Jeopardy! Season 36 (2019-2020)

[Bastet]

When the picture of José Andrés came up, I immediately opened my mouth, because of course I know who that chef is, since he's famous as much for his philanthropy as his (delicious) cooking ... but then nothing came out.  I completely blanked on his name until just as the buzzer sounded.

It was a good game.  The barb TS surprised me, as did no one guessing minutemen, but while it was plenty of time for me to figure out the Wednesday clue, I'm not surprised it flew by for all three of them under game conditions.

I only missed one (the boxer's name) in the first round, but thanks to the Historic People on TV and Monsters Ink categories and my inability to spit out Beezlebub (what came out sounded like some strange portmanteau of Beetlejuice and Bartholomew; yeah, I don't know), I missed about half a dozen in DJ.  I never got further than "some type of snake" for FJ.  Hissing python, hissing rattlesnake, hissing cobra ... none sounded familiar as a phrase, and I didn't even think of copperhead (not that it would have sounded familiar as a phrase, either; I'd never heard it).

Edited March 1, 2020 by Bastet

[Trey]

20 hours ago, Bastet said:

Monsters Ink categories and my inability to spit out Beezlebub

I had pre-called Beelzebub since he was in the Starts and ends with B category.  When Aaron said bob I thought he was saying barb with a New England accent. I was waiting for them to give it to him🙂

The week started out so strongly for me with FJ gets on Monday and Tuesday but it just all went to hell after that.  I have actually heard of the Copperhead party but, even knowing they wanted a particular kind of snake, it didn't come to mind.

Three clues left in Spell it Like the Brits - I wish they had finished that one, since it is a good category for me.

That was a good, competitive game last night.  Wish more were like that.

Edited March 1, 2020 by Trey
Filled in missing word.

[Katy M]

1 hour ago, Trey said:

When Aaron said bob I thought he was saying barb with a New England accent. I was waiting for them to give it to him

I said bob and I meant bob.

[lb60]

5 hours ago, saber5055 said:

I am the only one here who has never heard of Cthulhu or what/who it is. Eh.

I had not a clue.

4 hours ago, saber5055 said:

Then don't hang around me because I'd have you in tears. I've never heard of him.

Now look what you did!!

 

[Clanstarling]

5 hours ago, peeayebee said:

I've heard of it but I've never heard it pronounced. I'm still not sure how to say it.

I stumbled through the pronunciation, and apparently got it right.

4 hours ago, dgpolo said:

I wish there was a 'me too' emoji

and I do hate pressing the 'go to this post' button only to have the page jump up and having to scroll down. ☹️

I got a ad blocking app specifically because of the frustrations with this issue. I use uBlock, which works pretty well on the desktop, not quite as well on a phone.  Some sites really object to you having an adblocker (ads are how they make their money, after all). Most will allow you to look anyway, but a few won't.

[Etta Place]

On 2/26/2020 at 1:03 PM, proserpina65 said:

Now I gotta know: which bookstore?  I used to work at a Borders, and we had a Dave Barry event as well.  And yes, he is a lovely person, one of the best celebs we ever had in store.

Yep, it was a Borders.

[Katy M]

23 hours ago, saber5055 said:

I am the only one here who has never heard of Cthulhu or what/who it is. Eh.

I think "hissing cockroach" should be given some kind of extra credit as a great answer.

The only reason I had ever heard of it was because they were talking about it in a Supernatural episode once.   Who says you don't learn anything from TV?  I also once got a clue right where the answer was duende because that was the title of a Highlander episode.  Never heard of it outside of that one episode.

[Sharpie66]

I’ve never read any HP Lovecraft myself, but I first heard of Cthulhu when I was 15 and read Stephen King’s nonfiction book about the history of the horror genre, Danse Macabre. He’s a big fan of Lovecraft. I had no idea how to pronounce the word though—I always said “Chuh-THOO-loo.”

[MrAtoz]

People seem to have mostly settled on the pronunciation Kuh-THOO-loo for Cthulhu.  Lovecraft himself transcribed various pronunciations over the years in his letters.  Maybe it doesn't really matter all that much.  The idea is that no human being can really pronounce his name correctly.  Cthulhu comes from a far distant galaxy, possibly another dimension.  His name is a completely alien word in a completely alien language, meant for completely alien vocal apparatus.  The series of letters CTHULHU is just a fumbling human attempt to transcribe a sound that we can never properly render.

