Nicely played Dave! The champ you were up against is someone I know from the competitive Scrabble scene.
Cool! What’s your take on the Gandolfini vibe I mentioned?
ETA: Now that I think about it, that may be in the other recent Jeopardy! thread.
I responded in the other thread.
Based on how early he mentioned his upcoming appearance, I had a feeling Dave would win. Congratulations on beating a very good champion, Dave!
That was a great game! I was quite impressed with the winner’s breadth of knowledge.
Thanks so much, everyone! It truly was an honor and a thrill to play, much less win. Jason and Jennifer were very tough competition, not to mention two of the nicest people you could hope to meet.
Jen, in particular, has been so gracious about the way the game ended. She actually has a friend with the last name McMurty (without the R), and under the lights couldn’t remember who was the friend and who was the author. I’ll be the first to say that I caught the luckiest of breaks; in every other universe that exists, she spells it right and I come home with two grand, some great new friends and some amazing memories.
AuntiePam, at the end of the show we were talking with Alex about Jen’s bad luck. She didn’t argue the point at all; she knew the R was missing. In fact I think that’s when she was telling us about her similarly-named friend.
ataraxy22, as it happens Jason and I had met once before years and years ago. We both played quizbowl in college, and we’re pretty sure we ran into one another at a tournament some seven years ago. I thought he looked vaguely familiar in the hotel lobby before we headed to the studio, and when I asked he thought the same of me.
Invisible Chimp, I feel pretty confident I’d have made as big a deal about being on the show no matter what the outcome. It really was a lifelong dream achieved. But it was awfully fun keeping the secret in the meantime 
Sudden Kestrel, thank you for the kind words. I’ve often joked that my pool of knowledge is three miles wide and two inches deep. Fortunately Jeopardy! is one of the few places you can put that sort of mind to good use 
I know how you feel. I feel honored just being in the contestant pool. I got called to audition in November '10. I would flip out if I got the call to actually be on the show.
Sorry I haven’t had time to watch Kingspades’ show(s), but if someone will tell me the number of shows he was in, and the total he won (by PM if necessary), I’ll update the official list.
commasense, I’ll be happy to PM you the details once my losing show airs. Thanks again for maintaining the list!
Thanks for the explanation. I hope you continue to do well. You sound like a really nice guy. 
Did any of you keep a video of your appearances and load them on YouTube?
Thanks and congratulations to all of you!
Quasi
Kingspades is a man who knows his movie quotes!
I caught this episode just by chance, and I got the feeling that all contestants were friendly folk. I groaned as soon as I saw McMurty (not knowing a Doper was in the mix). Alex seemed genuinely empathetic toward Jen.
So, way to go Dave! Congrats!
(on a 1-10 scale, how nervous were you?)
mmm
Haven’t really felt a connection to Straight Dope or Jeopardy! in a long time but tonight’s show was still painful to watch, no correct DDs, no correct FJ, many triple-stumpers.
Glad a Doper is cashing in, though it looked more like that other show where happily-married people solve hangman puzzles.
Did you by chance play college bowl for Oglethorpe University in the early to mid 90s?
Damn! Missed it again. With all the holiday hubbub and visits I missed it! I’ve had the pleasure of hanging out with Kingspades IRL (dating a good friend of mine from college) and he is as good as advertised.
BTW, if you thought it would be impossible to lose a bar trivia game with two Jeopardy! Champs on your team, Kingspades and I could prove you wrong.
I hope you won again so I can watch tomorrow!
Good job today Dave, you’re kickin’ ass.
I was really hoping you’d answer Rio to the Duran Duran question…not that I’d put my money on a inside joke that a small handful of people would get and the rest of the world would have said “WTF??”.
ETA as of right now (just winning your 3rd game), you appear to be in 4th place amongst the Dopers.
I missed it because the local station that airs Jeopardy! had a hockey game instead.
Brian
I just finished watching today’s episode. Unfortunately, Joey P’s post spoiled the results before I saw it. Remember folks, people live in different time zones and the show airs at different times in different markets. Please use spoiler tags when talking about episodes that have just recently aired.
Sorry 'bout that. I spoiled myself by accident earlier when I said “Huh, wonder what these spoiler boxes are?” and then proceeded to open them all up not even thinking that the game had already aired on the East coast.