Jeopardy! Season 34 (2017-2018)

[Mondrianyone]

1 hour ago, bad things are bad said:

I didn't see the whole interview segment...unless he said "good for you", you've not achieved Trebek Bingo

Bingo!  (He did.)

13 hours ago, Toothbrush said:

All 3 contestants were fine at first, but then Katy started flipping her hair & adopted a girlish demeanor in DJ and I rooted against her after that.

1 hour ago, saber5055 said:

This is what I meant about her playing like a girl and not owning her answers. She got all wussy like a girl isn't suppose to beat the boys, so let's flip our hair and be all giddy and don't bet too much money, that's not lady like. She was smart enough to get on this show, then tanked by not having confidence to bet and OWN her knowledge. I feel she threw the game just because girls aren't SUPPOSE to be smart or beat the boys.

She's my Seinfeld bizarro-world opposite.

My husband asked me why I kept yelling at her to "Stop making that face!"  He didn't even see what I was referring to.  Maybe it's a face that's invisible to men, at least on a conscious level.  Like those whistles only dogs can hear.  (We have one of those, and I only half believe it makes any sound at all.)  I said it was that "Eek!  I'm just a girl!" face.  I told him it telegraphs a lack of conviction in your answers and confidence in yourself.  And then I got to say "Aha!  See?" when FJ happened.

She's my polar opposite, too.  I'd bring a switchblade onto the show if I thought I could get away with it.  ;o)

[Browncoat]

29 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

but sooner or later you'd have to deal with any category on the board.

Only if they play quickly enough to get to all the categories.

[saber5055]

1 hour ago, M. Darcy said:

I thought about you guys the other day - someone (and I can't remember who) mentioned Kit Carson! 

As did I when I saw the movie "Kit Carson" listed in my tv program last week. Alas, it was on a channel I do not receive. (Although maybe that was a good thing.)

37 minutes ago, Mondrianyone said:

My husband asked me why I kept yelling at her to "Stop making that face!"  He didn't even see what I was referring to.  Maybe it's a face that's invisible to men, at least on a conscious level. 

And invisible to some women too!

[Mystery Author]

Quote

I've heard it, mostly said by people over 70.

I've been away, giving a workshop at a writers conference ... miss me? :)

I've used "chifferobe" (ooh, spell-check doesn't like that word!) in my historical fiction. And seen some chifferobes (hah, spell-check!) on Antiques Roadshow.

[Toothbrush]

2 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

Hmm, given how many Jennifers I've had to deal with over the years, just using my last name might've been better.  Although it is a fairly common last name where I live, so maybe not.

I'm a Jennifer with a common last name too. My parents still laugh over me signing birthday, Mothers/Fathers Day cards as Jennifer B. until I was about 10 because that is how I had to write my name at school. 

2 hours ago, saber5055 said:

I dated a guy once who went by his last name, so I'm guessing that's the deal with Dimitri. Waiting for your reservation in a crowded restaurant? There could be five Roberts, only one Dimitri (probably).

That is what i figure too. 

[saber5055]

44 minutes ago, Toothbrush said:

My parents still laugh over me signing birthday, Mothers/Fathers Day cards as Jennifer B. until I was about 10 because that is how I had to write my name at school.

You would have to be Jennifer B. when you compete on The Bachelor, although lately there seems to be more Laurens than Jennifers each season.

1 hour ago, Mystery Author said:

I've been away, giving a workshop at a writers conference ... miss me? :)

Actually, I thought about you this morning, wondering where you've been. And now here you are, complete with yet another new avatar.

I should have thought about some hot guy instead, but it's too late now.

[peeayebee]

1 hour ago, Mystery Author said:

I've been away, giving a workshop at a writers conference ... miss me? :)

Yes! I invoked your name the other day hoping you'd appear. Sure took you long enuf. 

[Roaster]

Today was the second day in a row where the leader answered correctly in FJ but failed to wager enough to win.

