Jeopardy! Season 35 (2018-2019)

[secnarf]

1 minute ago, mojoween said:

I haven’t watched in weeks and weeks because I found James smug and boring and also didn’t see the leaked clip.

However, I still knew about tonight because apparently if the show airs in four markets in Alabama at 9:30 in the morning it’s ok for everyone on Twitter to talk about the results.  Which never usually happens, so it was pretty clear what was going down today.  Jerks.

Yes, and the plethora of articles with headlines like "Spoiler alert: Jeopardy champ James Holzhauer's fate revealed". Thanks CBC, real subtle. Then warning you to stop reading if you don't want to know what happens.

Was it like this when Ken lost? I don't remember. I am pretty sure that in 2004 we still had dial-up internet 😉

[Halting Hex]

5 minutes ago, mojoween said:

apparently if the show airs in four markets in Alabama at 9:30 in the morning it’s ok for everyone on Twitter to talk about the results.  Which never usually happens, so it was pretty clear what was going down today.  Jerks.

Another reason I'm glad I don't Tweet, I suppose.  See, crippling lack of social skills can work for you!  Shut-ins, rejoice! 🙂

(And I'd gotten spoiled on a couple of baseball games recently, so this was a refreshing change.  Go Team Me!)

[Tabasco Cat]

19 hours ago, suebee12 said:

If you don't like James, don't watch the show( I don't think anyone is having their arm twisted to force them to watch) and let those of who do like him, enjoy his spectacular run.

I'm down with this. I didn't watch the Teachers Tournament because I didn't like the sponsor. 😬

[Writing Wrongs]

[lb60]

17 minutes ago, Ailianna said:

I thought it was very classy of him to go right to Emma and shake her hand and congratulate her.

My opinion (so don't hurt me, lol), this annoyed me because I felt like it stole her thunder a little bit. I don't think he meant to, but I thought he could have waited ten seconds for her to have her moment.

[Conotocarious]

2 minutes ago, lb60 said:

My opinion (so don't hurt me, lol), this annoyed me because I felt like it stole her thunder a little bit. I don't think he meant to, but I thought he could have waited ten seconds for her to have her moment.

What moment? Her standing there expressionless like she did the whole night?

[3 is enough]

Well crap.  The show hasn't aired here yet.  I purposely stayed away from the computer today, but as I was watching the CBS Evening News the anchor said "spoiler alert" and I knew.  Because if he had won again there would have been no story.

I am sad he didn't beat Ken's earnings record.  Let's see how long the new champ lasts.

[MrAtoz]

21 minutes ago, Ailianna said:

For all of you who were spoiled by news outlets--a woman I've never seen before walked up to me in the grocery store on the way home and said "The Jeopardy! guy lost."  No idea why she would say that to me, or to any total stranger, but I was not happy about it.

I think a lot of people who don't watch Jeopardy regularly have been following James the way that you follow an interesting current event. Probably still not watching every day, but checking in occasionally just to see how things are going. Most likely that woman in the grocery store didn't even think that she was spoiling a TV show, so much as sharing a bit of interesting news.

That's probably also what's behind so many news shows and Facebook posters announcing the results, in a way that they would never have dreamed of spoiling, say, the ending of Game of Thrones. It might never occur to them that some people watch the show every day, and follow it just as avidly as any fictional drama. After all, it's "just" a game show.

[BuckeyeLou]

Awww....I'm rather sad to see the end of James' run....but Congrats to Emma for the win...I think she surprised herself.  Thought it was nice of James to give her a "high-five".  And James" daughter giving Alex a hand=made get=well card.  

[ByaNose]

Just saw this:

Holzhauer explained to The Action Network that he first was concerned with the contestant in third place, who had $11,000 heading into a Final Jeopardy,” Rovell wrote on Monday. “Doubling down would have gotten that contestant to $22,000, which would have been $1 less than if James would have missed. If James doubled down, he would have been at $46,800, but Boettcher seemed to have done the math perfectly as well. She got the question right and wagered $20,201, which gave her $46,801, a dollar more than what Holzhauer would’ve earned with a double-down bet.”

