# That's the Final Jeopardy question? Really? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 29, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998 "2009-09-29T16:28:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/41 "2009-09-30T21:55:17Z")
I remember missing a Trivial Pursuit question that went something like, “Who was the former Mr. Universe that went on to star as James Bond.” For whatever reason I completely blanked and couldn’t come up with Sean Connery. I have no idea why I blanked only that it happened. I wasn’t under any stress caused by studio lights, answering the question in front of millions, and having my prize money docked because I got the wrong answer. Sometimes when I watch Jeopardy I’m surprised by how well I’m able to answer some of the questions. Years ago the subject was gem stones which I did not expect to be able to answer. I corrected came up with the right question for all of them. I’m not quick to call people stupid because they missed a question that seemed obvious. I think it’s unfair. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/42 "2009-09-30T22:14:03Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Actually, yes. I did. 😛 I’m not surprised. Anybody else? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![orcut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a8b319/32.png) [@orcut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcut)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/43 "2009-09-30T22:44:41Z")
What was the actual question for FJ today I missed it ☹ ---
**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:** [September 30, 2009, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/44 "2009-09-30T22:58:32Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The real puzzler, here: If someone had left off the “what is”, would they have been dinged for it? The quote itself is a question, after all. Because once someone lost for leaving off the “what is”, before they give you the FJ question they tell you what to write before your answer - who is, what is, etc. Thus, you can’t lose because of that. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/45 "2009-09-30T23:52:52Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Today’s Final Jeopardy answer was a bit more difficult. Guess I’d better spoiler it. > > You had to know the _Daily Variety_ five-word headline from 9/30/29. Of course it’s going to be related to the Wall Street crash and yeah, it’s gonna have an entertainment angle, but how many people will know the exact five words? (“Wall Street Lays an Egg”) If any of the contestants had gotten it right, I’d suspect cheating. > > Did anyone here know today’s FJ? Well what was the actual question? I am very familiar with that headline, having seen footage of it many many many times. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/46 "2009-10-01T00:05:46Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Today’s Final Jeopardy answer was a bit more difficult. Guess I’d better spoiler it. > > You had to know the _Daily Variety_ five-word headline from 9/30/29. Of course it’s going to be related to the Wall Street crash and yeah, it’s gonna have an entertainment angle, but how many people will know the exact five words? (“Wall Street Lays an Egg”) If any of the contestants had gotten it right, I’d suspect cheating. > > Did anyone here know today’s FJ? What a difference a day makes. I called yesterday’s FJ “pathetically easy,” but I wouldn’t have gotten tonight’s answer in a million years. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/47 "2009-10-01T00:13:00Z")
The question was (paraphrasing) What five-word-headline from Daily Variety on 10/30/29 was repeated on [whatever date they used for the most recent crash] The only part I’m not sure about is the bracketed stuff. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2009, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/48 "2009-10-01T00:25:16Z")
> [@Kingspades](#): > > It’s my fault. I record “Jeopardy!” to my DVR and I skip the commercials. Sorry to be so selfish. Why, you’re nothing but a thief! A common thief! Anyway, what would’ve made the moment perfect is if someone had written "What is ‘Et tu, Bluto’ ? ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/49 "2009-10-01T03:20:32Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > What a difference a day makes. I called yesterday’s FJ “pathetically easy,” but I wouldn’t have gotten tonight’s answer in a million years. :mad: See I would say that today’s was even easier than the previous two (which I agree were pathetically easy.) That’s Variety’s most famous headline and when you see 1929 the only thing that comes to mind is the stock market. Did the contestants get it correct? ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/50 "2009-10-01T03:30:22Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > See I would say that today’s was even easier than the previous two (which I agree were pathetically easy.) That’s Variety’s most famous headline and when you see 1929 the only thing that comes to mind is the stock market. > > Did the contestants get it correct? Nobody got the Variety headline correct. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/51 "2009-10-01T04:02:57Z")
Seriously, you think “Wall Street Lays an Egg” is easier than “Et tu, Brute”? Which is a common allusion? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/52 "2009-10-01T04:52:17Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > 😛 I’m not surprised. > > Anybody else? 😉 Yep. I knew it. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/53 "2009-10-01T05:35:24Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > > [@DrFidelius](#): > > > > > [@AuntiePam](#): > > > > > > Today’s Final Jeopardy answer was a bit more difficult. Guess I’d better spoiler it. > > > > > > You had to know the _Daily Variety_ five-word headline from 9/30/29. Of course it’s going to be related to the Wall Street crash and yeah, it’s gonna have an entertainment angle, but how many people will know the exact five words? (“Wall Street Lays an Egg”) If any of the contestants had gotten it right, I’d suspect cheating. > > > > > > Did anyone here know today’s FJ? > > > > Actually, yes. I did. > > 😛 I’m not surprised. > > Anybody else? 😉 I had it as soon as I read the 2008 date and the source. Oddly enough, I’m pretty sure I first encountered the original headline on _Jeopardy!_ a number of years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/54 "2009-10-01T07:02:46Z")
Is “Wall Street Lays an Egg” really more famous than “Sticks Nix Hick Pix”? ---
**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:** [October 1, 2009, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/55 "2009-10-01T07:29:33Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > Is “Wall Street Lays an Egg” really more famous than “Sticks Nix Hick Pix”? That was my thought. Stix Nix… is by far the more famous. Hell, Animaniacs did a song about how to read Variety headlines (and boy, is that an obscure joke for a kids’ show), the bulk of which was all variations on ‘Stix Nix…’ ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/56 "2009-10-01T12:20:51Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > Is “Wall Street Lays an Egg” really more famous than “Sticks Nix Hick Pix”? It’s not more famous with _me_. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/57 "2009-10-01T12:22:35Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > Is “Wall Street Lays an Egg” really more famous than “Sticks Nix Hick Pix”? I can’t really comment on which is more famous, but I recall that the clue specified a five-word headline. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/58 "2009-10-01T12:25:37Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > Is “Wall Street Lays an Egg” really more famous than “Sticks Nix Hick Pix”? Seriously, coming from a background of interest in business and history and having only a passing interest in the entertainment field, I would not have thought of your quote. I honestly do not believe I have ever come across it before now. ---
**Author:** ![EvilHamsterOnCrack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@EvilHamsterOnCrack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilHamsterOnCrack)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/59 "2009-10-01T12:47:15Z")
I’m surprised nobody mentioned last Friday’s as well… > [@](#): > > Animals: Due to the requirements of pumping blood to it’s brain, this has the highest blood pressure of any animal. … and somebody on the show missed it. Come on, people. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998/60 "2009-10-01T12:58:03Z")
I knew yesterday’s answer. My husband stared at me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-final-jeopardy-question-really/511998.md?page=4)