]

I haven't been keeping up with the board much and I didn't find out until this morning about Cindy. I got teary eyed today at Alex's comments at the end of the show.

Edited December 22, 2016 by Writing Wrongs

[pennben]

2 hours ago, teebax said:

I don't think you have to be from there to know that. They hammered it to death during the Olympics, so I imagine anyone who watched the swimming events would have gotten FJ correct. Although I'm in AZ, and his connection to ASU is pretty well known too.

 

I answered Arizona, because I thought I had read that Ledecky moved to Arizona to train with Phelps, although now thinking about it, it may have been another swimmer. I wasn't thinking about where they were born when I saw the question, so I was surprised when Maryland was the right answer even though I knew he grew up there. 

[mojoween]

I've just started but oh my soul dropping the g's from gerunds makes my teeth hurt.  Worst category EVER.

[Browncoat]

Eh, I live in the South -- I'm used to the g-dropping.  :) 

I went through the same mental gymnastics that our new champ did to arrive at the Bahamas for FJ. 

Nice announcement by Alex at the end.  I wonder if we would have viewed the shows differently if we hadn't known.

[AuntieL]

My recording cut off at the end just when Alex started to speak. What did he say?

[M. Darcy]

Damn it Trebek, you made me cry. 

That was a really great game. 

[Trey]

I am not a crier but I sure did get a big old lump in my throat. Rest in Peace, Cindy.

That was a very touching In Memoriam by Alex.

[whinewithwine]

Very classy, Jeopardy.

[Tabasco Cat]

God love ya', Cindy. All the best to your family and friends who will miss you dearly. It was a pleasure to watch you on Jeopardy!

[secnarf]

Well that made me quite teary-eyed. I'm very sad that Cindy's run is over.

FJ was an instaget, as I remember my mother telling us how she had nearly got run over on a family trip to the Bahamas, since she was used to looking 'left, right, then left again' which doesn't really work if the traffic moves on the left instead of the right!

[mojoween]

Alex's wet eyes got to me.  

During the show that was the longest interview he did with her and she seemed to be struggling at the end of it.

She still did amazing.  I will miss her.

Sam seems whatever.  At least he didn't use too many words like Jennifer did while picking clues.

[GreekGeek]

When ABC News ended their show with a segment on Cindy, I suspected this would be her last game. I'm sure we'll all miss her, but at least she was able to fulfill her dream. It sounds as though she lived life to the fullest. Loved her story about mooning France! The tribute at the end by AT was sweet, and it sounded as though he thought the news about her cancer and subsequent passing would not be known to viewers.

One comment on the game: In the Greek Gods category,  it didn't seem right that they accepted Bacchus for Dionysus but not Vulcan for Hephaestus. (Though I guess you could find Greek as well as Roman sources where his name is close to Bacchus.)

[M. Darcy]

This week reminded me just why I love Jeopardy so much. 

[CarpeDiem54]

Rest in peace, Cindy.  You were a true champion, in every sense of the word.  

Alex, for all his faults, was classy.  Can't type anymore through my tears.

[Arkay]

Early, when Alex commented that Cindy's ambition was to come on Jeopardy and win at least $100,000, I had a feeling this might be the last game for her. I thought that perhaps they left that in the editing as an initial tribute to Cindy. Then I thought that the exhaustion and pain must be getting to her, because she messed up in ways that she hadn't previously, such as using the G when Alex particularly reminded them not to, and saying "congenitive" heart failure instead of "congestive." 

I don't know how she did so well despite all she was enduring, but she was really remarkable. I hope they sent her the tapes so she could at least have watched herself before it aired, and that she had strength enough to watch. I know she's a stranger to me, but I will miss her.

I actually thought Alex's tribute did not go far enough. He should have mentioned that she donated her winnings to cancer research, and I was hoping to hear that TPTB would match that contribution.

Edited December 22, 2016 by Arkay

[mojoween]

Did Alex say her cancer was Stage IV?

I'm so sad for several reasons but especially because she'll never know how much complete strangers loved her.

I mean, my husband didn't even get it.  But he also has a complete lack of empathy so there's that.

[rubaco]

I'm sad that her run has ended, but it was amazing. Ya done good, Cindy! 

From the New York Times, here's the most in-depth article I've read about her yet. (Yes, Stage IV colon cancer, according to this.) Only 38 people have won 6 or more games since 2003! She's the only one who did it under such extreme physical circumstances, I'm sure.

She saw at least her first 3 episodes, thanks to a J! staff member. It sounds like the show went all-out to accommodate and support Cindy, to which I say, great job, Jeopardy!

