One time, after a particularly lame-ass Interesting Anecdotes segment, I tried to think up the worst IA possible, and came up with, “I like to examine my mail to see if any of the stamps are upside down”, and damned if one of the subsequent contestants didn’t come up with one amazingly similar!
I wonder how many people would object if they just did away with that segment?
Having to come up with some lame anecdote is what I use as an excuse for never having tried out for the show.
I’m curious if anyone likes the “about the contestant” segment on ANY game show.
While it gets tedious for a returning champ after multiple wins, I like the segment. Without the individuality of the contestants you could just read the clues/responses on the Jeopardy archive. It gives a contestant who has bad luck in opponents to get some more screen time.
Yes, I always ponder, “Would they rather hear about my collection of Stephen King books, or the time I crapped in the cat box?”
A lot of people have the first, but I know no one that did the second.
So you have my answer.
One I can’t seem to forget, from maybe ten years ago:
ALEX TREBEK: You had scurvy when you were in college?
YOUNG FEMALE CONTESTANT: Yes. I had :bleeding gums. But I ate an orange and it went away.
I can enjoy a baseball game without knowing anything about the players. Sometimes it’s better that way.
I can speak from experience: if you give them 3 “interesting” anecdotes or details about yourself, they’ll pick the one that you don’t want to talk about on TV. And you don’t know which one they picked until the cameras are rolling.
I wonder if that isn’t built into the show as a safety measure in case, for some reason, the actual show runs longer than scheduled. They can always curtail or even dispense with it if they need to do so in order to finish on time.
Do returning champions have to fill out a new card for every show, or only after the initial trivia have been disposed of?
When I had my audition, I had trouble limiting myself to just 5. I’ve led a very interesting life.
When I was on, they asked you for three anecdotes, and asked you which one you most wanted to talk about. That one was marked on the card that Alex had. And then Alex would ask you about whichever one he wanted, regardless of which one you had specified.
In the case of returning champions, they kept the two that hadn’t been used, and added a new third one, so that Alex always had three to choose from.
Just play the damn game. I hate the interviews although they’re far, far better now that we don’t have St. Alex making them about himself and/or one-upping a contestant’s experience. I also find it kind of sad when a contestant’s interesting experience essentially boils down to “I had parents.”
Why do you guys watch Jeopardy!? A lot of you seem to dislike it. Seems weird you would afflict this personal torture on yourselves.
I like the segment. It’s part of a winning formula, and it’s way, way better than the padding and pathos on the other game shows.
Only parts of it. Did someone say they dislike the show its self?
I just sampled enough contemporary music product to last me until the next time they have those awards.
Ah, but have you been to the top of Ben Nevis or inside Lenin’s Tomb? 
No, but I’ve been to the bottom of Grand Canyon and found Harold Russell’s grave.
Who is Harold Russell?