I don't think this is a good strategy.  Consider the leader's position:

1) Even if the category is one you are weak at, you still have a fighting chance of getting it right.  I mean, you're good enough at trivia to get on Jeopardy!  You are good at this stuff even when you have a tough category.

2) For this strategy to win, either other contestants have to bet low (which might happen when number 3 is way behind, but not when it's a close game like today) OR both other contestants must get FJ wrong.  I don't know that stats, but I bet that happens in less than 50% of games.

3) If you get FJ right and lose the game because of a low wager, you'll have regrets and be second-guessing yourself going forward.  Not only do you not get the cash from today, but you forgo potential winnings in future games.  Plus you have jerks like me criticizing you on the internet.

I think in this situation you must bet assuming you will answer correctly.  Even if you lose, you can go home with your head held high and no regrets.

[BubblingKettle]

Joey, the young man in the middle, was a cross between Peewee Herman and Frankie Valli. 

The Underground Railroad question would have worked well on Jeopardy Kids Week. Actually, it may have been too easy for Kids Week, too. 

[ErinV]

Robert/Dimitri won me over when he made a joke about those CA hedges in his interview (after Alex shamed him for missing it).

With the way these clues tend to be easier than you think, no one should  ever bet $0 on FJ.  I know next to nothing about musical theater, but I knew that answer right away.

the new champ bugs.  She’s like half asleep and mumbles.  

The NYC clues were so easy.  Ellis Island as a $600 clue??  And as always it ate up too much time.

[rubaco]

1 minute ago, ErinV said:

She’s like half asleep and mumbles.  

She does mumble, but I really liked her cat story. Especially "he knows what to do" (rather than even considering putting him in another room... sheesh, Alex!). I had a Sheltie who sat and stared at the TV during the Think Music every day. 

Yesterday's Beatles FJ makes the news. 

[Browncoat]

16 minutes ago, CoolWhipLite said:

Joey, the young man in the middle, was a cross between Peewee Herman and Frankie Valli. 

I thought he looked like Gomez Addams.  He was a buzzer-flailer, too, so it didn't hurt my feelings that he made an unwise bet on FJ and lost.  FJ was an instaget for me, although I'm not sure I could have told you that there was a musical theater version of The Bodyguard.

Lots of TS tonight -- I got chaparral, Pascal, terra cotta warriors, mother, Izaak Walton, and blasting cap.  I thought of you, @M. Darcy, when the Izaak Walton clue came up! 

12 minutes ago, ErinV said:

She’s like half asleep and mumbles.  

I kept yelling at her to speak up and enunciate, but I guess she didn't hear me.  I kinda liked her cat story, too.

[mojoween]

Aww.  Lovecats is one of the greatest songs of all time.

It was cute that Emily laughed at Dimitri’s squire joke.  I would have too.  I did, actually, but only the cat heard.  He also loves The Cure, BTW.

I wonder if Haudenosanee would have been accepted for Iroquois.

Shocker!  A video category and we didn’t clear the board.

I actually liked all three contestants, even if Joey needed to find his indoor voice.  Bad wager, Joe!

Colin Kaepernick should really be employed right now.  

FJ was an instaget even if I was puzzled because I didn’t know that was a show and wasn’t sure why those songs would be in it.

[PaulaO]

Were any of the DDs revealed?  

[opus]

21 minutes ago, mojoween said:

Shocker! A video category and we didn’t clear the board 

But we did clear the video category. Maybe that's all that matters?

[Mindthinkr]

So-so night for me. I was happy when they came on after break and accepted Sir as an acceptable answer besides Knight. It gave me one. I thought Joey wrote his name so well...hmm maybe childhood issues with being taught penmanship? 

[Kathira]

Missed FJ, but ran the category on novels about Jesus. I tried to tell them The Last Temptation of Christ and The Robe, but they didn't listen to me. I actually pre-guessed The Last Temptation based on the category title. I also got blasting caps.

29 minutes ago, PaulaO said:

Were any of the DDs revealed?  

Joey got one - that  pvc pipe stands for poly vinyl chloride.

