The Jeopardy! All-Star Games

[Kathira]

Now I remember why people didn't like Matt. It's the flat serial killer eyes. He's a very dominating player, though. I like both him and Ken - another dominating player with a flat affect (at least when he's playing). On the other hand, I also like Buzzy, so there's no accounting for taste. FJ was an instaget tonight, but I missed the same TS's they did.

[SuperCam1]

Wow can't believe Julia Missed that FJ!

Hoping Team Julia can have a comeback tommorow and get in as a wildcard.

[saber5055]

42 minutes ago, ClareWalks said:

Unpopular opinion: I love Matt Jackson.

I have the same opinion. I love Matt for all the same reasons you gave. I especially like his going for the next clue while AT is trying to pad the episode with needless jabber. Loved his play today, not that his being on my Fantasy Team has anything to do with that.

Ken's face was hilarious after Matt's big DD bet that he answered correctly. It made me laugh so hard I couldn't hear the next clue.

35 minutes ago, ClareWalks said:

And we all know how much Alex Trebek likes to (over)pronounce foreign words

You mean like today, when he read a clue and pronounced "Barcelona" as if it had 30 syllables?

41 minutes ago, Mrs Shibbles said:

Apparently forte is only correctly  pronounced for-tay when using it as a musical term.

That was a big talking point on Celebrity Apprentice when one team named itself Forté and pronounced it for-tay when it should have been fort. Don't hate me for watching that craptastic show, it helped me form an opinion that I still hold today, so there's that.

HEY! I got Spike Jones. My mom loved him so I couldn't help but know who he was. He was hilarious and so much fun "back in the day."

When I saw FJ category, I thought, "Finally, yeay, my BFA will come in handy." Alps are in Italy so I thought Michaelangelo right away, but "de Medici" was his patron, not his name. So I went to Rembrandt, then started wondering was that his first or last name. Then time ran out. So no FJ for me today, Contest Master. I obviously overlooked the tip off of North Sea. *sigh*

[Jesse]

I'm sorry to some of you, but I now want a full half-hour of Team Ken strategizing, because Monica with those two is killing me!

[mojoween]

Wow Monica was SUPER annoying during FJ.  Also it’s rude because it could distract the other players.  

Alex shut up.  I don’t know Leonard but I wanted to hear more about his PhD pursuit.

I did not did not did NOT like Matt when he first started on his run but came around towards the end.  Now I really appreciate his serial killer efficiency.  I think they should have saved him until day 2’s DJ, though.

[Browncoat]

I wasn't a Matt fan during his first run, and I can't say that I am now (I think it's the dead eyes), but I do appreciate the speed with which he chooses and answers clues.  I think "stone cold" is a good descriptor for him, at least when he's playing the game.

I also appreciated that Alex pronounced "forte" correctly! 

For FJ, Rembrandt was the only European artist I could think of.  I wrote it down, then waffled on whether or not that was his last name.  But I stuck with it, so good for me!

[GreekGeek]

1 hour ago, saber5055 said:

HEY! I got Spike Jones. My mom loved him so I couldn't help but know who he was. He was hilarious and so much fun "back in the day."

When I saw FJ category, I thought, "Finally, yeay, my BFA will come in handy." Alps are in Italy so I thought Michaelangelo right away, but "de Medici" was his patron, not his name. So I went to Rembrandt, then started wondering was that his first or last name. Then time ran out. So no FJ for me today, Contest Master. I obviously overlooked the tip off of North Sea. *sigh*

For your listening pleasure... Spike Jones was before my time too, but I remember laughing out loud when I first heard this on the Dr. Demento show way back when.

Did anyone else get FJ from the old Charles Laughton movie on the life of Rembrandt? Sad that Julia was the only one who missed it.

10 minutes ago, mojoween said:

Alex shut up.  I don’t know Leonard but I wanted to hear more about his PhD pursuit.

Yes, I did not appreciate that "joke" about Leonard planning to be a student until he qualifies for the Seniors Tournament (which I wish they would revive, btw). Getting a Masters and a Ph.D. does NOT = being a perpetual student.

[peeayebee]

Spike Jones was before my time, but I got it. Just those bits of trivia one picks up.

However, I said Michaelangelo for FJ. Even if I had thought about Rembrandt and his last name, I wouldn't have known that was right.

