BS: Boycott Jeopardy!

Subject: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 08:46 PM

Okay, for a little balance from the serious issues in my life, I've decided to ask you all to join me in this little protest. For those of you who don't watch Jeopardy (game show) they've lifted their limit of how long a person can stay on the show, as long as they win. The current champ has been on over a month, won over one million dollars, and the game has become pointless, imo.

So...here's what I wrote, won't you all join me? **bg**

We have been Jeopardy fans for years.. Until Ken Jennings is done dominating the game, we are signed off as viewers and are urging others to do the same. It seems pointless for anyone to try to catch up to the skill and practice of Jennings on the show. It seems humiliating for other contestants and, I would think, disheartening. The in-jokes between Alex Trebek and him seem elitist and Mr. Trebek has become rude and condescending to other contestants, i.e. this evening's episode featured Denele Hamada from Hawaii. When Trebek was done interviewing her, he said, "nice, little girl" in reference to her. We find that very patronising.

We also were appalled at the racist tone of the clue and Trebek's comments about the answer "Gypsum."

We hope Jeopardy will return to some kind of limit as to how long one person can continue to play and win. We also hope the writers and host will be a bit more thoughtful of their clues, answers and comments. We will be boycotting products advertised during Jeopardy until we feel these issues have been addressed.

Sincerely,

K.LaFrance & family

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Bobert
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 08:56 PM

Well, I knew this might happen so I have spent my life boycotting Jeopardy, kat...

Looks like a fix to me. Their ratings are falling 'cause America is getting too dumbed down to have any interest in anything but NASCAR so they figured they'd try to get some publicity by riggin' the game...

Come back in 5 years the the categories will be like "Restrictor Plates", "Name the Number" (where you name the driver of a particular race car number), "Spoiler Heights", "Best Crashes", etc, etc....

Think its time to take Jeperdy underground and start yer own shows and hold 'um in bingo halls and church basements (opps, silly me... Church basements are bingo halls!...) and ya can get some local sponsors and meet while the other Jeperdy is on the TV and ask real questions where "Stroker Ace" isn't the answer to one out of 4 questions...

Nevrmind... I ain't slept in two days and a little goofier than normal...

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Alonzo M. Zilch (inactive)
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 09:01 PM

I suspect that you're alone in your boycott of Jeopardy.

First of all the ratings for Jeopardy have been up by more 30% during the Ken Jennings run. Bigger ratings means bigger ad revenues. Ken Jennings has won a lot of money for himself and has made a lot of money for Jeopardy.

Secondly, Jeopardy tapes months in advance. When they're taping, they do five shows a day. The Jennings run was taped back in February and March.

People keep tuning in expecting to see the giant killer. I don't know how many more wins there are still to be shown, but reliable sources have it that his run ultimately did end.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 10:59 PM

What we heard was "nice looking girl". It hardly seemed condescending as she's the one who brought up how she looks as a topic for discussion. What would you have Alex do, ignore what the contestant writes on her card for topics of interest about her? When you try out to be a contestant and make it past all the tests, they then ask you to fill out a card with some interesting things about yourself so Alex will have something to talk about with you.

As a person who has actually been there and competed, I must admit that it would be daunting to have to play against Ken Jennings. I came in second to someone who just had more knowledge than I. It didn't make me dislike him or the game. I just wish I'd been able to keep playing because I love the challange.

Bev (of Bev and Jerry)

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Bobert
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 11:17 PM

Well, when ya' think about it, they can rig that show anyway they want to by tailoring the questions toward on contestant or another... And they get to choose the contestants and they know purdy much the areas of interest of each one...

Makes TV wrestling look like the real thing...

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 11:18 PM

Bev, my apologies, it was "nice looking girl" but I, and my daughter, both thought it sounded condescending. He had already discussed her "age" thing. I think he could have done without that comment, at least in the way he said it. Congratulations on being a contestant!