I was a bit disappointed, although not surprised, that Cthulhu was a TS.  Lovecraftian themes have gotten a bit more popular attention in recent years, but they're still pretty obscure.  I would have loved to be playing in that game, though! 😀

[saber5055]

2 hours ago, MrAtoz said:

Cthulhu comes from a far distant galaxy, possibly another dimension.  His name is a completely alien word in a completely alien language, meant for completely alien vocal apparatus.

I'll bet Worf can pronounce it correctly.

[proserpina65]

On ‎02‎/‎29‎/‎2020 at 12:58 PM, saber5055 said:

I am the only one here who has never heard of Cthulhu or what/who it is. Eh.

I've heard the name (mainly in the old Television Without Pity American Idol threads) but did not know what it referred to or that Lovecraft created it, so I did not get that one right.

On ‎02‎/‎29‎/‎2020 at 11:46 PM, Etta Place said:

Yep, it was a Borders.

May I ask which one?

[saber5055]

We got a rerun here today, from Week 18 of Season 35, January 8, 2019. According to TheJeopardyFan.com, a real episode did air today in other markets. I get FJ clues/answers from Andy's TJF site, but I wonder if this happened in other markets. It really goofed my viewing pleasure.

Edited March 2, 2020 by saber5055

[chessiegal]

Both DC and Baltimore are showing a new show, but neither has aired yet.

[SoMuchTV]

8 hours ago, MrAtoz said:

 

I was a bit disappointed, although not surprised, that Cthulhu was a TS.  Lovecraftian themes have gotten a bit more popular attention in recent years, but they're still pretty obscure.  I would have loved to be playing in that game, though!

I kind  of knew the answer, and I kind of knew what letters were in it, but no way I would have guessed. I’m sure I would have been the recipient of an Alex “oh... soorry” (as in, “you were so close, you idiot”)

[saber5055]

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

Both DC and Baltimore are showing a new show, but neither has aired yet.

My schedule said a new episode was airing today here too, but it lied. That's not happened before. Here, anyway.

[chessiegal]

14 minutes ago, saber5055 said:

My schedule said a new episode was airing today here too, but it lied. That's not happened before. Here, anyway.

DC is currently airing the new episode.

[Katy M]

I got FJ after changing my answer from disciple.

I got the TSs of Niagara (just guessed what I figure to be the most famous waterfalls), monkey wrench, Uncle Tom's cabin (of course an aunt has to be married to an uncle), Tristram Shandy, Oceania, La Mer, and Lou Grant.

 

[lb60]

Good news: I got FJ, even though I was thinking more LDS, than Catholic.

Bad news: I find the new champ super annoying.

I also got Niagara and Lou Grant.

[Sharpie66]

I got Niagara and Lou Grant as well as Jean Gray (which I only remembered because I saw a CinemaWins ep about X2 just this weekend), and I got FJ right away.

[Browncoat]

I always get annoyed when Rosalind Franklin is not acknowledged.  Starting with those who originally did not acknowledge her -- Watson and Crick.

<ahem>  

Had to think for a second about FJ, but I got it in time to write it down.  Probably "The Book  Of Mormon" helped.

I also got Niagara, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Spain, La Mer, and Lou Grant.  Spain was a guess, and Uncle Tom's Cabin was an educated guess -- there's an aunt, so there must be an uncle.  What other book has an uncle in the title?

[annzeepark914]

3 minutes ago, lb60 said:

Bad news: I find the new champ super annoying.

Glad to know I'm not the only one. I had a hard time understanding him (I think Alex did as well). I also didn't like that OTT self-congratulatory jump. I may avoid Jeopardy for a while (watch--he'll be another James!)

[lb60]

16 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

.....(watch--he'll be another James!)

You take that back!

Now!

lol

[secnarf]

Ugh I just couldn't get the word for FJ to my brain in time. Didn't help that I also took a major detour with soldier (thanks to the year in the clue). I had gotten as far as evangelists, while still knowing that wasn't quite the right word.

