# SNL Black Jeopardy with Tom Hanks **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 24, 2016, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559 "2016-10-24T00:46:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/21 "2016-10-25T01:21:30Z")
I haven’t really watched SNL in years, and I’ve only been tuning in when I expect there will be a debate sketch. I really loved Black Jeopardy, but is Tom Hanks’ Doug the only white guy that has gotten a question right? It was brilliant, the very people Trump’s supporters fear, are possibly the ones they have the most in common with. Awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/22 "2016-10-25T01:32:06Z")
> [@YogSothoth](#): > > Nice of them to use that as a distraction, it was clever That can happen on SNL. Not often. Not as often as it should. But yeah, sometimes. Bit it’s like wishing we had show input… or like wishing Larry David didn’t have hair like Mr. Fields… “Now you owe me seven days of discounted parking in Manhattain at $14 a day.” “Seven times 14… ok, here you go… $35…” “That’s a Lot more than $35 dollars, my friend…” ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/23 "2016-10-25T01:55:54Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Look at SNL being innovative on one of their sketches for once! > > I also think it’s hilarious because there’s a part of me that thinks it’s almost true. > > The stereotypical redneck dude probably DOES have a lot in common with the stereotypical black person. People of the same economic class have a lot in common regardless of race. I got the feeling that Hanks was channeling Larry the Cable Guy and Jeff Foxworthy who play off the Redneck stereotype. They really knocked it out of the park with this sketch. Hanks was perfect. Kenan was hilarious as always. What a fun romp. And like **Monstro** I was literally laughing at loud at the one about: “Skinny women can do this for you.” and Doug says, “What is not a damn thing.?” and Kenans reaction of, “You damn right.” Great performances all around. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/24 "2016-10-25T02:03:33Z")
Also the shout-out to **“Boo! A Madea Halloween”** had me cracking up. I love all things Tyler Perry. That man just has a nack for comedy combined with some life lessons. Even his sitcoms, **House of Payne** and **Meet the Browns** were good. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/25 "2016-10-25T02:08:37Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > People of the same economic class have a lot in common regardless of race. Of course, wealthy plantation owners in The South could see clearly in the beginning what benefitted them did so at the cost of not only all blacks but many whites. Racism for our nation was always a snake oil sales pitch and not an inevitable innate base human reaction to different skin color. Racism, even now, only helps rich white people which is why it persists. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/26 "2016-10-25T03:37:32Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Some analysis of the sketch here: [SNL’s brilliant Black Jeopardy sketch gave us some of the best political commentary of this election | Vox](http://www.vox.com/culture/2016/10/24/13381668/snl-black-jeopardy-tom-hanks) Also, [Jamelle Bouie of Slate had a crack at analysis](http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2016/10/snl_s_black_jeopardy_sketch_was_the_most_astute_analysis_of_american_politics.html). ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/27 "2016-10-25T03:55:05Z")
FINAL JEOPARDY: “Whose life matters?” Uh-oh. Great sly reference to so many white people seeming to be unable to say “Black live matter.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/28 "2016-10-25T10:27:10Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > FINAL JEOPARDY: “Whose life matters?” > > Uh-oh. > > Great sly reference to so many white people seeming to be unable to say “Black live matter.” And, of course, the implied punchline is also that – even though they’ve come to realize they have so much in common – black people are surely going to castigate him for saying that all lives matter. (Not “white lives matter”; they already know he’s going to say that “all lives matter”, and they already know they’ll respond badly.) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/29 "2016-10-25T11:26:05Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Of course, wealthy plantation owners in The South could see clearly in the beginning what benefitted them did so at the cost of not only all blacks but many whites. Racism for our nation was always a snake oil sales pitch and not an inevitable innate base human reaction to different skin color. Racism, even now, only helps rich white people which is why it persists. I agree that racism is not in most people’s best interests, but I disagree that there’s absolutely no “innate base human reaction” involved. I think human beings have a built-in tendency to be both fearful and disdainful of people who are obviously different from themselves. Those who would profit from racism may encourage and exploit it but they don’t manufacture it. ---