Zilch, ya know, I knew from family who work in tv and download the shows, but had forgotten. Oh well, I vented and it will probably go right in their trash bin. I am glad to hear that Ken's run finally ended. I don't dislike him, in fact he seems like a pretty nice guy, but it just doesn't seem fair. Thirty days and more of clicking in, thinking on your feet, etc. gives one a distinct edge.

Bobert....a year or two ago, I would've told you I thought Jeopardy had already gone to the NASCAR set, but they seem to be coming up with better stuff, again.

I still do not like the "we Cheatum, you Gypsum" comment.

thanks for your comments,

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 11:51 PM

Tut Tut Tut.   Always there are those that will find fault. The format had become predictable and the viewership was not as hot as before. So---a change in format was called for. Jennings was not the first one in this format--he just happened be blowing it away now.

But, the run does end since the newspapers have said he has flown to NY for appearances on morning TV shows.   

My question is---how is that the Jeopardy people can keep the length of this pre taped run more secret than the Gov't. can keep some of theirs.

Meanwhile---I am hooked and tape the episodes if I am not home (as I was not tonight). I must see how it all ends. To me---great programming with this new hook.

By the way---to me the only intelligent quiz show on the air---Wheel of Fortune would be best called Yahoos Spinning A Wheel---but, then again these are two shows for disparate audiences. That is programming.



Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 11:57 PM

One afterthought. There was an interesting article in the NY Times the other day in the Arts section wherein a psychologist pointed out that besides being really bright (in the photographic memory sense of the word) he also has the ability to remain cool which can act as a detriment to his opponents. After all these appearances the other players are "awed" to some extent which gives him a psychological edge---he also knows never to ring in out of desperation at this point.


That is from the article. Made sense to me.

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 12:04 AM

Kat,

It seems to me that your issues (other than Jenning winning for so long) has to do with the fact that Trebek is a overly smug man who is not very good at speaking off the cuff. I've never understood how he got the job in the first place and how he keeps it. When he tries to say something witty after a question (such as the Cheatham and gypsum. he comes off as nearly incompetant compared to the many better game show hosts there have been (yeah I know, that sounds sad too, but watch tapes of Gene Rayburn on the Match Game in the early 70s)

By the way, 90% of the people in the audience were befuddled by the gypsum question because of Car Talk - the connection on so many of our minds is "Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe.

I understand your frustration, but for goodness sake, it's a TV game show.

By the way, I love NASCAR and am typically able to answer 80% of the question on Jeopardy, though I have to admit I haven't watched it very often for years until the last month.



I'll bet conversion to the Latter Day Saints is up 30% too.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Nerd
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 12:07 AM

Bobert, it's true that they can TRY to rig the show as you suggest. But it wouldn't necessarily work. I have a friend who was on the show who is a folklorist, and he lost because he missed a question about folklore! It is possible that the question was put in as a softball for him, but he still missed it.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 12:07 AM

To add to Bill's remarks - Jennings also currently has a huge advantage. He's got the timing of the clicker down dead after so many appearances, plus he has absolutely no pressure. So he blows a question, big deal, he's a millionaire. When he finally looses, I'm sure he'll be partially releaved it's over.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 12:12 AM

Ben Stein'd kick his little butt all around the set where that lame-wad game show 'Jeopardy" is shot!

Then hopefully he'd start punching Alex Trebek, and not stop until he couldn't lift his arms any more!

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 12:16 AM

By the way, I believe some part of the government still watches game shows pretty closely to ensure that they follow their rules. I'm not saying they're not fixing the game, but I think it's just as likely that he's damn good.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 12:55 AM

Just watched the tape I made of tonight's show---and also his appearance on ---to me the most boring persona on TV (after Trebak) --Leno.   He (Jennings) was quite communicative---even more so than Leno I felt. He also did not give away the secret as to when it ends---but that is the strangeness of this advanced taping. He appeared live tonight---and the discussion revolved around tonight's appearance which was taped months ago. Ah--as said before---the gov't would be that clever in keeping its secrets and discovering other ones that need discovering (think 9/11 Commission report)

That said--the comments before re:   the "looks" of one of the contestants. I found nothing offensive--Alex T is usually bland (probably why they hired him--surely not for wit or persona and made him a lot richer than Jennings). As to Gypsum---nothing offensive either (they would surely edit it out if it were) it does remind me of the Car Talk sign off, as said by another poster, and also some Groucho Marx lines.

