# 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:** 96
**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:** [March 9, 2021, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1901 "2021-03-09T00:41:42Z")
Man, I didn’t realize how unnatural that newsreader inflection was until Curic started her run. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1902 "2021-03-09T03:30:30Z")
A minor complaint: You are allowed to misspell Final Jeopardy, but leave off an ‘s’ and you are wrong. How would ‘Wer of The Warlds’ be any different than ‘War of the World’? Don’t mind me. I’m just pickin nits. And that host sucks. They need to find a permanent good one, or people are gonna lose interest. I already have. Only watched because … I don’t know. ---
**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:** [March 9, 2021, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1903 "2021-03-09T03:41:07Z")
The title of the book is _ **The War of the Worlds** _, the two in question being Earth and Mars. “World” is just plain wrong. I would think that omitting the first article would make it wrong too. As for “wer” and “warld,” they’re not English words anymore than “emanciptation” is. They too are just plain wrong. There should be a rule that such egregious misspellings are not allowed, regardless of how close the pronunciations might be, and especially where well-known proper names and titles are concerned. And no, I didn’t care for tonight’s host either. She was far too perky and chatty for my tastes. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1904 "2021-03-09T04:08:59Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > As for “wer” and “warld,” they’re not English words anymore than “emanciptation” is Your cromulant argument embiggins us all. 😉 ---
**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:** [March 9, 2021, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1905 "2021-03-09T04:52:19Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I would think that omitting the first article would make it wrong too. Unless there is another well-known work just called “War of the Worlds” they don’t penalize for leaving off the first “The” in titles. The only time I have seen that happen is with “Invisible Man” and “The Invisible Man,” since they are both very famous books. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1906 "2021-03-09T15:10:22Z")
I still have nightmares of Couric’s (thankfully short) term as the anchor of CBS Evening News. On her very first episode, she decided to sit up on the desk and show us a picture of Tom Cruise’s new baby. 🙄 ---
**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:** [March 9, 2021, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1907 "2021-03-09T16:10:25Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > And that host sucks. They need to find a permanent good one, or people are gonna lose interest. I already have. Only watched because … I don’t know. Huh. I thought she was fine. And I’m also starting to think it doesn’t matter too much who the host is, the show feels about the same regardless. ---
**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:** [March 9, 2021, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1908 "2021-03-09T16:53:32Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Huh. I thought she was fine. And I’m also starting to think it doesn’t matter too much who the host is, the show feels about the same regardless. She’s definitely _different_, but is she bad? I think it’s too soon to tell. Ken Jennings’ first day was rough, but he improved. She seems more personable with the meet-and-greet. By far, that was Trebek’s worst part. He came across cold normally, aloof on bad days, and downright nasty on his worst. I’d still vote for Mike Richards as permanent host. But not Michael Richards. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1909 "2021-03-09T18:05:12Z")
Right, I’d like them to just settle on someone so I can start getting used to them. ---
**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:** [March 9, 2021, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1910 "2021-03-09T22:51:17Z")
I’d never noticed Katie Couric’s nasal voice. It comes and goes as she reads questions. The nasal goes away when she’s just talking. I have an aversion to nasal voices. It’s like chalk on a blackboard (to me). I’ll give Katie a chance. She’s only guesting for a few weeks.I wouldn’t want to hear that voice day after day for several years. ---
**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:** [March 9, 2021, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1911 "2021-03-09T23:11:55Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I’d still vote for Mike Richards as permanent host. But not Michael Richards. I’d totally be OK with Mike Richards assuming the role, although I think he only did it because no one was available. I doubt he wants the job full-time. ---
**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:** [March 9, 2021, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1912 "2021-03-09T23:12:38Z")
On one clue, the guy’s name ended in “ski” and nobody ventured a guess 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2021, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1913 "2021-03-10T00:30:33Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Personally, I think the minimum bet in Daily Doubles should be the lowest amount on the board. I think it should be at least what it would have been if it _hadn’t_ been a DD. ---
**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:** [March 10, 2021, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1914 "2021-03-10T03:20:23Z")
What was the category? ---
**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:** [March 10, 2021, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1915 "2021-03-10T03:24:44Z")
Constellation Derivations. “The constellation Scutum, “The Shield” in English, was originally called “Sobieski’s Shield”, after John Sobieski, king of this country”. ---
**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:** [March 10, 2021, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1916 "2021-03-10T03:25:55Z")
Right, I remember that! ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2021, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1917 "2021-03-10T18:50:58Z")
Here’s something that really grinds my gears. A player is significantly behind, late in the game, they get a daily double, and the bet substantially… but not everything. Like, I have 5000, leader has 10000, I get the daily double and bet… 3000. That just seems nearly ludicrously flat out wrong to me. The chances of you winning from 2000 are nearly the same as the chances of you winning from 0, but the difference between 8000 and 10000 in this situation is huge. Am I missing something? ---
**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:** [March 10, 2021, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1918 "2021-03-10T19:19:51Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > The chances of you winning from 2000 are nearly the same as the chances of you winning from 0, Not if you finish double jeopardy with zero. And take a game where FJ stumps everyone. We’ve all seen the games where the winner advances with less money than second place gets. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2021, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1919 "2021-03-10T19:43:45Z")
As stated, the chances of winning from 0 in FJ are zero, as you cannot even participate. The chances of winning from 2000 are not great, but if both of the other players are at 10000 (or close) they have to bet against each other and you could sneak in if you are the only one to know the FJ. not great \>\> zero Brian ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2021, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1920 "2021-03-10T20:08:06Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > We’ve all seen the games where the winner advances with less money than second place gets. Sure, but that’s SO MUCH less common than the games where whoever is ahead going into FJ wins. And bear in mind that there’s a third player involved. If there’s someone with 10000 and someone with 9000, whoever’s in a distant third is almost almost zero to win, regardless of whether they’re even playing in FJ. It requires both of them missing AND very specific wagering patterns. Meanwhile, the difference there between being at 8000 vs 10000 is HUGE. My point is, it’s SUPER rare for there to be a meaningful difference between 0 and tiny, but it’s VERY common for there to be a huge difference between ahead-going-into-FJ vs slightly-behind-going-into-FJ. Play to win, don’t play to have the very very slight chance of being a spoiler. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696.md?page=95) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696.md?page=97)