Anybody watching Jeopardy?

[weezie]

Matt Jackson is crazy quick! He's totally beating down on his opponents.

[snowdenscold]

My wife and I watch every night and Matt has indeed been impressive.

In fact, I recently got selected for the regional audition round (did it in Boston last weekend), and I was thinking that if I were lucky enough to be selected to go for a real show out in L.A., that hopefully Matt will be gone by then! None of this Ken Jennings stuff where he's still there several months from now...

[gurufrisbee]

We try to watch, but sometimes the daughters aren't cooperative for that. We did see last night and he was very impressive.

[weezie]

...In fact, I recently got selected for the regional audition round (did it in Boston last weekend), and I was thinking that if I were lucky enough to be selected to go for a real show out in L.A...

Look at you man! Good for you! Keep it up!

[brevity]

I watch JEOPARDY! regularly. The DVR cuts the experience down to 13-16 minutes. I skip all the non-essential parts, like the ads, the meet and greet, and even the categories.

So I've seen 11 episodes of Matt Jackson even though I knew nothing about him, including his last name. His buzzing skill is undeniable -- watch the body language of the middle contestants when they get frustrated -- but when it comes to knowledge he's a bit infuriating. Because he doesn't know crap about pop culture. I don't understand how he can clear $30000 a game without knowing the easy stuff.

Alex mentioned in yesterday's or today's episode that he's only 23, which explains quite a bit. I've seen many incredible players in the post-Ken era, and Matt is easily my least favorite. (Before you ask, Arthur Chu didn't bother me.) Normally I like to see a great player last as long as possible, but I really want Matt to stumble.

[Kimist]

I watch JEOPARDY! regularly. The DVR cuts the experience down to 13-16 minutes. I skip all the non-essential parts, like the ads, the meet and greet, and even the categories.

So I've seen 11 episodes of Matt Jackson even though I knew nothing about him, including his last name. His buzzing skill is undeniable -- watch the body language of the middle contestants when they get frustrated -- but when it comes to knowledge he's a bit infuriating. Because he doesn't know crap about pop culture. I don't understand how he can clear $30000 a game without knowing the easy stuff.

Alex mentioned in yesterday's or today's episode that he's only 23, which explains quite a bit. I've seen many incredible players in the post-Ken era, and Matt is easily my least favorite. (Before you ask, Arthur Chu didn't bother me.) Normally I like to see a great player last as long as possible, but I really want Matt to stumble.

Jackson is indeed both quick and knowledgeable. His missing areas of expertise are overcome by his general good knowledge. The second place guy (on Thursday?) could easily have been a champion in most Jeopardy contests.

I also DVR nightly, but since you skip the meet/greet you've missed out on his interesting family background.

Arthur Chu thoroughly got on my nerves. . .I was daily pulling for him to lose. He did seem a bit more mellow in the Tournament of Champions. . .maybe he read some of the posts about him??

k

[cf-62]

So I've seen 11 episodes of Matt Jackson even though I knew nothing about him, including his last name. His buzzing skill is undeniable -- watch the body language of the middle contestants when they get frustrated -- but when it comes to knowledge he's a bit infuriating. Because he doesn't know crap about pop culture. I don't understand how he can clear $30000 a game without knowing the easy stuff.

Alex mentioned in yesterday's or today's episode that he's only 23, which explains quite a bit. I've seen many incredible players in the post-Ken era, and Matt is easily my least favorite. (Before you ask, Arthur Chu didn't bother me.) Normally I like to see a great player last as long as possible, but I really want Matt to stumble.

Like others, I rooted for Arthur to lose every game. He simply made the game unenjoyable (to watch or play along). Matt plays a little differently. He's not DD hunting as much as just trying to build his bank faster.

And the other day (7), he actually HAD to answer Final Jeopardy to win, and the category was Movie Characters. I thought he was toast, but the answer was simply way too easy to be a Final Jeopardy question.

It's his speed of clicking when the lights come on that's killing the other contestants.

[Jarhead]

Like others, I rooted for Arthur to lose every game. He simply made the game unenjoyable (to watch or play along). It's his speed of clicking when the lights come on that's killing the other contestants.

...but doesn't he have to ask the correct question to win the dollars? And if he answers incorrectly, or doesn't answer at all once he clicks in, he loses money. He doesn't do much of that, does he? I didn't watch the show today. Did he stay alive?