Edited March 29, 2018 by Kathira

[DrScottie]

38 minutes ago, rubaco said:

Yesterday's Beatles FJ makes the news. 

Perhaps we won't here more because it wouldn't have changed the winner of the game. Dmitri would have beaten Johnny by $1 even if he were correct. It would have made Emily come in third though.  

1 hour ago, Roaster said:

1) Even if the category is one you are weak at, you still have a fighting chance of getting it right.  I mean, you're good enough at trivia to get on Jeopardy!  You are good at this stuff even when you have a tough category.

2) For this strategy to win, either other contestants have to bet low (which might happen when number 3 is way behind, but not when it's a close game like today) OR both other contestants must get FJ wrong.  I don't know that stats, but I bet that happens in less than 50% of games.

3) If you get FJ right and lose the game because of a low wager, you'll have regrets and be second-guessing yourself going forward.  Not only do you not get the cash from today, but you forgo potential winnings in future games.  Plus you have jerks like me criticizing you on the internet.

I think in this situation you must bet assuming you will answer correctly.  Even if you lose, you can go home with your head held high and no regrets.

That is a great analysis of the scenario. I wouldn't want to be someone who lost because they didn't bet enough. If I do make it on the show someday, I'll make sure to avoid doing that. 

[saber5055]

Joey did make a bold DD bet of $5,000, so I give him props for that.

I liked Emily in that she cut to the chase asking for clues. Plus she was a strong player (and didn't turn all girlie).

I did look at Trebek's hair and thought it was just more all white than before. But then again, I don't look at him much. Would they even shave his entire head for that surgery? Not sure if modern surgeons need to do that these days.

Yes, we all needed a video/visual to help us come up with Underground Railroad. Thanks, writers.

Edited March 29, 2018 by saber5055

[Fex]

6 hours ago, M. Darcy said:

Maybe we heard it on the playground :-)

I thought about you guys the other day - someone (and I can't remember who) mentioned Kit Carson! 

The Simpsons? There was a Kit Carson joke in the new episode this week! I wondered if maybe someone here is secretly a Simpsons writer...

[CarpeDiem54]

I hope Emily gains some confidence.  She looked like a second grader standing in front of the classroom about ready to cry half the time.  No wonder her cat's a ninny that hides under the coffee table.

Again, a ridiculous category with slow talking heads, that took too much time.

I got Pascal, Javits, Terra Cotta Warriors, mother, Ireland (missed DD), Izaak Walton, The Robe, and blasting cap.

I love musical theater, so I would have bet too much, and lost on FJ.  I had absolutely no idea that The Bodyguard had been made into a play.  I might have blanked it out because I hated everything, especially that insipid "hit" song, about the movie.

[teebax]

Emily and Joey both had voices I didn't like, so I was rooting for the champ to repeat. I think Joey's DD failure made him afraid to wager properly in FJ, or he really doesn't like musical theater. FJ wasn't an instaget for me. The Bodyguard is one of my favorite soundtracks of all time, but I think even someone who isn't a fan would've gotten FJ right. 

I had Apartheid, pascal, mother, sphinx, Last Temptation of Christ, and blasting cap. 

Didn't htry recently ask about Pascal? 

Edited March 29, 2018 by teebax

[YoureSoUrban]

15 hours ago, Prevailing Wind said:

FJ was set in the 60s. It could even have been the Beach Boys, pre-Brit Invasion. No, Alex, there were not JUST two bands in the 60s that produced popular music.

 

9 hours ago, teebax said:

For me, the first music I think about with the 60s is Motown, which is what my parents grew up listening to and was my first exposure to music. Alex is a tool, though, so there's nothing new about that.

I immediately thought of Motown when Alex made that dumb comment. On top of that the emphasis on "work" in the clue immediately triggered "Working my way back to you" which unfortunately has nothing to do with work and isn't from the 60s anyway. So I just totally blew it.

For today's TS I got PASCAL, Javitz, mother, and Last Temptation of Christ. FJ was an instaget, even though I didn't know The Bodyguard is on Bway.