[annzeepark914]

When Alex said missionaries, I felt awful. My great uncle was a missionary, killed in the Boxer Rebellion. I somehow thought they were looking for the name of the people telling everyone about Jesus back then, so I wrote disciples. Oh well. 

[Bastet]

Several surprising TS tonight: Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852 and had to have Uncle Something in the title?), Tristram Shandy (when Alex's response made clear Bruce had the right character, just pronounced it slightly wrong), Lou Grant, and Oceania.

I'm also a bit surprised FJ was a TS, because if I can correctly guess something about religion/mythology, I figure at least one of of three J! contestants can, too.  Maybe they all thought "missionaries" was too simple to be the answer, because preaching at people around the world about their god made me immediately think of missionaries, but I figured it was some specific group/type of missionaries that I didn't know.

Edited March 3, 2020 by Bastet

[peeayebee]

I got Niagara, Beast, La Mer, monkey wrench, and Lou Grant.

FJ seemed too easy, but I stuck with missionaries. Asterisk!

[theatremouse]

I was so bummed none of them knew Lou Grant.

[DrSpaceman73]

3 hours ago, Browncoat said:

I always get annoyed when Rosalind Franklin is not acknowledged.  Starting with those who originally did not acknowledge her -- Watson and Crick.

<ahem>  

Had to think for a second about FJ, but I got it in time to write it down.  Probably "The Book  Of Mormon" helped.

I also got Niagara, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Spain, La Mer, and Lou Grant.  Spain was a guess, and Uncle Tom's Cabin was an educated guess -- there's an aunt, so there must be an uncle.  What other book has an uncle in the title?

that annoyed me too about Rosalind Franklin. 

James Watson did undergrad at my alma mater, Indiana University.  He came there to speak when I was a freshman, 1992.  It was a huge deal.  He at the time I think was working on the human genome project at the NIH.  He was a beloved figure and a hero in the biology department for his contribution to the field.  There was a huge ceremony, literally hundreds or maybe even a thousand people show up to hear him speak.  They ran out of room, had to put people in overflow. 

he then proceeds to give a speech that manages to piss off everyone, for various reasons, one of which was by making several terribly sexist comments, including about how he tried to surround himself with attractive young coeds when doing research to assist him.  Some people literally walked out they were so mad.  People were shocked, disappointed, stunned. 

Now one could argue, at the time, he was older, times had changed, maybe its a case of him being out of touch with the modern days.  Or maybe it was just a one off, maybe he was not really like that.  But then you read his book The Double Helix, about how "he" and Crick "discovered" the DNA structure, with the help of Rosalind Franklin's pictures without her permission, and without acknowledging her, and you learn no, that is really how he is and how he acts.  That appearance and speech is completely consistent with his personality, a true reflection of him, a totally self centered sexist, and racist, based on other incidents, ass. 

Did anyone else think the new champ reminded them of Jason from The Good Place?

[solarfire]

Different strokes and all that... but I like the new Champion and hated the previous one. I got Lou Grant, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Niagara and Spain.  FJ I had no clue but guessed disciples.  Missionaries never entered my brain although know more than enough about religions.

[GreekGeek]

I also was sad that nobody knew Lou Grant. I'd love to see reruns of his spinoff show. 

Missionaries as a TS surprised me as well. I wondered if it was too broad and they were looking for a specific group, like the Salvation Army.

I'm OK with the new champ. He sounds as though English isn't his first language. If he didn't grow up in America, it would explain why he didn't get the Niagara DD.

[Clanstarling]

12 hours ago, lb60 said:

Good news: I got FJ, even though I was thinking more LDS, than Catholic.

And I almost didn't get it because I was thinking LDS and thinking the date didn't really support that (though, of course, it did)

12 hours ago, Browncoat said:

I always get annoyed when Rosalind Franklin is not acknowledged.  Starting with those who originally did not acknowledge her -- Watson and Crick.

She was acknowledged on our couch.

12 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Glad to know I'm not the only one. I had a hard time understanding him (I think Alex did as well). I also didn't like that OTT self-congratulatory jump. I may avoid Jeopardy for a while (watch--he'll be another James!)