[luburch]

...but doesn't he have to ask the correct question to win the dollars? And if he answers incorrectly, or doesn't answer at all once he clicks in, he loses money. He doesn't do much of that, does he? I didn't watch the show today. Did he stay alive?

He did. He ended with $51,000 on the day, but the other contestants weren't the best. There were quite a few questions that went unanswered.

[snowdenscold]

...but doesn't he have to ask the correct question to win the dollars? And if he answers incorrectly, or doesn't answer at all once he clicks in, he loses money. He doesn't do much of that, does he? I didn't watch the show today. Did he stay alive?

Indeed, though one should also realize that for most of the clues on Jeopardy, all 3 contestants likely know the answer, but you only see the one person who rings in. So the buzzer timing really is probably the most significant factor, as the amount of clues that only you know and the other 2 don't is probably fairly small. Next biggest factor might be DD hunting and smart wagering.

Speaking of wagering, the amount of incredibly stupid wagers I've seen (both on DD's and also Final Jeopardy) always amazes me. I can't figure out if people just totally cramp up under the pressure and can't think through it clearly, or if they just really don't know what the optimal action to do in the situation is. Or even near-optimal... or basically just avoiding a terrible choice. I mean, these people are smart enough to know tons and tons of information about a large variety of categories - but they can't be bothered to think about some basic wagering scenarios ahead of time. Not sure if that's just two different enough categories of brain activity, or lack of foresight, or what...

[wilson]

Indeed, though one should also realize that for most of the clues on Jeopardy, all 3 contestants likely know the answer, but you only see the one person who rings in. So the buzzer timing really is probably the most significant factor, as the amount of clues that only you know and the other 2 don't is probably fairly small. Next biggest factor might be DD hunting and smart wagering.

I appeared on Jeopardy a few years back, and this is spot on...an exact explanation of how game-play functions. I lost by a narrow margin in my appearance, and it all came down to the question above the final Daily Double. It was a fairly easy one, to which I knew the answer, but I simply got beaten on the buzzer, and when my opponent then went through the standard progression of simply choosing the next clue down the board, he got the significant boost of the last DD, and that was pretty much that.
[/humblebrag]

[swood1000]

I appeared on Jeopardy a few years back, and this is spot on...an exact explanation of how game-play functions. I lost by a narrow margin in my appearance, and it all came down to the question above the final Daily Double. It was a fairly easy one, to which I knew the answer, but I simply got beaten on the buzzer, and when my opponent then went through the standard progression of simply choosing the next clue down the board, he got the significant boost of the last DD, and that was pretty much that.
[/humblebrag]

How did you get to be a contestant?

[wilson]

How did you get to be a contestant?

It starts with an online test. You have to register ahead of time and log in at a specified moment. 50 free-response questions, and if I recall correctly, you have like 10 or 15 seconds per question...long enough to type your answer in (spelling doesn't count as long as they know what you're saying), but not long enough to Google it.
Then, if you score high enough, you get invited to one of the regional live auditions. At the audition, they ask you to wear what you'd wear if you were on air, and you do a good bit of paperwork and biographical forms, plus a written test, a practice interview segment, and a practice game segment.
When I finished my audition, they told me I had been selected for the contestant pool for the next year. They said that meant that they might call and they might not, and if after a year, I hadn't been selected, I could go through the selection process again. They called me about 4 weeks later, and I unequivocally accepted their invitation.
Despite my loss on the show, I was very pleased with my play (I had a high dollar amount that would win about 95 times out of 100), and the whole experience was one of the coolest, most fun things I've ever done. I highly recommend it to anyone who ever gets the chance.

[snowdenscold]

It starts with an online test. You have to register ahead of time and log in at a specified moment. 50 free-response questions, and if I recall correctly, you have like 10 or 15 seconds per question...long enough to type your answer in (spelling doesn't count as long as they know what you're saying), but not long enough to Google it.
Then, if you score high enough, you get invited to one of the regional live auditions. At the audition, they ask you to wear what you'd wear if you were on air, and you do a good bit of paperwork and biographical forms, plus a written test, a practice interview segment, and a practice game segment.
When I finished my audition, they told me I had been selected for the contestant pool for the next year. They said that meant that they might call and they might not, and if after a year, I hadn't been selected, I could go through the selection process again. They called me about 4 weeks later, and I unequivocally accepted their invitation.
Despite my loss on the show, I was very pleased with my play (I had a high dollar amount that would win about 95 times out of 100), and the whole experience was one of the coolest, most fun things I've ever done. I highly recommend it to anyone who ever gets the chance.