It was so weird to see my local news presented as "local news" on a national stage; they always feel like big celebs to me.

I hope Sullen Suzy is a one-and-done.

Edited March 29, 2018 by YoureSoUrban

[GenerationX]

I had Pascal and Love Cats.  Nice juxtaposition by the clue writers to have an answer for Peace prize, then follow it up with various explosives.  Nobel was quite the enigma. 

[peeayebee]

I got chaparral, mother, sphinx, Ireland, and The Robe. For some reason I only said terra cotta, not terra cotta warrior, so I guess I didn't get that.

I didn't get FJ. I didn't know The Bodyguard was made into a musical. My guess was Dirty Dancing, though I wondered why Whitney Houston songs were added.

I was curious about the Francis Bacon typtich that inspired the scene in Alien, and I found this.

[Toothbrush]

Emily's a mumbler - ugh!  Her cat story was cute, and I have a pic (or 3) of my cat watching Jeopardy. She has little tolerance for Alex some days also, but like most of us she is happy that his surgery was a success.  I was glad Joey was credited for sir when they were looking for knight, especially after we just heard Dimitri's story about Sir Ben Kingsley. 

I hate time consuming video clues. Wish the contestants would save those for last. And Underground RR & Ellis Island were way too easy. 

TS I got were terra cotta warrior, apartheid, mother, Ireland (Joey's missed DD, but thumbs up for a gutsy wager), The Robe. I didn't know that The Bodyguard is now on the stage, but given the song titles in the clue it was an instaget. And I have a "How Will I Know" ear worm, which was my favorite song ca 5th grade. 

25 minutes ago, GenerationX said:

Nobel was quite the enigma. 

Also an answer in Wednesday's game. Well done.  

Edited March 29, 2018 by Toothbrush

[Bastet]

2 hours ago, mojoween said:

FJ was an instaget even if I was puzzled because I didn’t know that was a show and wasn’t sure why those songs would be in it.

Same here; I had no idea it had been made into a play, but a Whitney Houston film from the early '90s led me immediately to The Bodyguard, and then the fact she played a singer in it (right? I've never seen it) confirmed it for me.

So, yesterday's female contestant was too much personality, and today's was too little?  Got it.

[Clanstarling]

1 hour ago, CarpeDiem54 said:

I love musical theater, so I would have bet too much, and lost on FJ.  I had absolutely no idea that The Bodyguard had been made into a play.  I might have blanked it out because I hated everything, especially that insipid "hit" song, about the movie.

I recognized the songs as Whitney's, but never saw the Bodyguard and didn't know it was a play.

Otherwise, for the most part the boards were pretty easy. After I ran two categories on the first board, I turned to my husband and said "this is too easy." 

[SHD]

I thought Emily was like Pam Beesly on Ambien.

[Sharpie66]

I got Pascal, Terra cotta warriors, Apartheid, Mother (panda), Lovecats, The Robe, but missed FJ—guessed Clueless.

I didn’t know there was a musical of The Bodyguard, which I have never seen. (Every time I see it on my tv program guide, I keep hoping it’s My Bodyguard, the best teen film of the late’70s/early ‘80s, better than the Hughes films, but it never is, damnit.)

[Mystery Author]

For the British system of formal titles, "Sir" is a knighthood and "Dame" is the feminine equivalent. Sir and Dame are grouped under the general heading peerage.

Now, aren't you glad I write historical fiction? :)

Oh, and thank you for missing me. That was so sweet. Seriously.

[Good Queen Jane]

13 hours ago, Browncoat said:

I thought of you, @M. Darcy, when the Izaak Walton clue came up! 

Me too. I hope it didn't pain you too much.

[M. Darcy]

Quote

The Simpsons? There was a Kit Carson joke in the new episode this week! I wondered if maybe someone here is secretly a Simpsons writer...

That's it!  I thought the same thing.

Quote

I thought of you, @M. Darcy, when the Izaak Walton clue came up! 

I haven't watched last night - thanks for the warning!  Grr.  Stupid Izaak Walton.  Heh, a friend of mine just told me but my Mom didn't' prepare me for when I watch it. 