He struck me as an English as a second language speaker having trouble wrapping his mouth around some words. Or a speech impediment.

11 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

When Alex said missionaries, I felt awful. My great uncle was a missionary, killed in the Boxer Rebellion. I somehow thought they were looking for the name of the people telling everyone about Jesus back then, so I wrote disciples. Oh well. 

Now I understand the reasoning behind the answer "disciples," AND finally what was important about the date. Thank you.

10 hours ago, Bastet said:

Several surprising TS tonight: Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852 and had to have Uncle Something in the title?), Tristram Shandy (when Alex's response made clear Bruce had the right character, just pronounced it slightly wrong), Lou Grant, and Oceania.

I hated, hate hate hated, Tristram Shandy. It is the single book during my lit major years that I bought a Cliff's notes for (which were as bad as reading the book - so I think I did both). So, needless to say, I got it wrong - which even with all that I shouldn't have, but I didn't read or hear the Shandy name at the end of the clue.

9 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

Did anyone else think the new champ reminded them of Jason from The Good Place?

The hair cut a little.

2 hours ago, GreekGeek said:

I also was sad that nobody knew Lou Grant. I'd love to see reruns of his spinoff show.

I think we watched some on one of the streaming services. Prime, Netflix, or Hulu. I'm not sure which.

[Etta Place]

19 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

May I ask which one?

It was the Palo Alto store. I can’t remember the number (...ah, 98 - I have some books I’m getting rid of that have the sticker on them).

As for last night’s game, I got the FJ although it felt oddly broad to me and I could t make anything of the date. The new champ isn’t my favorite but neither was the last one. 

[DXD526]

I knew the Lou Grant clue before Alex was done reading it, had an awful feeling it was going to be a TS, and it was. *sigh* 

FJ was such an instaget, I tried to think of what else it might be. Was shocked it was a TS, but I'll take the *!

[annzeepark914]

11 hours ago, theatremouse said:

I was so bummed none of them knew Lou Grant.

That was such a good show. Excellent writing and acting. Are there any shows like LG today? 

[Quickbeam]

I loved Lou Grant, my heart broke a bit when it was a TS. Plus, so old.......

I think the winner has a significant speech impediment. He almost choked on that one answer. 

[peeayebee]

13 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

Did anyone else think the new champ reminded them of Jason from The Good Place?

Uh... no.

[annzeepark914]

4 hours ago, Quickbeam said:

I think the winner has a significant speech impediment. He almost choked on that one answer. 

Yes. He seemed to choke over words several times. But he sure is smart. I liked that he was not only very knowledgeable re: math & science, but also music. 

[proserpina65]

16 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

Now one could argue, at the time, he was older, times had changed, maybe its a case of him being out of touch with the modern days.  Or maybe it was just a one off, maybe he was not really like that.  But then you read his book The Double Helix, about how "he" and Crick "discovered" the DNA structure, with the help of Rosalind Franklin's pictures without her permission, and without acknowledging her, and you learn no, that is really how he is and how he acts.  That appearance and speech is completely consistent with his personality, a true reflection of him, a totally self centered sexist, and racist, based on other incidents, ass. 

I had read that about him.  Ugh.

Not a fan of the new champ, wasn't a fan of Aaron or Mackenzie either.

 

[SoMuchTV]

I found it interesting that Bruce knew Lebron James’s hometown, but didn’t know how to pronounce it (ack-ron vs ackr’n). But I can’t really fault that, it just implies that he gets his knowledge from reading rather than listening. 

[Katy M]

I didn't keep score or write down my TSs because I missed the first category because of election returns.

I did get FJ.  I know ova is eggs.  And I know that vert is green in French so that was close.

I was surprised Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum was a TS. I got that.  Also Nicholas Nickleby.    And I noticed that I got all the questions right in Luke.

I had no idea where Lebron was from. I guessed Cinci.

[chessiegal]

Members of the Association of Firearms and Toolmark Examiners (AFTE) would take exception to the ballistics answer. Every time I gave a tour of our forensic lab, the firearms examiners always explained what they do is not ballistics (ballistics is the field of mechanics concerned with the launching, flight behavior and impact effects of projectiles, especially ranged weapon munitions such as bullets, unguided bombs, rockets or the like;) What they do is firearms identification.