[Bastet]

Holy crap, Ken’s team is on fire; I forgot just how good Matt is.

I hope the appearance that Ben was dominating the discussion of how Team Julia should wager in FJ was just due to showing a truncated version.  And I can’t believe she missed FJ; bummer!

Alex has many flaws, but bless him for being among the few left to pronounce forte correctly. 

Olive oil was the only TS that surprised me tonight, and that because vinegar - which I also guessed first, like Roger - was ruled out.  Actually, Spike Jones a little bit, too.

I learned what a qanat is by playing Scrabble.  And re-watching Die Hard With a Vengeance (the only Die Hard movie I like, thanks to Samuel L. Jackson’s role) on TV just last night made 21st president = Chester A. Arthur fresh in my mind.

Edited February 27, 2019 by Bastet

[Grundoon59]

I was sorry Julia flamed out since her teammate Seth was my favorite player in the double Jeopardy round.  I admired Matt's speed, breadth of knowledge and guts but I liked Seth's easygoing manner.  

I got FJ by thinking of artists known by first names and then added the Northern European factor from the clue.  

Still not really enjoying this but will probably continue to watch.  This probably says more about me than I'd like.

I actually had to cheer for Trebek tonight because forte's pronunciation has been a long time Grundoon family pet peeve.  Going to hide in a corner now.

[3 is enough]

On a more shallow note, does it appear that Roger Craig has more hair than he did back when he first appeared on the show?  Or is he just combing it differently?

Julia looks quite different. Hopefully her team can have a better day tomorrow. 

I think  the rest of the tournament will be regular format games and less chit-chat. 

[saber5055]

50 minutes ago, mojoween said:

Now I really appreciate his serial killer efficiency.  I think they should have saved him until day 2’s DJ, though.

Boldface above is mine because that's the best description I've seen to describe Matt's play. I think he's a hoot.

I think players can switch out what part they play in their second game. It's all happenin' in those strategy meetings!

I got a laugh out of Monica's interview, "Parents, don't let your kids go on Jeopardy if you want them to be doctors." She's witty plus smart. And she looked embarrassed by her college video replay, which was funny in itself. Ken Jennings tweeted that she was wearing his team colors today.

[Enigma X]

4 hours ago, saber5055 said:

I hope some of you guys stick around for the regular season. It's nice hearing from some new faces. Or rather, new avatars.

I watch the regular season but don’t check this forum. Too many posts for me. I have the posts come to my email box. 

[Bastet]

8 minutes ago, Grundoon59 said:

I actually had to cheer for Trebek tonight because forte's pronunciation has been a long time Grundoon family pet peeve.  Going to hide in a corner now. 

No, come back out - we need to unite and reclaim the word's proper pronunciation!  I found myself avoiding it when speaking for a while because I grew tired of the confused look it usually inspired, and then decided, screw it; maybe they'll ask (or go home and look it up) and learn something new for the day. 

[lb60]

I'm not a fan of the person, but I thought Roger's suit was very nice. 

#graspingatstrawstofindthingstocommentonduringthistournament

[saber5055]

58 minutes ago, GreekGeek said:

For your listening pleasure...

Thank you @GreekGeek!

[opus]

Anyone who’s left because of partial games, come back. The schedule shows full games each night the rest of the tournament.

[Toothbrush]

I like both Matt & Buzzy, so not sure what tat says about me...

I got the TS of olive oil, and FJ was a complete guess that turned out to be right. GFM 🍹

Hate that Julia missed FJ. I really like her. Don't remember Roger Craig but I didn't particularly like what I saw. 

I find Monica annoying & not as delightful as she seems to think she is. 

Edited February 27, 2019 by Toothbrush

[Katy M]

11 hours ago, ClareWalks said:

Edited to add: Trebek pronounced forte like "fort" and it really bothered me.

That's actually the correct pronunciation.  

[ABay]

Rembrandt (van Rijn) was an instaget. Yay, me.

With regard to Barcelona, shut up Trebek. The language there is Catalan, not Spanish, and in Catalan you say the C like an S. So it's Bars-a-lona not Barthalona unless you're Spanish. Or implying Spanish is correct and Catalan is not. It's kind of a touchy subject.

