# 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:** 126
**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:** [August 5, 2021, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2503 "2021-08-05T22:55:05Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > but I’ve never understood how, on Wheel of Fortune, they can make up the final answer and then give the contestant the R, L, N, T, and E. They can have an answer with lots of those letters, or none of them. That seems a lot like “rigging” to me. if those letters are chosen randomly (or by someone who doesn’t know what the answer is) it’s not rigging. Just really good or bad luck for the contestant. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2504 "2021-08-05T23:01:18Z")
Every contestant gets those letters. The answer could be ‘bazooka,’ or it could be ‘relent.’ ---
**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:** [August 5, 2021, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2505 "2021-08-05T23:15:00Z")
Oh. Never mind then. ---
**Author:** ![mtnmatt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@mtnmatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mtnmatt)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2506 "2021-08-05T23:25:12Z")
it used to be that they chose the letters they wanted, but since everyone chose the same ones, they now just default to those, PLUS a few more the change was a while ago ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2507 "2021-08-06T00:01:29Z")
> [@mtnmatt](#): > > it used to be that they chose the letters they wanted, I found a first season episode on youtube, (Pat and Vanna were so young!) and I’m “predicting” the letters the contestant chose. “R, S, T, L and E”. I am cycic. I must have ESPN. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2509 "2021-08-06T01:39:15Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > I was wondering if Matt would stand alone for FJ. I’ve never seen that happen, but I’m not a constant watcher anymore unless a streak player is winning. It happened last October. See the link in my post a little ways above. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2510 "2021-08-06T08:51:01Z")
> [@mjmartin](#): > > There are several articles implying that executive producer Mike Richards is in final negotiations to be the permanent host. I’m a little surprised about this news. I thought once the sexual harassment story came out he would be out of the running. Of course TPTB may be privy to the settlement details, which we don’t know. ---
**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:** [August 6, 2021, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2511 "2021-08-06T11:00:24Z")
Re: Thursday’s FJ: I was wondering if there had been a Nevada or Arizona statesman (or whatever) named “Boulder” who might have given his name to the (original naming of) dam, and wasn’t there at the opening, and maybe I was missing something? My Google searches found nothing, except that it was named after the Boulder Canyon. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2512 "2021-08-06T17:06:56Z")
> [@Mark\_Finn](#): > > My Google searches found nothing, except that it was named after the Boulder Canyon. It was Hoover Dam in 1930, Boulder Dam in 1932, Hoover/Boulder alternately (depending on if you liked Hoover, I guess) until 1947, when it was finally permanently Hoover Dam. Even though it actually was built in Black Canyon, not Boulder Canyon. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2021, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2513 "2021-08-10T02:06:20Z")
Jesus. It’s Amodio, Joe Buck and 2 spectators. This is boring. ---
**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:** [August 10, 2021, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2514 "2021-08-10T02:14:22Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Whoa. I wonder if anyone has ever lost $37,000 on a single bet before. And another $34,000 loss today. Whoa, indeed! And he had the correct answer before crossing it out and choosing an incorrect response. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2021, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2515 "2021-08-10T16:33:48Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > And he had the correct answer before crossing it out and choosing an incorrect response. He’s getting too cocky. (Heh, I knew the answer, at least the second time I got FS when he and the other two blew it.) ---
**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:** [August 10, 2021, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2516 "2021-08-10T17:05:43Z")
I would have guessed Drake too, because of the association with Drake’s Passage. But Magellan of course preceded him. I wonder if Amodio now holds the record for amount of money ever _lost_ on _ **Jeopardy!** _ ---
**Author:** ![dummygladhands71](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c0e974/32.png) [@dummygladhands71](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dummygladhands71)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2021, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2517 "2021-08-10T20:49:54Z")
Freaking boring. I have no idea why. James never bored me like this. ---
**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:** [August 10, 2021, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2518 "2021-08-10T22:04:14Z")
The competition is weak and James had charisma. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2021, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2519 "2021-08-10T22:54:51Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Jesus. It’s Amodio, Joe Buck and 2 spectators. This is boring. That’s my reaction, too. I hope the ratings are good, though. Anything that helps the show is okay by 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:** [August 11, 2021, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2520 "2021-08-11T06:20:40Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > The competition is weak and James had charisma. Exactly this (although for a minute it seemed there would be a challenge). [Watson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watson_(computer)) had more personality, without the grating “What’s …” Yes, I know Matt might have some kind of minor speech impediment and/or be somewhere on the spectrum. Doesn’t make it any less annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2021, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2521 "2021-08-11T06:34:23Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > The competition is weak and James had charisma. Amodio has charisma. In the interview segment, in the introductions, and after Final Jeopardy, he is a pleasant and personable gentleman, whom you might like to get to know. But in the game, he almost goes into a trance, where the charisma disappears. ---
**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:** [August 11, 2021, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2522 "2021-08-11T15:29:57Z")
During yesterday’s game, Matt found all three Daily Doubles. The first was on clue #6, and his correct answer doubled his score from $2200 to $4400. He finished the first round with $10600 and a $6k lead. But in the second round, he lost $4k on the first DD and won $4k on the second. So that was a wash on the DDs. Yet he finished the second round with $33000. Which means he earned almost $23k without benefit of the DDs. Impressive. And I am probably in the minority, but I think that Joe Buck is doing a good job. It’s only two shows, but his performance is a darn sight better than LeVar Burton after two shows. (Of course, I think that Buck does a good job announcing sports, and I’m definitely in the minority with that opinion, at least among my circle of friends.) ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2021, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2523 "2021-08-11T15:50:48Z")
Two things in this world I love: Knowing the DJ answer when the contestant misses it; and knowing FJ when the contestant does not. I’m kind of surprised Amodio did not know about Magellanic penguins. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696.md?page=125) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696.md?page=127)