[Bastet]

The episode will be preempted for Super Tuesday coverage here, so I just read the archive.

I’m bummed no one knew “Just a Girl” (or at didn't know/remember who sang it) – I love that song.  I also love “Brass in Pocket”, so that one was a bit of a bummer, too.  No one getting "How Sweet It Is" surprised me a bit.

As did the Philistine, Nicholas Nickleby, and Tweedledee and Tweedledum TS.

I only missed one in the first round (ham), but several in DJ -- mostly in the Luke category.  I kind of threw up my hands, figuring there was a specific person or place being sought that I didn't know, when I should have thought of more general answers like good samaritan and temple.

I usually don't do well with clues about children's books, either, but FJ was an instaget thanks to recognizing "green eggs".

[Driad]

I got FJ from "green eggs" too.  I haven't read "Green Eggs and Ham" but in in high school Latin we read "Winnie Ille Pu."

[annzeepark914]

Well, that was quick.  One and done for Bruce.  I like the new champ and was pulling for him. Surprised no one got Tweedledum & Tweedledee and James Taylor's "How Sweet It Is"...such a great song.

The first few minutes of the game were not seen here thanks to an update on Super Tuesday (sheesh...6% in so far, folks!) so we saw it starting with the food category's answer: stew.

Edited March 4, 2020 by annzeepark914

[Browncoat]

I missed a bit at the beginning, too, thanks to election coverage (can't they do that between shows?), but it didn't look like I missed too  terribly much.  

I got FJ from eggs -- I couldn't think of another children's book that had eggs in the title.  This was a case, though, where the third place contestant should have bet zero.

I also got the TS of Tweedledee and Tweedledum, How Sweet It Is, and Brass In Pocket.

[SoMuchTV]

Another team win on FJ.  My initial thought was, isn't this Dr. Seuss's birthday or somewhat close to it?  Then when the clue came up, I hoped my 2 years of high school Latin would help, but all I got was "egg?"  The Mr. had to put it together to get the right response.

Edited March 4, 2020 by SoMuchTV
I should at least spell Dr. S's name correctly.

[lb60]

It's Read Across America Week.

Today's theme: wear green.

Today's book: Green Eggs and Ham.

FJ=instaget.

I think I still would have gotten it right, but it helps that I have Dr. Seuss on the brain this week. His birthday was yesterday, so I'm a little surprised this wasn't yesterday's FJ.

13 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

He struck me as an English as a second language speaker having trouble wrapping his mouth around some words. Or a speech impediment.

Today I thought it was a little of both. Seems like his tongue is too big for his mouth.

50 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

Surprised no one got Tweedledum & Tweedledee and James Taylor's "How Sweet It Is"...such a great song.

The first few minutes of the game were not seen here thanks to an update on Super Tuesday (sheesh...6% in so far, folks!) so we saw it starting with the food category's answer: stew.

I got both of those.

I missed the introductions because of election coverage, and I swear it threw the whole game off for me. 

Edited March 4, 2020 by lb60

[Sharpie66]

I ended up with Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dee, Nicholas Nickleby, Talented Mr. Ripley, and FJ-Green Eggs and Ham. I knew all of the song titles, but not within the time allotted.

i did my final paper for my Victorian Lit class on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland so I got that one right off. (Still have that paper in my keepsakes bin 34 years later—one of my favorite papers from my English major.)

[Grundoon59]

In grad school 30+ years ago, a friend and I did T-Dum and T-Dee for a Halloween party even though we looked nothing alike until the alcohol kicked in (happy memories) so I felt bad that they were a TS.  

For Nicholas Nickleby, my brain got as far as "that one that the RSC turned into the really long play starring Roger Rees" but I doubt I would have gotten credit for that.

[solarfire]

Didn't expect Bruce to go out so quickly, but he needed to get FJ right but didn't.  That seems to be happening a lot lately.  I worked out FJ fairly easily when I saw ova and then virent/viret since I know a little bit of Latin via Spanish.  I also got How Sweet it is and Brass in Pocket.