Bottom line----sit back, enjoy the show, and not take things that seriously---there are too many things out there that have to be taken seriously today. This is a really nice respite from that.

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 01:04 AM

I thought his name was Geoffrey, not Jeopardy, Boycott.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: GUEST,SueB
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 01:10 AM

Katlaughing, I think it's great that you wrote a letter. How many times have we all said, about one thing or another, "I should write a letter..."

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: JennyO
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 11:36 AM

You think you have a long-running contestant in Jeopardy? He has nothing on the one we had in Oz on a quiz show called Pick-A-Box in the 60's. Barry Jones MP, was an undefeated champion on this show for SEVEN YEARS - from 1960 to 1967! He's now a politician.

One of the most high profile Australians was and still is Barry Jones, a bearded former school-teacher who found fame in the early 60s on a TV quiz show called "Pick a Box". He was absolutely unbeatable. (At key points in the show, the champion would have to decide between an offered sum of money, or picking a box with a mystery prize. Invariably, the audience would scream "Pick a Box!") Subsequently, he entered federal Parliament and became Minister for various high brain-activity departments like Science and Technolgy, and, indeed, Department for The Future.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Don Firth
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 04:30 PM

I have to admit that I enjoy Jeopardy. It takes a pretty wide range of knowledge and a fair quickness of wit (not to mention a fast thumb on the button) to survive more than a few shows, and Ken Jennings seems to have that in spades. A nice, personable young man, and when not piling up the winnings, he seems a bit awed and overwhelmed by how much he's won so far. Far be it from me to cavil at someone's good fortune, especially when it isn't just fortuitous. He wins it by being knowledgeable and quick on the button. I'm a) curious to see how long he can (or wants to) string it out; and b) who it's going to take to unseat him. Gotta be a real Giant Killer!

Although it isn't saying a helluva lot, Jeopardy is probably the most intelligent game show on American television, and although Alex Trebek doesn't try to imitate Jim Carrey (thank God!) like some game show hosts do, he seems to have just the right combination of dignity and whimsy for this show.

Pop open a beer or fix yourself a cuppa, kick back, and try to shout the answers at the TV screen before Ken Jennings beats you to it.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 05:06 PM

Well put!!

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 05:15 PM

Maybe not the best thread in which to ask this, but who is your favorite game show host - you can go back to the good old days if you wish.

Mine are:

Groucho Marx - You Bet Your Life
Gene Rayburn - Match Game
Ben Stein - Win Ben Stein's Money

What say you?

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 08:10 PM

The show just ended here and our "hero' once again triumphed.

My question---we were interupted at the staart by a weather alert (flooding) and missed when the next season starts as this was the last program for this season.   

Anyone know? I would like to see the outcome.   

truly a non-confrontational query,\.


Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 08:46 PM

Six weeks from now Alex said.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: TS
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 08:51 PM

boys..boycotting Jeopardy..who gives a fiddler's fart about a guy being successful?..I think its great..go Ken..good luck...do well Man!...for once Jeopardy actually HAS ratings...why does our world have to be so critical and negative...there's enough of it out there..and..God..if in the end of his reign, there was a conspiracy or some such nonsense...even better..we'll get to hear something else in hte news other then 9/11 and Iraq..best of luck Ken!..Carry on!

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 23 Jul 04 - 08:54 PM

THANKS!!


Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 24 Jul 04 - 12:26 AM

Blackcatter- Art Fleming.

