# Jeopardy! set curiosity **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 29, 2016, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451 "2016-04-29T20:21:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frapp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@Frapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frapp)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/1 "2016-04-29T20:21:29Z")
I’ve been on a bit of a Jeopardy! watching habit lately and I was wondering about how the set pieces function. Looking at the set from the TV camera’s point of view, there’s the array of screens which show the categories and dollar amounts, Alex’s podium, the Final Jeopardy monitor, then the contestant podiums. The thing that’s bugging me is that the array and contestant podiums seem unnaturally far apart. If just the one screen in the array (‘behind’ the dollar amount, as it were) displays the clue, are the contestants supposed to be able to read it from that distance? Is it set piece / TV trickery? Does the entire array display the clue? ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/2 "2016-04-29T20:29:24Z")
> [@Frapp](#): > > I’ve been on a bit of a Jeopardy! watching habit lately and I was wondering about how the set pieces function. > > Looking at the set from the TV camera’s point of view, there’s the array of screens which show the categories and dollar amounts, Alex’s podium, the Final Jeopardy monitor, then the contestant podiums. > > The thing that’s bugging me is that the array and contestant podiums seem unnaturally far apart. If just the one screen in the array (‘behind’ the dollar amount, as it were) displays the clue, are the contestants supposed to be able to read it from that distance? Is it set piece / TV trickery? Does the entire array display the clue? There’s a well-known effect (the name of which I’ve just been searching for, unsuccessfully) that makes show sets look much, much bigger on television than in real life. I’ve seen the Jeopardy! set and the distances are nowhere near as great as they appear to be on the TV screen. eta: I still can’t find a name for this phenomenon, but if you search “looks bigger on TV” you’ll find lots of examples, such as this: > [@](#): > > The genius of TV set design is readily apparent. If you’ve ever spoken with someone who’s attended a taping of “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” or “The Arsenio Hall Show,” one of the first things, he or she will say is, “The set was so tiny. It looks bigger on TV.” [http://articles.mcall.com/1990-12-30/entertainment/2764336\_1\_bill-wendell-late-night-taping](http://articles.mcall.com/1990-12-30/entertainment/2764336_1_bill-wendell-late-night-taping) ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/3 "2016-04-29T20:29:53Z")
I’ve never seen the Jeopardy set in person, but it’s my experience that these TV studios are MUCH smaller than they appear to be on TV. The contestants might be a lot closer to the ‘clue screens’ than you think. Just my wild guess. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/4 "2016-04-29T20:39:13Z")
I know this was years ago, and the set has changed since then, but when I was on _Jeopardy!_, the wall of tv screens was actually held together with duct tape. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/5 "2016-04-29T20:40:32Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > I know this was years ago, and the set has changed since then, but when I was on _Jeopardy!_, the wall of tv screens was actually held together with duct tape. What’s the deal on when you can ring the button. Do you have to wait until after AT is finished reading the clue, or can you just ring in whenever? ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/6 "2016-04-29T20:51:13Z")
You have to wait till Alex finishes reading the clue, or you’re locked out and can’t ring in till somebody else has. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/7 "2016-04-29T20:52:24Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > What’s the deal on when you can ring the button. Do you have to wait until after AT is finished reading the clue, or can you just ring in whenever? f you ring in before it’s time (clue done), you are locked out for a short time, so that’s unwise. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/8 "2016-04-29T21:07:01Z")
The set is very small. They use a wide-angle lens to make it look bigger for the whole panel shots. As mentioned above, most of those sets are smaller than you would think. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/9 "2016-04-29T21:40:49Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > f you ring in before it’s time (clue done), you are locked out for a short time, so that’s unwise. Correct. And there is a light that comes on above the screen (out of camera range) that tells you when you can buzz in. Which I sucked at. Correct also that there is no problem reading the clues. As for the size effect, Mission Control in Houston was a lot, lot smaller than it looks on TV. I was quite surprised when I went on the tour. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/10 "2016-04-29T22:04:38Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > f you ring in before it’s time (clue done), you are locked out for a short time, so that’s unwise. Which was a change from when Art Fleming hosted the show. Back then, you could ring in before Art had finished reading the answer. ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2016, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/11 "2016-04-30T01:08:06Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > The set is very small. They use a wide-angle lens to make it look bigger for the whole panel shots. As mentioned above, most of those sets are smaller than you would think. I watch some of the old game shows, _What’s My Line_ is a favorite. Those sets are tucked into tiny cubicles. Panelists can barely squeeze past the other’s chairs. We never noticed that back then. