# Ken Jennings and Jeopardy! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 4, 2004, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983 "2004-11-04T15:48:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/21 "2004-11-05T04:17:15Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > Personally, I think he’s ruining the diversity of the show, which is one of my fave aspects of it. But, according to an earlier thread on the subject, you and I are in a very small minority. At least, on the Dope we are. I’m with you. I’ve stopped watching the show completely. Let me know when it’s over. ---
**Author:** ![monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monster)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/22 "2004-11-16T21:32:35Z")
I wanted to bump this because the spoiler wasn’t right. Does anybody know when his losing episode will air? That is, if he in fact has lost. I don’t want to make anyone mad by ruining the surprise! ---
**Author:** ![partlycloudy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/partlycloudy/32/3114_2.png) [@partlycloudy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partlycloudy)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/23 "2004-11-16T21:44:44Z")
> [@monster](#): > > I wanted to bump this because the spoiler wasn’t right. Does anybody know when his losing episode will air? That is, if he in fact has lost. I don’t want to make anyone mad by ruining the surprise! [Link](http://www.kottke.org/04/11/so-close-yet-so-far-away) (don’t click if you don’t want spoilers - of course, it’s not like we can be SURE this info is correct anyway) I guess we’ll have to wait and see! ---
**Author:** ![Den\_Mum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@Den\_Mum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Den_Mum)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/24 "2004-11-16T23:44:58Z")
I have enjoyed Ken’s reign, he is an all around bright fellow and I’ll bet he has boosted ratings substantially. Like **Cliffy** ,I think, Geek or no Geek, he is a charming guy. I heard on my local news that he had been defeated ( this was two or three weeks ago) and the final figure he ended up at. I promptly forgot the final winnings figure so can’t track how many shows he has left. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/25 "2004-11-16T23:56:28Z")
November 9 has come and gone. Did I miss it? ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/26 "2004-11-17T00:03:02Z")
No. He’s still winning. They’re doing the College Championship thing now, so he’s on hiatus. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/27 "2004-11-17T00:34:14Z")
In fact, the last game before the College Championships (either the 8th or the 9th) was the best Jeopardy! game I’ve ever seen. There were maybe three unanswered questions in the whole game, and Ken was in third place going into Double Jeopardy. He swept a couple of categories, one guy had a chance to even it up but missed a Daily Double… very dramatic stuff. Ken managed to build an insurmountable lead, just barely, before FJ, and won. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/28 "2004-11-17T05:00:48Z")
I haven’t watched the show in months (and it’s not _just_ because I’ve passed the tests three times and the motherless ass-hats [who I suspect of both Communism and cannibalism] never called me but a busy schedule]). What in hell does Alex find to talk with Ken about after 60 odd appearances? (If you pass the audition you’re asked to provide 5 interesting things about yourself, but NOBODY can provide enough for 60 episodes.) Personally I think Ken has a majorly unfair advantage over the other players. He is completely familiar with the feel of the buzzer and exactly how much time he has, he has incredible confidence and ease that they lack, etc… I think they should limit appearances to no more than two weeks and then perhaps have a mega-bucks tournament of champions ($2 million perhaps). ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/29 "2004-11-17T08:23:27Z")
New rule: answer a question, get a mild electric shock. ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/30 "2004-11-17T13:15:30Z")
Quoting myself, something I never thought I’d do. Heh. > [@TeaElle](#): > > I am on the eligible contestant roster for this season, and Ken and his hinky longevity has made it all the less likely that I’ll get on the show. Or maybe not. Guess who got a phone call from LA yesterday, folks? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/31 "2004-11-17T13:49:19Z")
> [@TeaElle](#): > > Quoting myself, something I never thought I’d do. Heh. > > Or maybe not. Guess who got a phone call from LA yesterday, folks? 😃 Wheeeeee! Does this mean that you’re _really_ gonna be on Jeopardy!? If you say yes, you’re gettin’ you’re own thread! ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/32 "2004-11-17T14:58:41Z")