That's awesome. As I mentioned above, I just had my regional audition last weekend and I believe it went fairly well - I'm pretty sure I got 41 / 50 on the paper exam, I was good at voice projection, and comfortable picking categories and answering questions.

Of course, based on the #'s they told us, only about 400 of the 2500 people at all the regional auditions will be chosen over the next 12-18 months, so even if they weeded out half of the people, that's still not a great chance of appearing on the show.

[weezie]

...only about 400 of the 2500 people at all the regional auditions will be chosen over the next 12-18 months, so even if they weeded out half of the people, that's still not a great chance of appearing on the show.

But, if you do make it, you'll wear a Duke tie, right?!

[wilson]

But, if you do make it, you'll wear a Duke tie, right?!

That's what I wore! But I tied my own, because this is not amateur hour.
IS00BB-2247-2.jpg

[JasonEvans]

My buddy, and DBR Board member Spencer's Daddy (he does not post all that often), was on Jeopardy 18 years ago. My memory is fuzzy, but I think was a 3-day champion with impressive totals each day (despite missing 2 final jeopardy questions that were super hard). On day 4, he had a lead going into final Jeopardy but again ran into an impossible final question that no one answered correctly. The 2nd place person was kinda close to him and they both wagered big, allowing the lame 3rd place person to walk away with the win... or something like that. I forget the exact details but I recall thinking he was robbed and he had a darn good chance to be a 5-time champion (which was the limit back then) if things had broken a little differently.

He always said that familiarity with the clicker was a huge, huge advantage for returning players. After his win on day one, he would routinely get out to a big lead in future programs before the other contestants began to figure out the clicker.

It is worth noting that he was also a contestant on one of the early, first season, editions of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, with Regis. They did a practice "fastest fingers" multiple choice before the show (the way they determined who would get to play the game) and he won both practice rounds. In one of the practice rounds he actually set a Millionaire record for fastest answer. But, when the show actually aired, he miss-hit one of the buttons and his answer was just a fraction too slow. As a result, he did not get to play the game. I am absolutely convinced he would have won hundreds of thousands of bucks on that show. Dude was a trivia master like none I have ever met!

--Jason "I mentioned this thread to him in an email. Hopefully he will check it out and provide even more perspective" EVans

[Spencer's Daddy]

I should have gotten all 4 Final Jeopardy questions correct, but after Double Jeopardy ends, my adrenaline rush also ended, and I could barely think once the Final Jeopardy music started. The correct question, on the show which I was defeated, was "Who is Archimedes?" I was teaching high-school math at the time, and actually had a poster of Archimedes hanging on my classroom wall (along with some other famous mathematicians). The other guy actually got it right, and he ended up winning one more show I believe.

This was the old days, before they doubled the money amounts, and when the runners-up received fabulous prizes, rather than a little cash like now. My runner-up prize was a week-long trip to the island of Majorca off the coast of Spain.

They film a week's worth of shows in one day. The worst part for me was changing clothes quickly and getting mentally ready to go on again in 10 minutes to tape tomorrow's show.

[snowdenscold]

This was the old days, before they doubled the money amounts, and when the runners-up received fabulous prizes, rather than a little cash like now. My runner-up prize was a week-long trip to the island of Majorca off the coast of Spain.

Yeah, I always thought the $2,000 and $1,000 payouts for 2nd and 3rd place were kind of lame. After taxes, 3rd place won't even cover the cost of your trips to regionals auditions + LA taping, and 2nd place probably breaks about even.

I guess they figure the show is now well enough established that just being on it is an honor and they'll have plenty of people (like myself) willing to participate, even if it means a financial loss.

[cf-62]

That's awesome. As I mentioned above, I just had my regional audition last weekend and I believe it went fairly well - I'm pretty sure I got 41 / 50 on the paper exam, I was good at voice projection, and comfortable picking categories and answering questions.

Of course, based on the #'s they told us, only about 400 of the 2500 people at all the regional auditions will be chosen over the next 12-18 months, so even if they weeded out half of the people, that's still not a great chance of appearing on the show.

Good luck. I've been to 2 auditions, and even got to play the simulated game twice the second time. I thought for sure I was in. But rarely do you get the call. Actually, today, making the audition is also a shot in the dark. I have now passed the test 4 times, but twice was randomly left out of the live audition because they had more people pass the online test than they had spots in the live audition.

The important thing is -- you've made it this far -- because so many people don't. Be ready, and study up on that poetry. :-)