# The Jeopardy thread \[was James Holzhauer\]\[contains spoilers\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** reality-or-game-show\ **Created:** [April 17, 2019, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696 "2019-04-17T21:53:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 107
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2021, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2121 "2021-05-18T23:59:04Z")
_Panzerschwein_ means “armored pig.” I doubt tanks had been invented when the word was coined.; ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2021, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2122 "2021-05-19T00:04:49Z")
Well, there has been some [negative publicity](https://outsider.com/news/entertainment/jeopardy-fans-slam-tournament-of-champions-contestant-ryan-bilger-smug-cocky/) about him, from that most delightful school of journalism, the Let’s Take a Few Random Tweets, Weave a Story Around Them, and Declare That This is What “People Are Saying” technique. I don’t read reddit, but I guess a lot of people there were rather unpleasant about him as well. His “apology” was a reddit post. I understand at least one of his opponents has also commented, saying that she was not offended at all. Some people have a bit of an overinflated sense of the “importance” and “dignity” of Jeopardy. At the end of the day, it’s a game show. Contestants aren’t supposed to give away things like who won the tournament, and like that, but I don’t see why they shouldn’t be able to talk about things that have already aired. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2021, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2123 "2021-05-19T00:06:25Z")
Americans are the biggest bunch of whiners anywhere. It’s no wonder why the rest of the world hates them. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2021, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2124 "2021-05-19T01:47:44Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Americans are the biggest bunch of whiners anywhere. Sad but true. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2021, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2125 "2021-05-19T11:36:20Z")
We came close to having a contestant not make FJ. Has anyone else failed to make FJ in a “Tournament of Champions” show? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2021, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2126 "2021-05-19T14:17:59Z")
Was Buzzy less excitable during the second game or was that just my perception? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2021, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2127 "2021-05-19T16:06:36Z")
Yes, I noticed that too. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2128 "2021-05-20T22:03:02Z")
I’m unimpressed with contestants not wagering on FJ. Two out of three did that today. It’s disappointing to see someone on a quiz show win by ducking the question. Why are you on a quiz show if you aren’t confident in your preparation? ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2129 "2021-05-20T22:36:39Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’m unimpressed with contestants not wagering on FJ. Two out of three did that today. They are positioning themselves for the tournament seeding next week. Now, that strategy might backfire for today’s second-place finisher, but I can understand the reasoning. ---
**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:** [May 21, 2021, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2130 "2021-05-21T03:52:31Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’m unimpressed with contestants not wagering on FJ. Two out of three did that today. > > It’s disappointing to see someone on a quiz show win by ducking the question. Why are you on a quiz show if you aren’t confident in your preparation? FJ wagering in the tournaments is different than wagering in a normal game. If you win, you don’t actually win the money, you just advance to the next round, and the 4 highest scores of non-winners advance as well. So for the leader, $16,000 going into FJ is a pretty good score that would almost certainly get him a wild card sport even if he didn’t win. $9000 is more iffy, but as it stands right now she **is** the 4th highest score, so if the losers on tomorrow’s show don’t go above $9000 she’ll be in as well. Considering no one got the correct answer, their wagers were pretty perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2131 "2021-05-21T04:29:43Z")
I thought of “Who are Penn…”, but I couldn’t think of who the other one would be, so I just said “and Teller” ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2132 "2021-05-21T05:18:20Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > > [@terentii](#): > > > > Americans are the biggest bunch of whiners anywhere. > > Sad but true. Well there’s a lot of flopping like all the international soccer players do. Talk about a bunch of whiners. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2133 "2021-05-21T12:05:44Z")
I’m still amazed that I got FJ right, and equally amazed that all three contestants missed it (didn’t even come close). ---
**Author:** ![Bayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bayaker/32/3454_2.png) [@Bayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2134 "2021-05-21T13:59:35Z")
FJ was easy for me, but then I’m an old Maryland boy. But I said _Calvert_ and Penn, since Calvert was the actual name of the Barons(Lords) Baltimore. Places named for various members of the family are peppered all over the map of Maryland. I hope Calvert would have been an ‘acceptable’ answer 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2135 "2021-05-21T14:33:22Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > FJ wagering in the tournaments is different than wagering in a normal game. If you win, you don’t actually win the money, you just advance to the next round, and the 4 highest scores of non-winners advance as well. Thank you for clarifying the rules. I didn’t understand the strategy for tournaments. Now it makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2136 "2021-05-21T14:56:25Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I’m still amazed that I got FJ right, and equally amazed that all three contestants missed it (didn’t even come close). I got it (partially because I’m from Maryland and partially because I have a BA in American history), but I thought it was a hard one. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2137 "2021-05-25T21:52:18Z")
Question about the tournaments: Do the contestants know whether or not they’re Monday, Tuesday, etc.? And if they’re later in the week\* - do they know how the people on earlier days did? If so, does that give the Friday people an advantage - where they know that all they need to do is hit $XXXX and they’re in? \*I’m assuming everything gets filmed on the same day. I mean the day the show will air. ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2138 "2021-05-26T00:47:01Z")
> [@Licentious\_Ectomorph](#): > > a single large button for all the contestants to vie for. How could they know who was first? ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2139 "2021-05-26T00:50:27Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Was Buzzy less excitable during the second game That’s part of what I like about Buzzy. He’s low-key, calm, and confident, but not egotistical. He puts himself second to the contestants. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2140 "2021-05-26T02:32:07Z")
I think that Buzzy is doing a remarkable job, especially considering that he’s doing the TOC as his first gig. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696.md?page=106) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696.md?page=108)