# Jeopardy discussion **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** reality-or-game-show\ **Created:** [January 4, 2022, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207 "2022-01-04T18:16:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 45
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2022, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/881 "2022-06-09T15:31:07Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Yeah, the half point is for effort, and because I don’t care for Dan Brown. I’m with you there! I prefer this: This 1976 bestseller shares its title with the first section of a poem from 6.5 centuries before. What is > **[Inferno (Niven and Pournelle novel)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inferno_(Niven_and_Pournelle_novel))** > > Inferno is a fantasy novel written by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, published in 1976. It was nominated for the 1976 Hugo and Nebula Awards for Best Novel. > The book drew inspiration from the geography of Dante's Inferno and the theology of C S Lewis's The Great Divorce, which is that salvation and entry into paradise, via self-knowledge and repentance, can be achieved by all. However, most of Hell's denizens in the novel either deny their sins or feel they deserve their fate. > Inferno is ba... A much better book. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/882 "2022-06-10T01:49:44Z")
> [@Arcite](#): > > It was nice to see a rideshare driver spanking all these Directors of Global Strategic Analysis Operations with their Georgetown masters degrees. Shhh! There’s no shorts of prickly, self-proclaimed Directors of Global Strategic Analysis Operations MS, GU on this board. ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/883 "2022-06-10T02:32:16Z")
The TV show gets a lot of buzz, and it would be reasonable to think that a book might enjoy a new bestselling run when a TV show based on it becomes popular. I see that the TV show started in 2017, though, not 2013. Plus, I knew that there’s no Handmaid’s Tale in _The Canterbury Tales_. ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/884 "2022-06-10T14:32:52Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > > [@commasense](#): > > > > Did it seem to you as if Ryan just gave up > > Seems to be a recurring thing for the recent multi-week winners. More than one person here said the same of Ken Jennings’ last day. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2022, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/885 "2022-06-12T20:50:23Z")
I am very much looking forward to the Tournament of Champions this year and watching all of this season’s mega-champions competing against each other. The current winner, I can’t really explain why, but I think he just _looks_ like a weatherman. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2022, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/886 "2022-06-12T20:52:34Z")
I like how he’s quirk-free. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2022, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/887 "2022-06-12T20:53:49Z")
Not completely. I’ve seen his face go through some acrobatic contortions trying to think of an answer when even no one else is buzzing in. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2022, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/888 "2022-06-13T01:15:22Z")
I think Eric looks like Seth Meyers, or perhaps his brother [Josh](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0583570/mediaviewer/rm956945408?ref_=nmmi_mi_all_pbl_27). He has his quirks, like the first pumps in the air, but they’re manageable and appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2022, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/889 "2022-06-13T16:00:33Z")
I know this post is off topic, but I want to plug Howie Mandel’s new game show on Netflix. It’s called “Bullsh\*t: The Game Show.” There are 10 episodes available, and it’s a hoot. Here is a simplified explanation. There is one primary contestant and three secondary contestants. The primary answers a series of multiple-choice questions for increasing amounts of money. They are privately notified whether their answer is correct. Then they say which answer they chose and why it is correct. Each secondary then says whether they believe the primary. If the primary was right, they get the money. If at least one secondary believed them, they also get the money. If all three secondaries call “BS,” the primary is out. I will leave out the rules about how much money they get. Howie and the contestants all enjoy the numerous opportunities to say the name of the show (like junior high students). ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2022, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/890 "2022-06-13T16:08:37Z")
Did Mandel do that show (from memory) featuring rows of participants with silver briefcases? I never watched it long enough to figure out the premise. ---
**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2022, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/891 "2022-06-13T17:39:02Z")
That would be “Deal or No Deal” and yes, he did. There was only one contestant on that show; the briefcases were held by models who opened them gradually over the course of the game. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2022, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/892 "2022-06-13T17:40:55Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Did Mandel do that show (from memory) featuring rows of participants with silver briefcases? I never watched it long enough to figure out the premise. The show was _Deal or No Deal_, and it was hosted by Mandel. The premise only took about a minute. Unfortunately, that one minute was stretched out over a one-hour show. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2022, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/893 "2022-06-14T14:35:32Z")
I hated _Deal or No Deal_. I sometimes watch a game show late at night called Funny You Should Ask. Contestants listen to celebrities tell them whether a trivia question is true or false. Lots of jokes! Louie Anderson was on it. RIP, Louie. Jeopardy was pre-empted yesterday for me because of the hearings. I had to watch it on Youtube. I sure hope Mayim’s run is almost over. She is just too fakey cheery for me. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2022, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/894 "2022-06-14T15:03:58Z")
I don’t like when she talks with the contestants. I always feel like she isn’t really listening to their story, and just replies in a perfunctory manner before going on. Other hosts appear to be having an actual conversation with them. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2022, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/895 "2022-06-14T15:05:57Z")
Very true, ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2022, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/896 "2022-06-14T15:35:25Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > I always feel like she isn’t really listening to their story, and just replies in a perfunctory manner before going on. Agreed. Alex was like that too a lot of times. ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2022, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/897 "2022-06-14T16:15:01Z")
Yes, another way in which Mayim is a lousy host. Alex all too often said “good for you” and just moved on, but at least some of the time there was a little interesting back-and-forth. Mayim takes the awkwardness to a whole new level. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2022, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/898 "2022-06-14T16:47:58Z")
It sometimes seemed to me that Trabek could be more abrupt if a contestant had a really interesting anecdote, only to dote on a player with dull one. Probably not true, just seemed that way. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2022, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/899 "2022-06-14T16:51:39Z")
Alex also had a tendency to make the contestant’s stories about him, if he could. For example, I told a story about the time that I visited Germany, and went through Checkpoint Charlie into East Berlin. He started talking about the time that _he_ went through Checkpoint Charlie into East Berlin, and what he did when he got there. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2022, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207/900 "2022-06-14T19:01:21Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > Alex also had a tendency to make the contestant’s stories about him, if he could. **YES.** One of the many things we hated about him was how he’d start a contestant’s “interview” with 30 seconds about how he (Alex) collects doorknobs, then segue to “our first contestant also has a doorknob collection. Tell us about it.” And Trebek never passed up an opportunityy to one-up a contestant. “I also visited Istanbul, many times; Did you see the high-class world famous Istanbul Cafe?” The pitiful contestant would answer “No” and Trebek magnanimously tell them “You should do that sometime.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207.md?page=44) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-discussion/957207.md?page=46)