Seamus

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: saulgoldie
Date: 24 Jul 04 - 11:38 AM

If I don't watch it now and I continue to refrain, how does that count?

And let's be careful about equating "intelligence" with "knowledge of a lot of facts." Intelligence is the capacity to think, create, make new connections. Knowledge is memory.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 24 Jul 04 - 11:55 AM

Seamus,

Of course! Art was wonderful!

Jeopardy premiered on March 30, 1964, at 11:30 A.M. Eastern time. The first categories in the Jeopardy round were Television, Women, Fictional Characters, Odds and Ends, American History, and Science; Double Jeopardy categories on the first episode were U.S. Geography, Sports, The Funnies, Words, Opera, and Famous Names. The first Final Jeopardy answer, under the category Famous Quotes, was "'Good night sweet prince' was originally said to him" (correct question: Who was Hamlet?). Mary Eubanks of North Carolina was the show's first champion, winning $345.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Bill D
Date: 24 Jul 04 - 01:20 PM

I simply never did like the Jeopardy format of requiring a 'question' format, no I don't follow it regularly, but the idea of getting a guy with a photographic memory was shown to be flawed way back when Theodore Nadler was on "The 64,000 Question" back in the 50s...it rewards his DNA sequence and will only end when they accidently find a fact he hasn't memorized. (They only got rid of Teddy Nadler when he named the wrong KEY of some classical music composition....he hadn't even been required to name the key. Otherwise, he might have gone on for years!)

I used to like something called "THe Who, What or Where" game many years ago...simple format, REAL questions about a variety of categories, but no gimmicks that would keep it going.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 05:41 PM

that's it for me, i'm tired of the Ken and Alex show. with 2 others who don't have much of a chance. who ever came up with the idea of one staying on should be fired!!! Ken makes the show about as interesting as watching grass grow. thanks for listning.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: SINSULL
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 05:53 PM

Blackcatter has finally made September 11th clear to me. The government was closely watching game shows for cheating. ARGHHHHH!

DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM DE DUM DE DOO DOO ...

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 05:55 PM

They have a chance---and you all know that he loses at some point (I read at the 75th performance).

Meanwhile all good fun--and--as for me--I am hooked. Though I find Trabek and the insipid conversations with the contestants (including Jennings ---who is quite witty in fact--even more than Trabek) more than just a little annoying.

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: GUEST,Blackcatter
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 06:39 PM

Sinsull -

We all know that there is a reverse corellation between how closely the the government watches a particular activity and how unimportant to national security it is.

People have said that Ken has lost several times before and it has yet to happen so who knows. I'd love to see him lose and be offered to host the show because Alex has decided to step down.

By the way - is Ken Mormon? Anyone got and bio info on him?

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Burke
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 06:46 PM

Put his name in a Google Search, there's lots of information.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 07:30 PM

I am sure you all are aware that the show is taped some 6 months in advance.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: GUEST,Blackcatter
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 07:34 PM

That's not quite true - it is taped in advance, but only by a month or so. I have a friend who was one of the contestant "handlers" for the show.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: mack/misophist
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 09:34 AM

Jeopardy?

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 05:25 PM

One of us was a contestant on Jeopardy many years ago. The time between taping and airing is highly variable depending on what part of the season it is. In Bev's case, she taped in December and aired in April. Prizes are not awarded until after the show airs so we didn't receive them until June.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Burke
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 06:17 PM

I was wondering if he's quit his day job yet. I couldn't find anything on that, but did find that he has his own Wikipedia entry.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 07:54 PM

Bev/Jerry: Does that mean if your segment is not aired you don't get the dollars? If so it seems like a bit of a rip-off. Considering that most sitcom characters get over 1 million per show Jeopardy (much as I like it) is done on the cheap---as most quiz shows. They should pay once you are finished---you did yours---now they should do theirs.