[ChromaKelly]

On 3/27/2018 at 9:37 PM, ErinV said:

That’s a really good point that “Eight Days a Week” is a love song. Does anyone remember how the question was worded?  Because i think that makes it an errant question.  Not that it matters for any of the contestants tonight.  I got “Chain Gang” in my head and couldn’t go on from there!

Yes, that actually threw me off from picking The Beatles at first, and then I settled on them as the response because I couldn't think of anything else. "Eight Days A Week" really has nothing to do with working. 

[peeayebee]

13 hours ago, Fex said:

The Simpsons? There was a Kit Carson joke in the new episode this week! I wondered if maybe someone here is secretly a Simpsons writer...

I didn't watch. What was the joke?

[proserpina65]

Gee, do you think they'd have accepted "What is a co-conspirator?"?  Or maybe "Who are cellmates?"?

[proserpina65]

15 hours ago, ErinV said:

With the way these clues tend to be easier than you think, no one should  ever bet $0 on FJ.  I know next to nothing about musical theater, but I knew that answer right away.

the new champ bugs.

I supposed I'd have made most of you happy by betting relatively big on Musical Theater and going down in flames.  I had no idea they'd made a stage musical out of The Bodyguard.

15 hours ago, Browncoat said:

I thought he looked like Gomez Addams.  He was a buzzer-flailer, too, so it didn't hurt my feelings that he made an unwise bet on FJ and lost. 

I found his voice extremely annoying.

15 hours ago, Browncoat said:

Lots of TS tonight -- I got chaparral, Pascal, terra cotta warriors, mother, Izaak Walton, and blasting cap. 

I got terra cotta warriors, mother and blasting cap.  The phrasing of the Walton question confused me, otherwise I might've gotten that one.  I actually took a Pascal class many years ago, but couldn't remember that to save my life.

15 hours ago, mojoween said:

Lovecats is one of the greatest songs of all time.

I've never heard of it, but now I'll have to check it out.

[proserpina65]

15 hours ago, Kathira said:

I tried to tell them The Last Temptation of Christ and The Robe, but they didn't listen to me.

Yeah, me too.

14 hours ago, DrScottie said:

Perhaps we won't here more because it wouldn't have changed the winner of the game. Dmitri would have beaten Johnny by $1 even if he were correct. It would have made Emily come in third though.  

That is a great analysis of the scenario. I wouldn't want to be someone who lost because they didn't bet enough. If I do make it on the show someday, I'll make sure to avoid doing that. 

I wish I had bet nothing on the FJ in my game.  I still wouldn't have won - I think the reigning champ had just enough to win even though he was also wrong - but I would much rather have ended up with $2000 than $1000.  What I really wish is that I hadn't rung in for two wrong answers near the end, and then I might've had enough to win if I had bet nothing and he had been wrong.  Oh well, when I invent that time machine . . .

14 hours ago, CarpeDiem54 said:

Ireland (missed DD),

I was gobsmacked that Ireland was missed - it seemed obvious.

[proserpina65]

Quote

 especially that insipid "hit" song

The Dolly Parton original, written for her friend and musical partner Porter Waggoner when she left his show, is beautiful and touching.  The Whitney Houston shriekfest version is an abomination.

14 hours ago, teebax said:

I had Apartheid,

This was another one which surprised me.  Come on, it's South Africa, one of them should've guessed it.  I guess it was before their time.

Edited March 29, 2018 by proserpina65

[saber5055]

13 hours ago, Bastet said:

So, yesterday's female contestant was too much personality, and today's was too little?

You are being generous calling it "personality."

[3 is enough]

Did anyone else notice that when Alex revealed the Final Jeopardy category one of the male contestants said "No!"  It was off camera, so I did not see who but I think it was the champ.  Thought that was funny.

[tallykat]

18 hours ago, Roaster said:

3) If you get FJ right and lose the game because of a low wager, you'll have regrets and be second-guessing yourself going forward.  Not only do you not get the cash from today, but you forgo potential winnings in future games.  Plus you have jerks like me criticizing you on the internet.

