I wavered between Alabama and Arkansas and picked the wrong one.
True enough. And the contestants were from Massachusetts, New York, and Quebec.
I had never heard the mnemonic. I have the vague idea that when I was growing up (in the American Northeast) there was a lot of emphasis in school on the geography of the Mississippi river and its importance for trade and transportation in American history, but I wasn’t paying much attention during those lessons. I’m not sure than in 30 seconds I would have been able to think clearly enough about the geography to realize what they were getting at and what the 2 remaining states were.
The only geography mnemonic I know is “HOMES” for the Great Lakes. My husband had never heard of it. Although he could no doubt name the Great Lakes without resorting to such a crutch. 
I had read it somewhere, a dude holding a frying pan. Once I was able to equate that with a chef I was okay.
I didn’t know what “mnemonic” meant, until I figured it out from the context of the clue.
This is the meme that helped me answer the states FJ:
mmm
If they did, they wouldn’t have any contestants left at all.
Yes, they would. As I just mentioned, Ken is a personable guy. Just thinking of some recent winners/champs off the top of my head, Sam Buttrey, Jonathan Fisher, Andrew He, and Ray Lalonde all seemed to me to have normal social skills.
I’ve never heard of it, either. Like @Dung_Beetle, I could think only of HOMES when it comes to ‘geography mnemonics’. (Are there others?)
It would have been nice if they’d showed a map with the relevant states highlighted when Ken gave the correct response. Though come to think of it I guess they’ve never showed an image to support any Final Jeopardy, after the responses OR before.
(Thanks, @Mean_Mr.Mustard, for supplying that graphic!)
I, uh, can’t stand it, uh, any longer, uh, I am shutting off the, uh, TV.
If you can reel those names off the top of your head, can I assume you’ve been partaking in Mayim’s brain pills? 
Yeah, I really hope he’s another one-and-done because having to listen to that for much longer will be a test of patience.
I haven’t watched Celebrity Jeopardy yet. Who are you talking about?
No one’s talking about Celebrity Jeopardy.
Troy, the winner of yesterday’s regular Jeopardy has the annoying habit of saying “Uhh” before every single sentence he says.
Huh. I watched the whole episode and hadn’t noticed that. I’ll pay more attention tonight. (No hate for the punctuation earrings?)
I didn’t notice the “Um”s either. But that fits with the whole Clark Kent thing he’s got going on.
How is it possible that you didn’t notice that? He said it before every answer, and before each time he selected a new clue. At first I thought it was because he was nervous and would get over it, but it never ever stopped.
Heck, I figured he’d write ‘uh’ in his FJ answer.
I guess the same way he’s probably unaware he does it. I’ll watch tonight and see how obvious it is.
Now, of course, he’s probably been coached by the staff as to how annoying it is, and he’ll make a conscious effort to avoid it!