[Halting Hex]

While James had a chance to surpass Ken's $2,520,700 today, it's worth noting that Ken's total is worth $3,410,057.40 in current dollars.  So perhaps it wouldn't have been a record, in one sense of the word, after all.

Man, $2,520,700 just doesn't go as far as it used to, does it? 😞

[pennben]

yes both James and Emma bet optimally today for their respective positions. Nate was in the same position and made the same optimal bet a week or so ago and like James, what he did to optimize his chances from 2nd place lost out to a first place scenario which he couldn’t beat.

i really like James, but this was not a revolutionary betting strategy from the 2nd position that he employed here. The math has always been there and been used multiple times. 

[film noire]

8 hours ago, Booney said:

Different strokes and all that jazz, but I'm dreading the eventual return to the "regular show." I hope I'm wrong but if I had to wager, I'd bet that future contestants will return to the old style of playing - start at the top, work your way down, and bet timidly on DDs. For me, that will seem deadly boring after watching James' style of play. I'm not looking forward to it.

Me, too. 

Good for her for winning, but (for me) unless she has a dazzling streak (and playing style) like James, she ends up acting as a spoiler in the most exciting gameplaying I've seen on the show (and I've been watching for close to thirty years). To lose him for someone who might win only a few shows = salt in the wound (and I'm aware there are plenty of people looking forward to the game returning to the usual slower/less daring pacing - and to each his/her own! -- but I'm not one of them : ) 

Edited June 4, 2019 by film noire

[NYGirl]

I can't believe I was unspoiled!  I went about my day today not even seeing one thing about James losing.  Color me shocked!!  When they said she was a librarian I figured she'd give him a run for his money and she sure did.  She played so much like him. I kept thinking he was going to come back and win...surely she'll falter.  And she did not!! 

Anyway I will miss him and hope Emma has a long run.

I thoroughly enjoyed Alex doing Richard Nixon voices tonight though.  I nice break from his other accents.

[Tabasco Cat]

1 hour ago, Trillium said:

Well 8 freaking minutes before the end of the news, the anchor says “James run comes to end tonight”. F you media outlets and the dick that leaked the clip.

Amen to that.

1 hour ago, Rbonnie said:

Urgh but I would have been a lot happier if he had just beaten Ken’s earnings and Ken could have kept the 74 game streak,  but now Ken keeps both.  Darn.

Absolutely. KJ could have kept his consecutive-games-won title and I would have been satisfied with James holding the top-dollar record.

1 hour ago, irisheyes said:

Alex seemed genuinely touched. And genuinely shocked at the end of the game. 

I thought I heard Alex's voice breaking a little. The guy's like Jeopardy family now. And now KJ gets to gloat about his record remaining intact. He wrote some insulting tweets back at the time of the all-star tournament. I don't like Ken Jennings anymore. I think he's a dick.

1 hour ago, Ailianna said:

For all of you who were spoiled by news outlets--a woman I've never seen before walked up to me in the grocery store on the way home and said "The Jeopardy! guy lost."  No idea why she would say that to me, or to any total stranger, but I was not happy about it.

I would have told off anyone who did that to me and call them mean names right there in the store. Classless.

55 minutes ago, mojoween said:

However, I still knew about tonight because apparently if the show airs in four markets in Alabama at 9:30 in the morning it’s ok for everyone on Twitter to talk about the results.

I bet they have to get the brainpower shows on before they start drinkin'.

Edited June 4, 2019 by Tabasco Cat

[Grundoon59]

I enjoyed watching James during his run and will be interested in seeing him in the TOC.  Having been a losing political candidate in my past who actually ended up on stage informing the supporters of the winner that she had beaten me (definitely a weird night), I appreciate someone who can lose and win graciously and James has done both.  Bravo!

P.S. I knew the high five would get flack but Mother Grundoon and I both thought it was well intentioned on James' part.

[mwell345]

1 hour ago, Katy M said:

Some people think James threw the game.  