I think in this situation you must bet assuming you will answer correctly.  Even if you lose, you can go home with your head held high and no regrets.

OMG! Yes, yes and yes!!! I think I scared my cats yesterday when I shrieked at the end of last night's show! I am all about the FJ wager. I can forgive a contestant in 3rd place for not doing the math and missing out on a possible win because it can get really confusing out there in the weeds, but if you are number 1 going into FJ and you don't bet to win--meaning you have to get it right and any threat will also get it right--I just have lost all respect for you and think you should be struck from any list of Jeopardy contestants that exists. Honestly, I think #1's hands are tied more than the other two when it comes to how you should bet. 

It's just really hard to know what category everyone will suck at. Sure, there are times when all three get the answer wrong but you just can't be in the lead for FJ, get the answer right, and lose the game. I could never show my face. 

Edited March 29, 2018 by tallykat
I didn't mean what I said.

[Trey]

18 minutes ago, 3 is enough said:

Did anyone else notice that when Alex revealed the Final Jeopardy category one of the male contestants said "No!"  It was off camera, so I did not see who but I think it was the champ.  Thought that was funny.

Yes, I noticed that too.  I think Alex made a remark in reply.

I also said Dirty Dancing for FJ.  I knew full well that The Bodyguard was a play because the Toronto tv stations were constantly promoting the Toronto showing of it; but I did not recognize those as Whitney Houston songs because I've never really listened to her.

[ProudMary]

If I may add one more comment about Tuesday's FJ:
First, I would have bet the house when I saw the category.  Then hearing the clue, I thought "Uh-oh."
I never did come up with specific song titles but the part of the clue that indicated two #1 singles in such a short period of time narrowed the field for me to The Beatles and The Supremes.  All the songs that were big hits for The Supremes were about love in some way shape or form at least until 1968 (e.g. "Love Child", "I'm Living in Shame") so I ruled them out and said The Beatles.  If I'd had to have named the songs, I'd have been out of luck.

I got Wednesday's FJ, although I had no idea that The Bodyguard made it to Broadway.

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, 3 is enough said:

Did anyone else notice that when Alex revealed the Final Jeopardy category one of the male contestants said "No!"  It was off camera, so I did not see who but I think it was the champ.  Thought that was funny.

Yes, it was the champ; Alex commented on it.

[Kathira]

1 hour ago, tallykat said:

It's just really hard to know what category everyone will suck at. 

Probably football. 

Edited March 29, 2018 by Kathira

[Fex]

On 2018-03-29 at 11:32 AM, peeayebee said:

I didn't watch. What was the joke?

The whole family was in the car, and they saw where Homer and Marge used to live, which was a fifth floor walk-up (ie no elevator).

Homer: I took the elevator to the top of the building next door, then crawled across a plank to our roof. [sees a guy doing that right now] Hey! I pioneered that trail!

Guy: Yeah, great. Thank you, Kit Carson.

Edited March 30, 2018 by Fex

[saber5055]

I watched that Simpsons episode and totally missed the Kit Carson comment. GAH! I need to stop multi-tasking.

p.s. Homer did that because the elevator in their building didn't work.

Edited March 29, 2018 by saber5055

[mojoween]

56 minutes ago, Kathira said:

Probably football. 

Aww.  Unlike those contestants from a few weeks ago, I would most likely run ALL the football categories.

Now if it were say, art, or the Bible?  Yeah, I would stand there until those clues are gone.

[saber5055]

2 minutes ago, mojoween said:

Now if it were say, art, or the Bible?  Yeah, I would stand there until those clues are gone.

Not if the clues were audio/visual and gave the answer via the picture. Like "cheese," "Ore-Ida," "Ellis Island" and a zillion others.

Bible clue written by highly skilled Jeopardy staff: "The Bible contains two testaments, one old and the other, this opposite of old."

Yeah, you'd be able to answer Bible clues. I can see you multi-clicking your buzzer now, Mojoween!