**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:** [October 25, 2016, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/30 "2016-10-25T12:24:21Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Also the shout-out to **“Boo! A Madea Halloween”** had me cracking up. I love all things Tyler Perry. That man just has a nack for comedy combined with some life lessons. Even his sitcoms, **House of Payne** and **Meet the Browns** were good. Is this true or are you joking? I thought Tyler Perry was absolutely bottom barrel comedy. Full disclosure: I’ve only seen bare minimal of the Madea character. I was at the doctor’s office and the show was on TV. It seemed dumber than [insert dumb sitcom here]. Is he actually good? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/31 "2016-10-25T12:30:54Z")
No, it’s true. Tyler Perry definitely has a NAK for comedy. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/32 "2016-10-25T13:16:03Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > You know they’ve done this before, right? At lest once, and maybe more. > > The last time I remember, the white guy was a professor of African American History, and he got every answer wrong. Not quite as good as this one, but still very funny. No… actually they’ve never done this before AFAIK. The other Black Jeopardy shows are about how the 1 unsuspecting white guy doesn’t have a clue as to how to play the game. This really is completely different. It was funny because someone you’d expect would never do well, actually has common ground and does well on the show. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/33 "2016-10-25T17:40:00Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Is this true or are you joking? I thought Tyler Perry was absolutely bottom barrel comedy. Full disclosure: I’ve only seen bare minimal of the Madea character. > > I was at the doctor’s office and the show was on TV. It seemed dumber than [insert dumb sitcom here]. > > Is he actually good? No, all of his Medea stuff is awful. Almost all of his other [stuff](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/tyler_perry) is just as bad. _Boo!_ seems to be tied for 2nd best among his Medea films at 29% RT. They don’t generally pre-screen these for critics so several don’t have the minimum to warrant a tomatometer rating. But his other work isn’t 100% all bad. There are some surprises. People go to his films for the social aspects of it. Getting together with friends and seeing something ridiculous. It’s sort of like _RHPS_ but with a new film and not at midnight. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/34 "2016-10-25T17:50:26Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Is this true or are you joking? I thought Tyler Perry was absolutely bottom barrel comedy. Full disclosure: I’ve only seen bare minimal of the Madea character. > > I was at the doctor’s office and the show was on TV. It seemed dumber than [insert dumb sitcom here]. > > Is he actually good? I, no joke, actually like the content Perry puts out. His sitcoms make me chuckle and that’s good enough for me. And I like the Madea character. If you’ve seen the trailer for **Boo!** that’s pretty much the character. She’s one dimensional. So if it’s a Madea movie you know what you’re going to get. Perrys stuff is exactly like **Doug** says. One part of the movie or sitcom you’re laughing and later on they’re going on about how drug addiction of one of the characters is tearing the family apart and it gets all emotional. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/35 "2016-10-25T18:01:27Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > People of the same economic class have a lot in common regardless of race. This may be the most perceptive thing that I have ever seen you post. And I mean that as a compliment, so please take it that way. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/36 "2016-10-25T18:52:51Z")
That totally fucking rocked! Quite a few levels of humor and social commentary done with excellent timing and acting. Absolutely the best thing I’ve seen from SNL in the past 20 years (and they’ve had a lot of great moments). ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/37 "2016-10-25T19:44:12Z")
It was the best skit since David S Pumpkins! Any questions? ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/38 "2016-10-25T20:11:03Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > I haven’t really watched SNL in years, and I’ve only been tuning in when I expect there will be a debate sketch. I really loved Black Jeopardy, but is Tom Hanks’ Doug the only white guy that has gotten a question right? The white contestants sometimes stumble into a right answer, but not often. The joke, however, is not that they’re clueless but that the questions are (cartoonishly) culturally impenetrable. [For example](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWuJHbVZBQg). ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/39 "2016-10-25T20:46:36Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > It was the best skit since David S Pumpkins! Any questions? YES! So many questions! I’m so in the weeds on David S Pumpkins! ---
**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:** [October 25, 2016, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559/40 "2016-10-25T21:05:26Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > No… actually they’ve never done this before AFAIK. The other Black Jeopardy shows are about how the 1 unsuspecting white guy doesn’t have a clue as to how to play the game. This really is completely different. It was funny because someone you’d expect would never do well, actually has common ground and does well on the show. We can argue about what constitutes “doing this before” (I disagree with you), but the poster I was responding to seemed to never have seen any version of “Black Jeopardy” other than this one. Hence my response. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snl-black-jeopardy-with-tom-hanks/769559.md?page=3)