# Merv Griffin announces that something "amazing" is going to happen... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 18, 2004, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842 "2004-05-18T20:42:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2004, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/221 "2004-06-29T09:43:53Z")
I was a bit surprised that Ken didn’t get it though, since he’s fairly devout. He does plan to tithe his winnings. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2004, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/222 "2004-06-29T12:47:23Z")
He’s a Mormon – he doesn’t drink. So the only way to give other contestants a chance is to start loading up the game with abstruse beer, wine and Potent Potables questions. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2004, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/223 "2004-06-29T12:49:36Z")
Yeah, but he says that he studied stuff like that prior to the show, knowing that they would stump him. And he has gotten a few of those right. I don’t remember what they were, but I remember thinking that he studied well. I think he’s just going to have to have a combination of a bad day, bad luck, and great competition. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2004, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/224 "2004-06-29T18:35:39Z")
> [@Neidhart](#): > > He’s a Mormon – he doesn’t drink. So the only way to give other contestants a chance is to start loading up the game with abstruse beer, wine and Potent Potables questions. He ran the bartending category a couple days ago, and made a joke about that. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2004, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/225 "2004-06-29T22:36:41Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > 1980, 1980, 1973. 1980 is part of the 80s only if you believe the 21st Century started in 2000. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2004, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/226 "2004-06-29T22:42:21Z")
All I know is that the 60s ended on May 4, 1970. ☹ ---
**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:** [June 29, 2004, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/227 "2004-06-29T23:05:25Z")
> [@Jeff Olsen](#): > > 1980 is part of the 80s only if you believe the 21st Century started in 2000. WRONG. :smack: The ninth decade of the 20th Century included the years 1981…1990, But the “nineteen-eighties” was the years 1980…1989. See, it says “198x” in the year’s name; that’s how you can tell. You can say that 1980 was not part of the ninth decade, but NFW you can say 1980 was not part of the 1980’s. **Liberal:** Why Kent State? **Commasense,** I, too, discarded thoughts about the bible when working on the Rose of Sharon clue, since the “books” of the bible aren’t the same to me as a standalone book of Morrison’s. But if I had known more of Morrison’s titles, I might have made the connection, so it seems like a week objection. ---
**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:** [June 29, 2004, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/228 "2004-06-29T23:15:22Z")
Make that a weak objection. Or Objection Of The week. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/229 "2004-06-30T02:11:31Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > WRONG. :smack: > > The ninth decade of the 20th Century included the years 1981…1990, But the “nineteen-eighties” was the years 1980…1989. > > See, it says “198x” in the year’s name; that’s how you can tell. You can say that 1980 was not part of the ninth decade, but NFW you can say 1980 was not part of the 1980’s. Now who’s responsible for _this_ doublestandard? Consider my ignorance fought. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/230 "2004-06-30T05:31:04Z")
> [@SuperNova](#): > > Interesting link, though. Ken’s personal checklist of his favorite movies: > [http://jenningsbaby.8m.com/](http://jenningsbaby.8m.com/) > > Wow :eek: I’m glad to see that Ken considered [Shallow Hal](http://home.netcom.com/~rogermw/ShallowHal.html) to be among the worthy films of 2001. However, he was a fool not to place it in his Top 10 for that year. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/231 "2004-06-30T09:57:51Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Liberal: Why Kent State? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/232 "2004-06-30T10:28:44Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Am I the only one, or does it seem like to others that Alex sort of doesn’t like Ken, or is somehow embarrassed about his streak. When he opens the show, it’s always something like, “Well, here we are again with the Ken and Alex Show.” I guess from his perspective, during taping, he had no idea whether Ken’s run would be a bang or a flop. Maybe he knows Ken is punking him, since Ken doesn’t get the answers and coaching on diction for foreign phrases like Alex does? Ben Stein could kick ole Alex’s ass in a trivia game of any genre. (hope I got Ben’s last name spelled right) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/233 "2004-06-30T17:58:01Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > Maybe he knows Ken is punking him, since Ken doesn’t get the answers and coaching on diction for foreign phrases like Alex does? Alex seems annoyed that Ken plays things so conservatively. Even when he has an insurmountable lead on FJ or a Daily Double, he doesn’t wager much. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/234 "2004-07-01T03:46:04Z")
So how many games has he won now? ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/235 "2004-07-01T03:55:23Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Even when he has an insurmountable lead on FJ or a Daily Double, he doesn’t wager much. I thought Ken’s answer to this (on the other board) was great. Once you’re assured of the win, you’re betting your own money. You’ve gotta be pretty damn confident to bet another $20,000 on a question. And he has gotten a lot of FJ wrong – just not when it mattered. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/236 "2004-07-01T04:25:48Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > So how many games has he won now? 21 ---
**Author:** ![Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9dc877/32.png) [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/237 "2004-07-01T04:29:25Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > So how many games has he won now? I think today was his twenty-first appearance. He won, bringing his total up to something like $660,000 (pardon the inexactness, I can’t remember precisely how much he ended up with). He was the only contestant to nail FJ. Today’s questions were rather tough, I thought. It’s kind of funny how Ken always gravitates toward the TV and movie categories. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/238 "2004-07-01T09:59:59Z")
I think he was closer to $700,000 than that, something like $698,000 or so, enought to insure passing seven tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/239 "2004-07-01T10:09:42Z")
I wonder if we can figure out how much longer he has. Merv Griffin made this announcement on 18 May. (See OP.) I assume that it was all over by then. I vaguely recall some recent reference about Easter, thinking at the time that this must have happened around Easter. Easter this year was 11 April. He had already been on a couple or three weeks. Two more weeks would mean that it’s now the last week of April or the first week of May. If it was over by 18 May, it must have been just recently over because of the impression it made on Merv. His descriptors had the urgency of recentness, I thought. So, that means that he probably has about 2 or 3 more weeks. Weak logic based on weak information, but there you go. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842/240 "2004-07-01T13:52:13Z")
The shows were actually taped in [February](http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/23/jeopardy.winner.ap/). I think they get so far ahead by taping 10 shows a week (in two sets of five). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merv-griffin-announces-that-something-amazing-is-going-to-happen/245842.md?page=13)