[peeayebee]

2 hours ago, GreekGeek said:

One comment on the game: In the Greek Gods category,  it didn't seem right that they accepted Bacchus for Dionysus but not Vulcan for Hephaestus. (Though I guess you could find Greek as well as Roman sources where his name is close to Bacchus.)

I was wondering about why they didn't accept Vulcan.

Cindy had a great run. I'm so glad she met and exceeded her $100,000 goal.

[ProudMary]

2 hours ago, rubaco said:

She saw at least her first 3 episodes, thanks to a J! staff member. It sounds like the show went all-out to accommodate and support Cindy, to which I say, great job, Jeopardy!

Not only was she able to see her first three episodes, J! also expedited her winnings which were sent to her before she passed away.  Great job by Jeopardy!
https://www.jeopardy.com/contestant-cindy-stowell
 

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Cindy won her first game, unseating reigning seven-game champ Tim Aten and claiming $22,801, then went on to win the remaining three games that day. She returned to Austin for a short break before the next tape session on September 13, when she won two more games and brought her final total to $103,801.

When Cindy was in the hospital, Jeopardy! sent her advance copies of her first three episodes, so she and her family were able to watch her realize a lifelong dream of competing on the show. Jeopardy! also expedited Cindy’s prize money, and she received and acknowledged it before she passed.

[Mumbles]

The article really lays out what Cindy was going through, physically - more than I had appreciated, and I had no illusions about the disease, having known someone well who died from it. And the room got dusty when I got to the part that she did get to see some of the episodes.

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 just wonder when someone finally does beat Cindy, how awful they might feel finding out she was dying.  I bet it's a very hollow win.

On the other hand, given how impressive she was, it is a remarkable accomplishment. I would call it bittersweet more than hollow. And from the article it sounds that at least some of Cindy's opponents are making their own donations to research in her honor.

Quote

 

During the show that was the longest interview he did with her and she seemed to be struggling at the end of it.

Alex seemed to sense that when he cut it short and just said, "Nice."

I agree with posters above that this week was a high point for Alex. He came off as very warm.

Quote

 

Here's the thing.  Having cancer doesn't make you a nice person.  But when you have cancer and are by all appearances a sweetheart with a kicking cardigan game?  You instantly become rootable.

Agreed. Assholes get cancer too. I found her personality hard to discern from her playing, but I chalked that up to what must have been exhaustion and pain(hard to be life of the party when you're going through that), and her interviews were charming so I assumed the best about her. And yes her cardies were lovely.

And the next time I hear someone try to explain away a poor showing on this show because of illness, I'm gonna be all, bitch please.

ETA: This article has a nice bit on a warm Twitter exchange between Cindy's boyfriend and the current champ, as well as Alex's tribute.

Edited December 22, 2016 by Mumbles

[ChicagoCita]

On its Facebook page, Jeopardy ran a video of Cindy explaining her cancer and her Jeopardy experience. She broke down a bit when she mentioned she was dying. So I broke down a lot. What a charming, generous warrior she was.

Quote

One comment on the game: In the Greek Gods category,  it didn't seem right that they accepted Bacchus for Dionysus but not Vulcan for Hephaestus.

Given that it was Greek gods, I don't know why they accepted Bacchus. In the Hephaestus clue, they mentioned he was married to Aphrodite (not Venus), so I figured that was why Vulcan couldn't be the correct answer.

I was shocked that Alex didn't go all accent-berserk when he was the chance to do so in pronouncing legerdemain.

I hate when game shows leave me sobbing.

[pennben]

This was, quite simply, a most compelling week of episodes from a most unexpected source.  I thought it was extremely well handled by everyone at Jeopardy, so all kudos to them.

After I choked back a few tears at Alex's epilogue today, I couldn't help but to think about what a strange experience this must have been for all her friends and family who weren't at the taping.  My understanding was that her Jeopardy experience episode to episode was kept from them so it would be a surprise. So, while perhaps they knew she had been on Jeopardy, like us, they didn't know how long.

Imagine someone you know had died and suddenly they show up on television.  You don't know how many times you are going to get to see this person alive again in content that is completely new to you.  Do you just get 30 more fantastic minutes with that person or do you get more?  I imagine each episode was a both a blessing/curse to them in real time viewing.  A blessing because they got 30 more minutes with their friend.  A curse because they spent that time hoping/praying for her to win so that these wouldn't be their last minutes with her, having to prepare each day to say a final goodbye one last time.  Ultimately the experience as a whole must have been a complete blessing for them.

I have very, very few game show moments in my memory bank.  Her time on Jeopardy now moves to the top and I think it will stick there a very long time.  

Edited December 22, 2016 by pennben

[ottoDbusdriver]

3 hours ago, ChicagoCita said:

Given that it was Greek gods, I don't know why they accepted Bacchus. In the Hephaestus clue, they mentioned he was married to Aphrodite (not Venus), so I figured that was why Vulcan couldn't be the correct answer.