I haven’t seen this anywhere, but I was surprised that he bet so little in FJ.  So unlike him.  (Of course, she was ahead of him and bet a large amount, so I don’t know that it would have mattered), but I did think it was curious that he bet so little.

[Prevailing Wind]

53 minutes ago, Halting Hex said:

"Kit" is a common English diminutive for "Christopher", to this day.  Kit Lambert, the manager of The Who, was the first who came to my mind.

It's also Kit Carson's real name...Christopher Houston Carson.

[Halting Hex]

19 minutes ago, film noire said:

To lose him for someone who might win only a few shows = salt in the wound

Yeah, but if it becomes nothing but streak-after-streak, that could be just as boring.  You need the lows to throw the highs into relief, IMO.

Quote

"Don't you see?  If everyone is beautiful, then no one is!" —The Twilight Zone, "Number 12 Looks Just Like You"

That said, I wish Emma well.  

[DrScottie]

Wow. Mad respect to someone who absolutely dominated the show for weeks.

Congrats to Emma, the Giant Slayer. Long may she reign. 

[Tabasco Cat]

7 minutes ago, Prevailing Wind said:

It's also Kit Carson's real name...Christopher Houston Carson.

I didn't know that. My mother has a friend Mary whose husband;s name is Kit. I have to ask if his full first name is Charles.

[catlover79]

I heard about the leak, but somehow my mom didn't. I kept my mouth shut and didn't spoil it for her. Had I told her, I never would have heard the end of it. 😂

Anyway, no question that James will win it all when the next Tournament of Champions airs. The question is - by how much $$$$$?

[saber5055]

Al-bear Cam-moo.

[Never Again]

11 minutes ago, Tabasco Cat said:

And now KJ gets to gloat about his record remaining intact. He wrote some insulting tweets back at the time of the all-star tournament. I don't like Ken Jennings anymore. I think he's a dick.

Agree wholeheartedly with this.  Nobody seems to believe it, but it’s right there if you look! He’s a jerk with a nasty streak, and he does NOT want to stop being Mr. Jeopardy.  I saw Ken say it annoys him when they call him Jeopardy James, Ken goes, no, no, no, I’m the guy, me, I’m the Jeopardy guy!  He didn’t mind the challenge to his crown, he said he expected it,  but he didn’t like the name Jeopardy James!

On this note, it’s annoying knowing that all these falsely supportive comments and tweets from Ken about not minding James run were all taped after he lost. The first James show aired April 4 but in real time he lost March 12.  So Ken knew the whole time these last few months that he was saying this stuff that it didn’t matter because James didn’t surpass him. Though when I complained to my brother he said well how would Ken know, maybe Ken found out tonight like everyone else.  I’m fairly convinced he was in the insider loop and knew the day it happened

Anyone out there that knows whether Ken Jennings found it today, or months ago?

[mojoween]

33 minutes ago, mwell345 said:

 

Some people think James threw the game.

33 minutes ago, mwell345 said:

I haven’t seen this anywhere, but I was surprised that he bet so little in FJ.  So unlike him.  (Of course, she was ahead of him and bet a large amount, so I don’t know that it would have mattered), but I did think it was curious that he bet so little.

People were saying this on Twitter...to a reply that James himself wrote.  I mean, it takes a certain type of asshole to say that he threw it right to a guy’s FACE.

Also people were being shitheads about Emma so I hope she never ever goes on Twitter.

Edited June 4, 2019 by mojoween

[Arkay]

I started hearing a day or two ago that there were spoilers around, and I tried mightily to avoid them, but then everywhere I went today someone had something to say about tonight's game. 

I'm one of the ones who was ready to see James lose. That said, I do admire his skill and wit.  I found it very amusing that he changed his Twitter picture to Weird Al Yankovic's video, " "I Lost on Jeopardy." It's great because Art Fleming and Don Pardo participated in the video, and it reminded me of what Jeopardy used to look like back in the day.