[PaulaO]

I answered El Greco, but then realized that the North Sea is, you know, north.  I did not know that Rembrandt was the painter's first name.  I realized why I can't stand Roger Craig.  He rings in, then stands like a deer in the headlights.  His demeanor reminds me of Uriah Heep.  "I'm an 'umble man."

I'm still confused by the format but at this point, I'm just watching cuz it's fun to see such great players.

[ClareWalks]

1 hour ago, Katy M said:

That's actually the correct pronunciation.  

I was corrected immediately after that post, LOL. I had never heard anyone pronounce it "fort" in that context so I was thrown off.

[Abstract]

Roger and Brad should go out and get drunk together and commiserate on their spectacular DJ failures. Poor guys, that’s got to hurt.

[zoey1996]

46 minutes ago, ABay said:

With regard to Barcelona, shut up Trebek. The language there is Catalan, not Spanish, and in Catalan you say the C like an S. So it's Bars-a-lona not Barthalona unless you're Spanish. Or implying Spanish is correct and Catalan is not. It's kind of a touchy subject.

I first heard it pronounced Barthalona on Trial & Error, and was curious why it was pronounced that way.  Looked it up, and either way is OK, with preference given to Barsalona unless you're actually Spanish,

Felt bad for Julia's missed FJ.  I didn't know it either.  Some of the regular clues are difficult, others not so much,  "It's easy if you know it."

[Enigma X]

30 minutes ago, Abstract said:

Roger and Brad should go out and get drunk together and commiserate on their spectacular DJ failures. Poor guys, that’s got to hurt.

Your post just brought to my attention that every time I said Dave/David that I meant Brad. Oh boy!

[proserpina65]

14 hours ago, ClareWalks said:

Unpopular opinion: I love Matt Jackson. I'm not sorry about it. The guy doesn't fuck around, he doesn't ring in when he doesn't know the answer. He's smart as hell with a very broad knowledge base. He doesn't try to crack wise or humor Trebek's lame jokes. He's fast and knows his shit. Also, and this is just a personal thing, he seems to show signs of ASD and I like that he's a role model for others who might be atypical (including loved ones I am very close with).

Edited to add: Trebek pronounced forte like "fort" and it really bothered me.

I'm still not a fan, but I do have a better appreciation of his speed and knowledge than I used to.  Perhaps in comparison to some others, I've decided he isn't too bad? ;-)

I felt so bad for Julia on the FJ.  I knew the answer, but it took me a minute even though Rembrandt is my favorite artist.  I made the mistake of starting with "artist in Switzerland or Germany?" but quickly focused on the river instead and knew it had to be Rembrandt van Rijn.  She might've done the same kind of thing but never got to the river.

14 hours ago, Mrs Shibbles said:

Me too, and then I learned  he was right! Apparently forte is only correctly  pronounced for-tay when using it as a musical term.

https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/1545/is-forte-pronounced-fort-or-for-tay

Hey, I learn something new all the time from Jeopardy.  I was with you on the pronunciation.

[proserpina65]

13 hours ago, saber5055 said:

HEY! I got Spike Jones. My mom loved him so I couldn't help but know who he was. He was hilarious and so much fun "back in the day."

I was all "Spike Lee?  No, Spike Mulligan?  Also no.".  I knew who they wanted but could not come up with the correct name.

[proserpina65]

8 hours ago, Toothbrush said:

I got the TS of olive oil,

I think that's the only one I got, probably because I use it as a salad dressing a lot.  (I did immediately think "mayonnaise" though.)

[Browncoat]

I just said "oil" for the olive oil one -- would I have gotten a BMS, or would I have been ruled correct?

[peeayebee]

7 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

I made the mistake of starting with "artist in Switzerland or Germany?"

Yeah, I tried to think of a Swiss artist and, coming up blank, abandoned that quickly. I then settled on thinking of one-named artists and picked Rembrandt* without much thought.
*I meant to type Michaelangelo. I didn't get Rembrandt.

6 hours ago, Browncoat said:

I just said "oil" for the olive oil one -- would I have gotten a BMS, or would I have been ruled correct?

I also said just oil. I think Alex would have said BMS. Maybe I would thought to say olive.