Even more confusing, it sounded like Jennifer mispronounced Hephaestus as 'Hephaeshus' but they gave it to her anyway.  Either that or my hearing is going. :)
That acceptance of Bacchus was plain odd since it didn't meet the criteria for the category.

There was one BMS that should have happened -- Cindy's answer of 'What is Allen ?" for Tim Allen.

AT's tribute at the end was nicely done -- but I almost missed it because I thought it would have occurred before the credits, not after.

I also thought it was odd for that Anne Geddes & Annie Leibovitz clue that they accepted photography, since they were asking for the profession (which should have been photographer).

[bad things are bad]

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 At least he didn't use too many words like Jennifer did while picking clues.

Hokey smoke, she was loquacious...I'd-like-to-go-to-every-single-word-in-the-category-title-for-400-dollars-please-Alex. 

Alex looked and sounded like he was barely holding it together in the tribute. 

How about an empty podium in her honor at the TOC? 

Edited December 22, 2016 by bad things are bad

[operalover]

I was wondering about the tapings- do they tape 4 at a time? Do they tell everyone to bring 4 changes of clothes?

Cindy seemed much weaker on this last show than the initial ones. Her voice was so weak. I felt it was a blessing she lost as she looked and sounded exhausted just because I don't know if she had the strength to go through another game.

Yesterday (before I saw the show) I bought a beautiful book called Gods of Greece, with lovely color photos of Greek art at the Goodwill for $3 with the purpose of sharpening my Jeopardy skills.  After I read that I hope not to be such a big dummy in that category! My investment should pay off because Jeopardy loves its Greek Gods!

[secnarf]

1 minute ago, operalover said:

I was wondering about the tapings- do they tape 4 at a time? Do they tell everyone to bring 4 changes of clothes?

They tape 5 - a week's worth - per day of filming. And yes, contestants are told to bring extra clothes in case they win. There is enough time between filming episodes to change and that's about it. 

[Mumbles]

Quote

Cindy seemed much weaker on this last show than the initial ones. Her voice was so weak. I felt it was a blessing she lost as she looked and sounded exhausted just because I don't know if she had the strength to go through another game.

In one of the articles linked above, it was reported that Cindy was hospitalized in the middle of her run for a blood infection. It coincided with a break in the show's taping. 

[Good Queen Jane]

Aww, Cindy. Done in by correct pronunciation. If she had only dropped the g, she would have had the most money going into FJ. But she had a wonderful run. And she even inspired her defeated opponents to donate to cancer research, as explained here. 

[peeayebee]

Just finished reading those articles and watching the videos. Luckily I have a box of tissues next to me.

 

3 hours ago, ottoDbusdriver said:

There was one BMS that should have happened -- Cindy's answer of 'What is Allen ?" for Tim Allen.

Yup. What about Marty Allen, Woody Allen, Steve Allen, Gracie Allen? (And please, no Kit or Carson Allen.)

[M. Darcy]

In the midst of the tears I totally forgot about her interview yesterday - Cindy mooned France!  That is awesome.

[ClareWalks]

I submitted Cindy for the KODTVTM, I know she isn't a "moment" but I think she is worthy.

[Clanstarling]

18 minutes ago, ClareWalks said:

I submitted Cindy for the KODTVTM, I know she isn't a "moment" but I think she is worthy.

What is this? I did check the Jeopardy glossary, and did a google search on the acronym, but came up with nothing.

[proserpina65]

19 hours ago, pennben said:

I answered Arizona, because I thought I had read that Ledecky moved to Arizona to train with Phelps, although now thinking about it, it may have been another swimmer. I wasn't thinking about where they were born when I saw the question, so I was surprised when Maryland was the right answer even though I knew he grew up there. 

I don't know if he still lives here, but he has gotten all his drunk driving arrests in Maryland.  Including one while driving at high speed through the Ft. McHenry tunnel.  And his overbearing mother still lives here.

[ClareWalks]

2 minutes ago, Clanstarling said:

What is this? I did check the Jeopardy glossary, and did a google search on the acronym, but came up with nothing.

King of Disparate TV Things Mountain, here on previously.tv :)

[proserpina65]

15 hours ago, peeayebee said:

I was wondering about why they didn't accept Vulcan.

Cindy had a great run. I'm so glad she met and exceeded her $100,000 goal.

I thought they shouldn't have accepted Bacchus since that wasn't the name of the Greek god.  Which would definitely make Vulcan wrong.  But either way, some consistency would be good.

[Clanstarling]

1 hour ago, ClareWalks said:

King of Disparate TV Things Mountain, here on previously.tv :)

Thanks!