I'm very content that someone like Emma won. She seems like a Jeopardy lifer, what with her thesis "What is Difficulty?" being based on Jeopardy. I hope she lasts for awhile.

[Dobian]

I didn't want James to win forever, I mean, I got really sick of watching Ken Jennings after awhile too.  But I did want to see James break the all-time money record.  Saying he threw the game is just stupid.  His challenger landed both daily doubles in Double Jeopardy, it's that simple.  On a typical day James would make about $30,000 off of those, tonight he made zero while she made about $11,000.  He bet a small amount on Final Jeopardy because he was in second place.  He had to position himself so if he got it wrong he would still be ahead of the third place guy, and if she got it wrong James would win because she had to bet big.

Edited June 4, 2019 by Dobian

[Tabasco Cat]

44 minutes ago, Rbonnie said:

On this note, it’s annoying knowing that all these falsely supportive comments and tweets from Ken about not minding James run were all taped after he lost. The first James show aired April 4 but in real time he lost March 12.  So Ken knew the whole time these last few months that he was saying this stuff that it didn’t matter because James didn’t surpass him.

That's pretty explosive stuff if true. Someone will find out. Count me among those who think he probably knew the day it happened. An entire studio audience witnessed the loss on March 12 and kept quiet about it for almost 3 months. Good on them.

[peeayebee]

I also was spoiled about the loss. I had clicked on an article this morning that I thought was simply about James, but lo and behold, there was the spoiler. I couldn't click out of it fast enuf.

Oh well. 

I was very impressed with everyone's play. Only one TS. (I said property taxes. I guess that's pretty dumb.)

I wonder if James wager was intended to create a significant final number, like he was doing with birthdays and such.

[Tabasco Cat]

37 minutes ago, mojoween said:

Also people were being shitheads about Emma so I hope she never ever goes on Twitter.

What sort of person does something like this? What lowlifes. I really think anti-"social media" encourages this behavior. So glad I don't do Twatter or any of the rest of it. It has made restaurants noticeably quieter, though, so it has at least that one saving grace.

[EllenB]

Although I think it's doubtful that James consciously threw the game, I did wonder if he was getting burned out or bummed out.  It's had to be weird for his family, and when he gave Alec the sweet card from his daughter, then seemed to be playing at half-James or lower, I wondered if he was tired, or had lost the thrill of pursuit.

[Clanstarling]

We were unspoiled until a friend texted at 7:30 while we were in the middle of watching the recording. She just asked if we'd seen it, but that was enough. 

I like the woman who won, but I am still wondering what a user experience librarian is.

I couldn't get Marlow for the life of me, I kept saying "muh...muh...DAMN!"

[Bastet]

I was spoiled this weekend, because I'm so used to just next unread topic-ing my way through this forum I didn't develop the habit of stopping to make sure the resurrected spoiler thread wasn't the next unread topic.  Oh well.  I would have liked to watch it not knowing the outcome, but I still enjoyed  watching the competition and seeing everyone's reaction to the result.

I was a little surprised by the one TS of cigarettes, because "these" rather than "this" spotted it being something referred to in the plural; I'd have thought cigarettes would have sprung to at least one of the three minds (especially with the way the game was going).

[zoey1996]

I saw some teasers today along the lines, “Will James surpass Ken’s $$$ record?”, but managed to stay unspoiled.  I prefer CBS news, Mr. Zoey likes ABC news, which we watched tonight, so I guess I should thank him for that!

Very good game tonight, as well. I like the new champ, but we’ll see if she’s a one and done.

I got FJ, but I noticed Kit, too!  

[calpurnia99]

My son's are on vacation in Mexico City. At 8pm, as soon as it ended,  I texted them that James lost. My son answered,  "we know, we heard about it yesterday!" Lol I'm happy I stayed unspoiled....see now that was sheer luck but I was a hermit all day. 