Wait, why would Ken’s longevity affect the chances of your getting on the show, **TeaElle**? Each show is comprised of 1 incumbant and 2 challengers, regardless of how long the returning champ has been on. ---
**Author:** ![Ezekiel25\_17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@Ezekiel25\_17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ezekiel25_17)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/33 "2004-11-17T15:42:59Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Wait, why would Ken’s longevity affect the chances of your getting on the show, **TeaElle**? Each show is comprised of 1 incumbant and 2 challengers, regardless of how long the returning champ has been on. It doesn’t affect the chances per episode, there will always be 2 new players needed. It does, however, affect the season long chances. If Ken (and every subsiquent theorectical champ) had lost after a week there would have been at least 12 more players tapped in his 60 some odd game streak ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/34 "2004-11-17T15:52:17Z")
> [@Ezekiel25:17](#): > > It doesn’t affect the chances per episode, there will always be 2 new players needed. It does, however, affect the season long chances. If Ken (and every subsiquent theorectical champ) had lost after a week there would have been at least 12 more players tapped in his 60 some odd game streak no, I don’t think so. ## Imagine players named A-Z (Ken is A). I’ll make 2 columns here that represent the match-ups, one with Ken winning, one with a rotation. Whatever letter sticks around won that day. Ken | Not Ken ABC ABC ADE BDE AFG DFG AHI DHI AJK IJK ALM JLM . . . . AWX TWX AYZ WYZ The same players get in after 26 episodes. But, you should just see that 2 new players go in each day. UNLESS, you’re talking about the old case where a 5 day champ gets kicked off (doesn’t lose) and 3 new players come in. In that case, yes, you’d achieve a MAXIMUM of 12 new players (actually maybe 11, over a 60 game stretch). In reality, you’d probably only lose a few spots. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/35 "2004-11-17T16:09:49Z")
> [@Ezekiel25:17](#): > > It doesn’t affect the chances per episode, there will always be 2 new players needed. It does, however, affect the season long chances. If Ken (and every subsiquent theorectical champ) had lost after a week there would have been at least 12 more players tapped in his 60 some odd game streak No, I agree with Trunk. Each time someone loses, they’re replaced by one of the challengers, NOT a brand new set of 3 contestents. Each and every show (since they did away with the 5-time champ rule, and not counting tournaments) consists of 1 champ and 2 challengers. There is no situation, short of someone quitting/retiring, where this is not the case. ---
**Author:** ![Ezekiel25\_17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@Ezekiel25\_17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ezekiel25_17)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/36 "2004-11-17T16:28:01Z")
Yes, you’re right. Math is hard. This is why I was English Major. Sorry. goes over to coner and sits down ---
**Author:** ![Ezekiel25\_17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@Ezekiel25\_17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ezekiel25_17)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/37 "2004-11-17T16:29:25Z")
an English Major…:smack:.AN English Major…and this why I wasn’t a very good one. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/38 "2004-11-17T19:01:01Z")
In case of a tie, there is one new contestant In case of a 3 way tie, no new contestant (don’t think this has ever happened) In case no one has positive money going into Final Jeopardy!, 3 new contesants ( I THINK this has happened, but am not sure - in any case it is a possibility) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/39 "2004-11-17T20:00:42Z")
> [@TeaElle](#): > > Quoting myself, something I never thought I’d do. Heh. > > Or maybe not. Guess who got a phone call from LA yesterday, folks? 😃 No shit? Congratulations! If **fivetimechamp** is still a Doper, then you, he, and **Mr. Moto** are our Jeopardy Dope Squad. Good luck! And START A THREAD ABOUT IT! Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983/40 "2004-11-17T20:10:55Z")
See, I’m trying to be all sneaky and keep it on the down low by posting it in a vaguely related thread. And I think I’ll stay with that until I have the confirmation package in my hand. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-jennings-and-jeopardy/272983.md?page=3)