Edited February 27, 2019 by peeayebee
boo-boo

[snarktini]

FWIW, I've only been watching for a year so I actually don't know the players! I appreciate some introduction and back story. (Maybe not quite as much as we're getting, but the challenge may have been there wasn't enough room to do any in a single half hour but there's too much room in an hour so it's padded out quite a bit.) The only one I'd ever heard of before was Ken. And I watched last year's ToC so I know Buzzy, Austin, and Alan. 

I don't usually post here because we  record and watch a day later, which makes it hard to interact with the forum. I don't want to see spoilers for FJ -- that's not fair to my BF whom I watch with -- and by the time I've caught up it I don't remember what I wanted to post and the next day's comments have arrived anyway.

None of the players bug me much, thankfully 🙂 I guess I like big and quirky personalities? I have been accused of being one, TBH. And if the chatter annoys me I always have a FFD button. I understand that networks need gimmicks and promotions. It is what keeps money coming in and shows on the air. I'll be happy to go back to regular game play but this is a decent diversion. Recording does seem to be the key. Watching live would be maddening!

The only thing that's bugging me is "tell me how Jeopardy changed your life" framing. It feels very self-serving for Alex & the show. 

[Lois Sandborne]

I learned my lesson and watched Monday and Tuesday's games in one go last night. I'm glad each episode will be a full match from here on out.

I said oil at the same time Roger was saying vinegar. I also laughed at the thought that a land of vinegar and honey would seem idyllic to anyone.  FJ was out of my league; art combined with geography?  I never had a chance.  I too was sorry to see Julia whiff it, though, after she was so confident in the category.  I hope her team picks up steam in the second game and earns the wild card spot.  They just have to beat Colby's team total, right?

It was cool to see Ken back in the game, still sharp and still fast.  I'm looking forward to him in DJ.  I liked seeing Ben too; I remember his first run and his TOC win over Julia (and Austin).  He's got such a great demeanor.  I didn't mind Matt as much in this strictly limited dose when I know he won't be around for an interminable streak.  He certainly has an impressive knowledge bank.  Austin will always grate.

[saber5055]

1 hour ago, Browncoat said:

I just said "oil" for the olive oil one -- would I have gotten a BMS, or would I have been ruled correct?

That all depends on whether Trebek said, "Yes, olive oil" before the judges signaled in his earpiece that they wanted BMS. Trebek does like to give the full answer when players do not.

Personally, I would ask for BMS since I use corn oil and canola oil, plus there is just plain old vegetable oil. I'll let you know when I get asked to host this show.

[opus]

48 minutes ago, saber5055 said:

I'll let you know when I get asked to host this show.

Okay. I can wait a week.

[Driad]

1 hour ago, saber5055 said:

I'll let you know when I get asked to host this show.

Then we can have a "STFU, Saber5055" game?  Let us know your beverage preferences (Driad said crisply).

JK, but there were several "STFU, Alex" moments yesterday. If I had been drinking alcohol I would have done even worse on FJ than I did (Michelangelo).

[PaulaO]

3 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

I think that's the only one I got, probably because I use it as a salad dressing a lot.  (I did immediately think "mayonnaise" though.)

So did I!  Lincoln's favorite condiment, you know (knowledge courtesy of Felix Unger when he was on Password).

[proserpina65]

2 hours ago, snarktini said:

Recording does seem to be the key. Watching live would be maddening!

It definitely helps when I record regular matches and watch them later.  Let's just say, I never watch an interview when I do that.

Edited February 27, 2019 by proserpina65
My original sentence was annoyingly repetitive

[saber5055]

1 hour ago, Driad said:

Then we can have a "STFU, Saber5055" game?

You can have that game now given I'm one of the more pesky posters here. That, plus I can hear many of you thinking it. Might as well get some hydration out of it!

[Dobian]

So how did Ken Jennings manage to land the best player who isn't Ken Jennings?  They might as well just hand this team the trophy now.

[Evenshorter]

Monica is giving me motion sickness.

[opus]

1 hour ago, Dobian said:

So how did Ken Jennings manage to land the best player who isn't Ken Jennings?  

Brad got traded to Ken’s team?

[Browncoat]

Well, hell.  Both Team Austin and Team Colby made it to the wild-card round.  I guess I have to root for Team Buzzy in those games -- the lesser of three evils.