[freddi]

I have only been watching because of James (sorry, everyone, it's just my beastly schedule), so had really worked hard to stay off news and social media for the three hours before the West Coast air time (7:30 PM here).  I had no idea that it aired in the morning in some markets, and if I had known that, I would have been more prepared to avoid the spoilers -- but even though someone leaked the video, it seems inevitable that it would have been on the news once it aired anyplace.  I'll try to keep up with the show (and Emma!), but there is just a lot less tension (the good kind, keeps you on the edge of your seat) when we are less invested in one person.  It is fun to try to beat the buzzer, and I've know several contestants who love being "Jeopardy" alums.  I missed seeing the get-well card, so if anyone has an image, it would be great to see it!  

[pennben]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

I was spoiled this weekend, because I'm so used to just next unread topic-ing my way through this forum I didn't develop the habit of stopping to make sure the resurrected spoiler thread wasn't the next unread topic.

For the record, when spoilers started popping up for daily results a week or so ago, and I’m a spoiler hound in all cases, we hounds were thinking if we had the spoiler topic pop to the top every day, it would make it less likely that the topic being at the top of unread here would be a big clue that James lost. By spoiling daily and chatting about it, we thought we would make it less likely folks only on this site would be spoiled. Best intentions, and whatnot. 

Edited June 4, 2019 by pennben

[dcalley]

Damn Washington Post. I don't care that 229,330 households see it at 9:30 AM CT, most people don't.  https://mattcarberry.com/Jeopardy/j-airing.html#eastern.

[Bastet]

14 minutes ago, pennben said:

For the record, when spoilers started popping up for daily results a week or so ago, and I’m a spoiler hound in all cases, we hounds were thinking if we had the spoiler topic pop to the top every day, it would make it less likely that the topic being at the top of unread here would be a big clue that James lost-by spoiling daily and chatting about it, we thought we would make it less likely folks only on this site would be spoiled. Best intentions, and whatnot. 

I know.  I wasn't complaining about the thread being used, just noting that I hadn't yet trained my brain/finger to pause before clicking on Next Unread Topic as I'd done for years in order to avoid that thread.  I don't use social media, and none of the news outlets I read mentioned it, so if I hadn't read it here this weekend, I never would have come across a spoiler elsewhere -- if I had just been diligent in my clicking here, I wouldn't have known in advance.

And that would have been a different - and a bit better - viewing experience, but, as I said, I still enjoyed the game.  I was never as invested in him winning or losing as many people; I watch for the clues, not the contestants.  In spite of that, as time went on I got a bit bored with the blowout wins, but that had me rooting for closer games (no matter who won), not specifically that he lose.  But I don't care that he lost, or what his record is, either. 

He played very well, using a strategy different than those employed by previous big winners.  I enjoyed seeing it, but really not any more than I enjoy the game normally, because of what interests me about it, and I don't care that his run is over.

[Abstract]

Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!!

I finally got to see this, after being out with my daughter all evening, and I am so wired, I am not going to be able to sleep. That was the best game of Jeopardy I have ever seen in my life. 

I have known about this since Saturday and was strangely not upset about it. But I found myself nearly crying when I watched at all the emotion that was happening on screen. First I choked up when Alex showed the card from Natasha. Y'all, this was the next taping day after Alex made his announcement. So that means James went home, told his little girl that Alex was sick, and she made a card for him. 

The game! The most perfect game of Jeopardy ever ( only marred by Jay's flub of cigarettes, which even I got. Good grief). I got the shootout I was hoping for, without a doubt.

Then the end! Emma's huge FJ wager, the high five, the emotion in Alex's voice when he kept exclaiming at the results, the way he sounded like he's really going to miss James, yeah I choked up. Not ashamed of it. 

James is furiously calling people out on social media for accusing him of throwing the game or accusing Jeopardy of rigging things in some way. He said Emma played a perfect game and legitimately crushed him. He's acting like her biggest fan right now. 

Edited June 4, 2019 by Abstract

[crashdown]

2 hours ago, Rbonnie said:

I saw Ken say it annoys him when they call him Jeopardy James, Ken goes, no, no, no, I’m the guy, me, I’m the Jeopardy guy!  He didn’t mind the challenge to his crown, he said he expected it,  but he didn’t like the name Jeopardy James!