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 08:30 PM

Bill H.:

That's right - no air, no prize. In fact, you have to sign an agreement to that effect before you can be a contestant.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Sorcha
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 08:33 PM

Wel, kat, I kinda have to disagree with you on this one. I love it, and just wish it was me. I could use a couple mill.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Cluin
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 09:53 PM

He always looks like he doesn't know the answer and is surprised he won the buzz-off. Then he screws up his face and answers... ___________???

And of course he's always correct. I think he's using the same secret box-and-earphone thingy George W. used during the debates.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 11:56 PM

Well, I am a trivia nerd. I used to watch Jeopardy sporadically. I am now tuning in as often as I can. This guy is amazing. What really surprises me is that he will get things that I have never heard of, yet most of the few that he misses are pretty simple as far as I'm concerned. His run will end, it has to, but he sure knows his trivia.

It's funny that he started last season, the first one that allowed contestants to win more than five times. If I were a former five time champion I'd be a bit upset about his run. Who knows how long some of the others could have gone on. I think that they should start bringing them back to give Ken a run for his money.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 04:21 PM

Another rule of Jeopardy is that once you've been on you can never be on again with two exceptions:

1. Tuornament of Champions

2. You can prove that they made a mistake the first time you were on.


Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 06:43 PM

Thanks for your answer. I am truly disappointed and a bit angry. As I said earlier---you did the work and what you were signed to do---airing is their problem.   Alex gets paid for the non-run episodes as does any Equity member in a sitcom or any other production. Talk of exploitation---they sure have it. We are talking "peanuts" compared to TV pay and still they try to welch.   

Having been burned once though---having to do with a story about Kate Wolf---my reporting/interviewing instincts are rising to ask for more proof of what is mentioned. Would love to see a copy of the contract form that is used.


Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Tansy
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 08:39 PM

Bev and Jerry are right. I know somebody who worked for JEOPARDY and used to get bugged constantly by all his Sci Fi nutter friends about getting in on the qualifying test. It must have driven him crazy.
I think they withhold the prizes as a means of keeping you from blabbing about the results. Is that why Bev & Jerry?

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: GUEST,Bev and Jerry
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 11:32 PM

Tansy,

I came in second so I don't recall that I had to keep it a secret. Of course back then you could only win a maximum of five times. The guy who beat me went on to do that. And to think that I lost because of a MUSICAL Daily Double about trains!!!! Arghhh!!! I was leading up until that point. Who was listening to The Monkees? Not me! Maybe our kids babysitters. It seems that every one in the world except me knew "The Last Train to Clarksville". I'd never even heard it!

I don't think that I ever heard of an episode never getting on the air. It's just something about the time of delivery of the prizes, maybe it has to do with the sponsoring companies getting their plug in.

Bev

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: catspaw49
Date: 06 Nov 04 - 07:35 AM

Hey BC......In answer to your host question..........

The one, the only, Groucho Marx.....as Fenneman said it. Poor George.

Although I love the harder game shows, they are all basically just entertainment and You Bet Your Life was for me the most entertaining by far since I am a Marx fan. The game was silly to say the least and simply a platform for Groucho. The contestants were chosen mainly for their use as foils and not for any serious knowledge. With George Fenneman fulfilling the Margaret Dumont role, Groucho was all set!

The book about the show is really wonderful and filled with funny stories.   Although some of Groucho's ad libs were scripted, most were not. However, he knew the set-up going in which gave him a leg up to be sure. The show was also filmed and edited so Groucho could work a set-up as long as he needed to get the joke in. It did make for some great stuff!!!

A personal favorite.........Groucho has two contestants each named Heidi on the show at the same time. He says, "I'll call you Heidi-Hi and I'll call you Heidi-Ho and you can call me Cab Calloway."

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: black walnut
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 08:54 AM

Who else watched Jeopardy last night? What an ending!!!

~b.w.

Subject: RE: BS: Boycott Jeopardy!
From: Cluin
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 09:17 AM

"Who else watched Jeopardy last night? What an ending!!!"


How often do you hear THAT statement?