# 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:** 77
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2020, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1521 "2020-11-08T17:36:13Z")
The Jeopardy twitter feed just tweeted that Alex Trebek passed away early this morning. > Not unexpected, I suppose, but still not something I had hoped to hear for awhile. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2020, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1522 "2020-11-08T18:02:47Z")
> **[Alex Trebek, quintessential quizmaster as ‘Jeopardy!’ host for three decades,...](https://apple.news/A7vPefMY_Sj2LptKIZUPYYg)** > > The Canadian-born broadcaster almost single-handedly made “Jeopardy!” one of the longest-lasting shows of its kind in TV history. > **[Alex Trebek, quintessential quizmaster as ‘Jeopardy!’ host for three decades,...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/alex-trebek-quintessential-quizmaster-as-jeopardy-host-for-three-decades-dies-at-80/2020/11/08/519e43c0-21e9-11eb-a688-5298ad5d580a_story.html)** > > The Canadian-born broadcaster almost single-handedly made “Jeopardy!” one of the longest-lasting shows of its kind in TV history. Rest in peace, Alex. You will be greatly missed. My condolences to his family. ---
**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:** [November 8, 2020, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1523 "2020-11-08T21:09:00Z")
His last show was taped on October 29 - to be shown on Christmas Day. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2020, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1524 "2020-11-10T00:24:57Z")
> **[Alex Trebek spent his final day watching the horizon with his wife Jean](https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/alex-trebek-final-day-horizon-wife-jean)** > > Alex Trebek spent his final day doing exactly what he wanted to, watching the horizon with his wife.  ---
**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:** [November 10, 2020, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1525 "2020-11-10T00:53:22Z")
LAH-os I heard it pronounced that way my entire life. That includes Walter Cronkite and all the other news anchors during that era. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2020, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1526 "2020-11-10T02:27:48Z")
If Alex Trebek pronounced it using one syllable, that’s good enough for me. Today’s FJ category was Word Origins, and the answer was: The word for a type of building or institution comes from Greek for a place sacred to a mythical group of 9. I had absolutely no idea, but the top two contestants both nailed it. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2020, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1527 "2020-11-10T02:56:52Z")
I had to think for a bit, but I only know of one mythical group of nine entities, and they do indeed have a type of institution named after them, so that would be it. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2020, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1528 "2020-11-10T03:41:54Z")
Where the fuck did I get synagogue? ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2020, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1529 "2020-11-10T03:49:34Z")
My wife guessed synagogue too. I don’t know why. My brain went, “Mythical group of nine? Sirens? Muses? Museum!” (But maybe not that quickly.) ---
**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:** [November 10, 2020, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1530 "2020-11-10T19:40:19Z")
I’ve heard the phrase “the nine Muses” more than once in my life, so I got it immediately. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2020, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1531 "2020-11-10T22:23:47Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I had to think for a bit, but I only know of one mythical group of nine entities The Mudville baseball team? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2020, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1532 "2020-11-10T22:30:58Z")
Nah, they’re legendary, not mythical. Completely different. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2020, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1533 "2020-11-10T22:51:48Z")
Interesting coincidence that Ken Jennings showed up reading a category for only the second time, on the first episode aired after Alex’s death. I like him, he seems like a good guy, but I don’t get a “game show host” vibe from him. He’s fine with a single pre-recorded set of clues, but I can’t picture him hosting the show. We’ll see. ---
**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:** [November 11, 2020, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1534 "2020-11-11T00:01:45Z")
I have vague memories of Arthur Fleming hosting Jeopardy until 1975. IIRC The transition to Alex went smoothly. I don’t remember much changing except Alex was a lot younger than Fleming. The pacing of the show didn’t change. I think the show will be fine with a new host. Viewers need to keep an open mind. Give the new host support and a real chance to suceed. Alex will always be fondly remembered. ---
**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:** [November 11, 2020, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1535 "2020-11-11T01:02:48Z")
I was actually upset when I saw _ **Jeopardy!** _ had been revived with a host other than Art Fleming. Back then, he and the show were inseparable as far as I was concerned. I didn’t know at the time that he had been offered the job but turned it down. He didn’t approve of the show being moved from New York to California. I warmed to Alex very quickly, though. Over the last 36 years, he certainly made it his own. ---
**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:** [November 11, 2020, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1536 "2020-11-11T12:42:40Z")
RIP Alex. Can a contestant wager $0 on a Daily Double? The chance might happen late in J or DJ when a contestant has only one category left from which to choose, and is not willing to wager anything on an unfamiliar subject. ---
**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:** [November 11, 2020, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1537 "2020-11-11T13:01:38Z")
I can see someone making a token bet of a few dollars, but I suspect you’d be asked to at least bet _something_ if you said “Zero dollars.” ---
**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:** [November 11, 2020, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1538 "2020-11-11T13:53:10Z")
ISTR from when I was on (1991) that you had to bet at least $5 on DD. Any other players confirm? ---
**Author:** ![Borborygmi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/borborygmi/32/217_2.png) [@Borborygmi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Borborygmi)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1539 "2020-11-11T13:59:35Z")
While not a player, I can [confirm from Jeopardy’s website](https://www.jeopardy.com/jbuzz/behind-scenes/5-jeopardy-rules-every-contestant-should-know#:~:text=4.,round%20is%20%245.). That strikes me as an odd amount to choose for the rule. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1540 "2020-11-11T14:09:32Z")
I’ve seen multiple online petitions suggesting LeVar Burton for the new host. I hadn’t thought about that, but it’s not too bad an idea. He’s well-known, likeable, already associated with knowledge and learning thanks to _Reading Rainbow_, and has a warm and friendly on-screen persona. I agree that I’m not sure Ken would be right for it. As I said above, all the “They’re grooming Ken Jennings to take over” stuff seems to be fan speculation. It’s not anything the producers have ever actually said. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696.md?page=76) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696.md?page=78)