Jeopardy (the TV show)
Jeopardy is one show I try to watch regularly. Are you following the shows with the current champion, Matt Jackson? This guy is good. He's also very intense, and I found him irritating at first--the way he rarely smiles, and practically cuts of Alex in his haste to demand the next question. But now he's grown on me a bit, and I'm fascinating with the breadth of his knowledge. I feel sorry for the contestants who had the misfortune of being chosen to play against him.
Here's a Jeopardy-related whine: Contestants who get spastic with their buzzers, holding them up and shaking them while trying to buzz in. The worst I've seen of these was a recent contestant who waved whole arm out while doing this. I think her name was Talia. She had a lot of cleavage, and flirted with the camera when the contestants were introduced at the beginning of the show. She won very little money.
Yes, I have been watching him too. I have the same reaction to him. He's very smart and only 24 right?
I just saw it for the first time last night. Matt really outdistanced the other competitors. (The last question was difficult, wasn't it?) He's good on the buzzer. Certainly all three competitors knew the answers to certain questions, but he was able to buzz in first.
Occasionally I see women who have chosen a top which is not flattering and wondered what they were thinking. Cleavage is so common now, but I really don't enjoy seeing it on Jeopardy. (Is that prudish?)
I attended a Jeopardy taping recently, two shows, one after the other. It was really fun, even being on the Sony studios lot was interesting. During the Jeopardy taping they had an equipment malfunction of some sort, and Alex told them to unplug it for 15 seconds and plug back in.
We have been watching. His demeanor is a bit odd. Little expression his voice, but he is extremely knowledgeable on a vast array of subjects. How does one get and retain all that knowledge in just 23 years. I read a suggestion online somewhere that he may have Asperger's Syndrome or Autism. He is good on the buzzer and he seems to find almost all of the double jeopardy questions. I am thinking Ken Jennings record is in Jeopardy
I plan my day in order to be able to watch Jeopardy also. I've been watching that program since way back in the '60's I believe, when Art James was the emcee.
I'm in awe of some of the champions, and I believe that Matt Jackson may be the youngest to have gotten so far. He was 22 when he made his last successful audition for the show, and he's 23 now. He apparently did do a lot of studying from what I've read online, but to be able to retain it all is amazing. It's interesting that so often you can tell a contestant has only read the answer as he does not know how to pronounce it and Alex corrects him. If that were me, I'd be embarrassed, but at the same time, glad to know how to pronounce it. I can remember in the past when I've mispronounced something and didn't find out till later the correct pronunciation.
The contestants that swing their arms around when buzzing bother me too. I can't help but think they waste a second or two by doing that. I always wonder at just what point they make contact with the buzzer. I'm also wondering what advantage it is to hold the buzzer up at shoulder height.
It certainly would be frustrating to be a really smart, good contestant, and be up against someone like Matt.
Go Matt!!!
This article talks about buzzer technique. I didn't read it all, but got the gist of it. It also shows what the contestants' podiums look like from their perspective.
All about the buzzer
Wow, thanks, that link was very interesting! I've often thought that so much of that game depends on your skill with timing the buzzer and I guess it really does. Of course, being intelligent enough to get on the show in the first place, doesn't hurt either, lol!
I haven't been watching...I'll start! Sounds like good fun!
A few days ago after the first round, Matt and the middle contestant were tied at 8000, and I thought that he might give Matt a good run for the money. I went away and came back about halfway through the Double Jeopardy round, and the middle contestant was still at 8000, and Matt was over 20000.
My television is off until 4:30 when Jeopardy comes on. My attitude about Matt has changed some as he seems to show more feeling. It seems uncanny that he finds so many of the Double Jeopardy questions. I will say that I liked Ken Jennings' attitude better. But Matt is undoubtedly a smart fellow. I feel sorry for those who come up against him as contestants.
Comcast.net has a little clip there on just his smile done in slow motion. We watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune every night. Wish I was smart enough to try out, I think all contestants have a chance to beat him, but he's just a little bit better.
We tape it and watch every evening. Susan I thought the same about Matt at first - he was annoying but now he's grown on me too. He is very smart! Before Alex mentioned it I wondered what he would do if he won more than 10 games because he holds up fingers for every game won at the beginning of the show.
Maxmom, I think that's Art Fleming…..Shows you how long I've been watching, too. Matt definitely is irritating but unbelievably knowledgable! Alisande, one of my pet peeves is when a long-running contestant finally gets taken down and the next night the champion loses big time. What?
He'll have to take his shoes off, Casey.
So true about the person who takes down the champion... The old saying goes, "on any given day, any team can win... " Have watched for years too... I even have youngsters watching... I have a friend in Fresno (in his early 40's) - we would call each other to see who could answer the final Jeopardy answer/question...
Another Jeopardy fan here.....I record it every day, in case I have to miss it! Matt is really a somber person, isn't he? Alex made a reference to Jennings the other day. I do so wonder how one can retain all that knowledge.
I'm a huge Jeopardy fan. Matt gets on my nerves. There, I said it!
The way he talks over Alex is so rude. Sure, he's a font of knowledge, but I get bored when show after show is a runaway.
Matt is also a master of the buzzer. That's half the battle right there.
I like Matt. He's a lot less annoying than many others. He very serious and intelligent. He reminds me of a very serious young man who is not very socially adept.