I wasn't impressed with Monica tonight.  She either needs a different top with sleeves she doesn't have to play with all the time, or she just needs to stop playing with her sleeves.  I thought she was going to hurt herself with the buzzer, too.

I am embarrassed to say that I whiffed FJ.  It should have been an instaget!  I have no excuse.  But I did get the TS of Perrotta, five and dime, desert, and Cro-Magnon. 

Did it sound to anyone else like Alex said "Cro-Magnum"?  I would have thought he'd be all over pronouncing that one correctly.

[catrice2]

I am traumatized by the sight of Colby dancing...I did not need that. I have still not warmed up to this format, but as a die hard fan I feel obligated to watch it through.  I am pleased with Leonard's performance.  Matt never bothered me like he did others, so I am glad his team is doing well.  Overall, I can't wait to go back to the normal games. 

[saber5055]

36 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

Did it sound to anyone else like Alex said "Cro-Magnum"?

A cro-magnum would be a 2-liter bottle of champagne, right?

13 minutes ago, catrice2 said:

I am traumatized by the sight of Colby dancing

It made me start laughing and I had a difficult time stopping.

13 minutes ago, catrice2 said:

I can't wait to go back to the normal games. 

Whereas I want to keep seeing these players every day for the rest of my life. (I don't have that long to go so humor me.)

36 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

She either needs a different top with sleeves she doesn't have to play with all the time, or she just needs to stop playing with her sleeves.

She was highly nervous. Read her tweets on what it took for her to bet FJ in the last round (@monica_too_). Great insight into the stress she was under.

The FJ category was good with me. I was alive during some of the 1900s. Then the clue was revealed and I was like, "What? Who?" Then the answer was revealed and I was like, "Huh? Gah!" Total loss for me. I couldn't have answered if the answer were given to me.

I did get Five And Dime (this was a clue/answer not too many games ago) and Desert. Not that I could have answered most of the clues those players answered, which cancels out any inkling of me feeling smart.

Now I'll STFU so ya'll can go have a drink. *slurp*

Edited February 28, 2019 by saber5055

[Jesse]

1 hour ago, Browncoat said:

Did it sound to anyone else like Alex said "Cro-Magnum"?  I would have thought he'd be all over pronouncing that one correctly.

Along those lines, I thought it was Neandertal now, no H?

[lb60]

I got five and dime and desert tonight.  

I'm pretty impressed with myself.  ;-)  

[saber5055]

Did anyone catch Ken's E. Buzz Miller's pronunciation of "Titian"?

[Grundoon59]

I got the TS of Dominion Day being July 1 - Detroit and Windsor do joint fireworks in late June to celebrate it and the 4th.  

Also got Cro-Magnon (read those books ages ago). Agree with pronunciation issue being odd.  Love the Cro-Magnum definition (could it also refer to the Tom Selleck version of Magnum P.I.?)

Yes Saber5055 I did notice all the letters of Titian being pronounced.  Clearly information gained through reading, not speech.

Edited February 28, 2019 by Grundoon59
Adding Titian comment.

[jaybird2]

On 2/26/2019 at 7:37 PM, ClareWalks said:

Unpopular opinion: I love Matt Jackson. I'm not sorry about it. The guy doesn't fuck around, he doesn't ring in when he doesn't know the answer. He's smart as hell with a very broad knowledge base. He doesn't try to crack wise or humor Trebek's lame jokes. He's fast and knows his shit. Also, and this is just a personal thing, he seems to show signs of ASD and I like that he's a role model for others who might be atypical (including loved ones I am very close with).

Edited to add: Trebek pronounced forte like "fort" and it really bothered me.

i also love matt!  i'm glad he's on ken's team as these two are my all time favorites.

[Bastet]

Desert Fox was a surprising TS, as were five and dime and Cro-Magnon.  I’m also a bit surprised no one at least guessed Portland.

In the USS Missouri clue, it just said “USS ___,” but didn’t Alex say “USS this state”?

Including pictures in three of the African-American Actresses clues was ridiculous.

FJ was one of those things I didn't know I knew until it came flying out of my mouth as soon as I finished reading the clue. 

I'm sorry to see Team Julia go, as I really like her and Ben, but they under performed and that's what happens.  Painful to be the one team not going forward, but this is a pretty damn good group to be the worst of.