He was kidding. I'm constantly amazed that people don't get Ken's sense of humor. 

[Bastet]

16 minutes ago, Abstract said:

First I choked up when Alex showed the card from Natasha. Y'all, this was the next taping day after Alex made his announcement. So that means James went home, told his little girl that Alex was sick, and she made a card for him. 

I generally don't watch the interviews (other than rare occasions when I wind up not changing the channel/staying in the room during commercial break for some reason), and I indeed missed this one.  The timing does make the gesture particularly sweet, so thank you for sharing that tidbit (to give a hopelessly vague apology/due props, I think at least one other poster noted it as well; this is just the post that really drove it home for me).

17 minutes ago, Abstract said:

James is furiously calling people out on social media for accusing him of throwing the game or accusing Jeopardy of rigging things in some way. He said Emma played a perfect game and legitimately crushed him. He's acting like her biggest fan right now. 

I've seen some of that quoted here and in my email, and I  appreciate what I've read.  I wouldn't expect anything less from anyone in this position, but it's still nice to see.  It is so insulting to Emma to diminish her well-earned victory that way (yet, sadly, so expected, especially with a woman being the one to out play him), and, while less egregious, it's also insulting to James as a player/competitor/strategist, which, given his line of work, is probably even more aggravating to him than it would be to most.

[Pallida]

I don’t think anybody has pointed out that James was wearing a purple ribbon (pancreatic cancer awareness) on this episode too. 

[Dobian]

I guess certain people haven't thought about why a guy would throw the game that would have made him the all-time Jeopardy money winner.

[3 is enough]

Re Kit/Christopher I am surprised no one mentioned Kit Harrington. 

I am kind of sad that James lost.  I was enjoying his run, and now that most shows are in reruns it was nice to have something to look forward to watching.  Of course, I will still watch and there are new episodes until July 26, but it won't be quite the same.

Also, I had to say goodbye to my beloved almost 16 year old Westie this weekend, and that was more than enough change for me. 

[Abstract]

@3 is enough, I'm sorry about your Westie.

[3 is enough]

Thank you @Abstract. 

He was the subject of my anecdote at my audition.  It felt odd watching Jeopardy! without him.

[solarfire]

I was spoiled in two instances but I didn't know it. I work overnights so I'm asleep all day and when I wake up I watch Jeopardy! Meanwhile, before I went to bed in the morning, I saw my local paper say something like "can local contestant beat James?" I immediately thought no, they were just trying to get local people to watch.  I didn't click on the article. Then my brother phoned while I was asleep probably to discuss the Loss but I had a feeling not to phone him back until after I watched.

While I was watching the show, they said Emma was from the University of Chicago (not hers or my hometown) so I thought the newspaper was probably talking about tomorrow's show.  So I watched oblivious and unspoiled.  I was pretty much holding my breath from the 2nd DD until she actually won.  LOL.

Great run for James.  I wanted him to lose but I respected his game.  And even though he won't have the all time $$$ amount or the all time win streak, he'll never be forgotten.  So good for him.

Awesome win for Emma!!  Hope she lasts a little while 🙂

[Abstract]

I'm most disappointed about getting spoiled for FJ because I think I would have gotten it.

I'm so impressed by Emma and will be eagerly watching tomorrow, hoping she doesn't Nancy Zerg it. Seriously, everything I've thought a person should do to prep for Jeopardy, she's done it, plus some. She scraped the archive and analyzed it. She made her own signaling device. She played for years, keeping her scores and analyzing them. She out-Jamesed James.

But I'm realizing more and more that competing on Jeopardy is not for just the average smart person, though. Not unless you want to be cannon fodder.

Edited June 4, 2019 by Abstract

[kathyk2]

I don't think James threw the game at all. I think finding Double Jeopardy on the first clue of the game really hurt his chances since he couldn't build up a big score ahead of time. I've noticed that other contestants were choosing high dollar clues as well as James. I'll be curious to see what Emma's strategy is during the next game.