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2016, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/12 "2016-04-30T01:53:05Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Correct also that there is no problem reading the clues. As for the size effect, Mission Control in Houston was a lot, lot smaller than it looks on TV. I was quite surprised when I went on the tour. That is what I was going to say too. I have been to both a (travelling) Jeopardy set and Mission Control in Houston and they are much, much smaller than they appear on TV although the Saturn V rocket outside was much bigger than I expected. The travelling Jeopardy set was probably even larger than the normal one because it was held in a much larger theater (the Wang theater in Boston) than the regular studio. Even then, it was still small but it was interesting to watch how they tape the shows. They film several shows back to back in an afternoon and the winner of the game only has a few minutes to change into new clothes before they have to be back on stage again for the new “day”. Almost all TV show studios are much smaller than most people think they are. However, cinematography and even regular photography can go the other way as well. The Mona Lisa is tiny but other very famous paintings are much more massive than you would ever guess just by looking at pictures. Likewise, the grandeur of the Grand Canyon can’t be captured on any film because it is so huge that people have trouble processing a scale that large. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2016, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/13 "2016-04-30T02:31:52Z")
It applies to other things, too. You know those fancy photo shoots of houses and their furnishings? When they’re set up, there’s no room to move between the pieces. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2016, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/14 "2016-04-30T02:40:38Z")
They had a blind contestant on Jeopardy some time ago, and IIRC, there was a tone for him so he knew when to buzz in. Did they also have a braille readout for him of the questions, or was he that good at remembering what was left? ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2016, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/15 "2016-04-30T21:47:07Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > They had a blind contestant on Jeopardy some time ago, and IIRC, there was a tone for him so he knew when to buzz in. Did they also have a braille readout for him of the questions, or was he that good at remembering what was left? As I recall, they gave him a braille sheet which had the categories and the dollar values, but basically, he was just that good at remember what was left. That said, I think he did say more things like “next clue in the category” or have to be told that the category was finished and he needed to pick another more often than the average contestant. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2016, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/16 "2016-04-30T22:21:38Z")
When I was on Millionaire the set was freakishly small, like a little gladatorial pit with high risers on either side. Camera lenses do funny stuff to optics. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2016, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/17 "2016-05-01T01:33:36Z")
Some real estate photographers use a very wide angle lens to trick the prospective buyers into thinking the rooms are larger than they actually are. They have to be careful to not go overboard on this because it could easily backfire and the buyer may feel deceived when they see the home in person. mmm ---
**Author:** ![from\_a\_to\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5fc32e/32.png) [@from\_a\_to\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/from_a_to_z)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2016, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/18 "2016-05-01T03:51:21Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > They had a blind contestant on Jeopardy some time ago, and IIRC, there was a tone for him so he knew when to buzz in. Did they also have a braille readout for him of the questions, or was he that good at remembering what was left? [Eddie Timanus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Timanus) for one, if there have been others. Alex would give him a braille card with the categories listed. Eddie won 5 games during October 20-26, 1999, retiring undefeated. Besides later winning big on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Eddie is currently a [USA Today](http://www.usatoday.com/staff/786/eddie-timanus/) sportswriter. I see fine without glasses, and I see him as very inspirational. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2016, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/19 "2016-05-01T17:11:13Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Which was a change from when Art Fleming hosted the show. Back then, you could ring in before Art had finished reading the answer. But the clue had to be revealed first. If you rang in before the amount card was lifted, you got a reminder from Art. I read somewhere that this was also the rule in the early Trebek episodes as well, but what few episodes from back then were on YouTube appear to have been taken down at Sony’s request. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2016, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451/20 "2016-05-01T19:48:08Z")
Chiming in late, it should be noted that any time you go from binocular to monocular vision (as with a camera), you lose your depth perception. Hence, relative distances are very difficult to judge. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-set-curiosity/753451.md?page=2)