He was actually in the red on Friday, but it didn't last long. I should have taken a picture. lol
Now we'll see how he handles the eleventh day... :)
I've been meaning to post about this new champion but thought others would think I was awful to say that I thought he was down right creepy. lol I agree they must have finally suggested he smile a little. His eyes can be so intense. Great player though. I noticed sometimes he'll pick a topic that the others aren't as familiar with and never even ring in himself until all the clues are gone. Good strategy.
Thanks for the link! I wonder too, how such a young man can retain all that information. Too bad for his fellow contestants.
For me, his demeanor improved a lot when he spoke so fondly of his grandfather.
Georgysmom: You're right. Thanks for the correction.
Alisande: Thanks for the links. I always thought when someone kept pressing the buzzer over and over they were 'doing it wrong'. The article gave me a lot more insight into how the whole thing works. After reading another champion's tips on winning, I can see how Matt's intensity helps him concentrate. It takes more than just knowing the right answer.
We were away so I didn't watch this week but will tune in next week.
For the contestants who visibly hit the buzzer a thousand times, why don't the producers or Alex talk to them and tell them they need to keep their hands below the podium? It is very annoying and distracting to watch on TV so it must be annoying to them too.
I think people like Matt and Ken Jennings have photographic memories....how else could one possibly retain so much information on so many subjects?
Joanie, I have often wondered why someone in charge doesn't have a word with those buzzer wavers during commercial break. Maybe they've learned the contestants will go right back to doing it anyway, in their nervousness.
Matt should get a guest role on Big Bang Theory. Another Sheldon.
Did Matt lose last night to Michael? Darn, I missed it!
He did. It was shocking! The way Matt kept finding all the Daily Doubles, I began to think he'd never get dethroned. But he left with something like $411,000, and Michael seemed like such a nice guy. I was sorry he didn't win tonight.
Matt went into Final Jeopardy with only a $200 lead over Michael. The clue was: "For its 50th anniversary in 2012, the roof of this landmark was temporarily repainted its original color, Galaxy Gold." No one had the answer (including me): the Space Needle in Seattle.
Matt did something admirable earlier in the show. He had been given credit for an answer to another question. He'd answered "al," but Alex heard it as "au," the correct answer. During the break, and knowing it would cost him $1,600, Matt told the producers that his answer was wrong.
Thanks, Susan. I would not have known the answer to that final Jeopardy question either. When I turned TV on tonight I fully expected to see Matt there and was so surprised!
And Monday I'll be rooting for the guy who won tonight to lose - with any luck they'll do the one day winners for a few days - can you tell I didn't like that guy LOL
Oh, that makes me really admire the guy, Susan! Very few people would have done that and it's most refreshing to hear of his honesty. My dh is more interested in the show than I am, but I do watch from time to time and knew about Matt. Too bad he missed.
Actually, I heard him say al instead of au. I was wondering if the judges would pick it up. I didn't realize he called it on himself. I must have dozed off. Shows a great deal of integrity. As I said earlier, one of my pet peeves is when someone comes along and unseats a many time winner and then goes on to lose the following day. Wouldn't you know that's exactly what happened.
I couldn't believe that none of the 3 knew the answer but that I did! lol It was a lucky guess led by the clue.
It's marching band season, so we're never home in time to watch it, but I do typically watch it every night. I did see Talia and I TOTALLY thought the same thing you wrote. Seems like there was another thing? Did she also pout when she didn't buzz in first or get the answer wrong? Something like that?
Rob, yes--she was a big pouter. And huffer. Thoroughly annoying.
Chessey, I can't say I'm crazy about last night's winner either, although maybe he'll grow on us. He's a stand-up comic, which I guess explains his over-the-top tendency to perform.
Georogysmom, I heard him say "al" too, but I assumed Alex, who speaks French, was correct in approving the answer. I guess the "judges" didn't pick up on it either.
Absolutely annoying
I was shocked at Matt's loss, but his integrity makes him a true winner in my book.
Last nights win by the stand up comedian was not what I was hoping for. He is annoying!
I root against anyone who jumps around picking questions rather than starting at the top and working down rows.
I don't know why the skipping around the board should bother people. It is their choice, and they are trying to win the game. After reading the link provided above, I can understand why it's good strategy to do that.
While watching last night, I kept thinking (about the eventual winner) "Why is he yelling"???
I thought the same thing, Suzieque. He shouted everything he said.
Skipping around is ok, it's part of the strategy for many players. However, sometimes a player will go for the highest amount (bottom of the board) before any of the above questions have been answered. That seems risky; it's good to get a sense of the topic before plunging into it. But, the payoff can be big if the contestant knows the answer.
What tickles me about Jeopardy is when the Final Jeopardy question knocks out the presumed winner and one of the others wins. It's always fun to see their reaction. With Jeopardy, you never know!
I just watched tonight's show. I won't say anything to avoid spoiling it for those who haven't seen it yet. But I will say it's two nights in a row I didn't know the Final Jeopardy answer. :-/
I heard Matt say "al" also then he sort of got a funny look on his face when Alex said he got it right with "au". Then he blew the next question. Lots of credit to him for being honest and telling them. I was hoping they would tell the new winner to tone it down a bit. Kind of sounds like all the "Wheel" contestants. :)
Anna, it's true--the Wheel staff must tell everyone to shout their letters. I wish they wouldn't.
The production staff should turn down the microphone volume of any contestant who shouts.
Alisande, my hubs and I both knew the answer to tonight's Final Jeopardy question. :-)
Ha! Well, Lindsey, considering your location and the fact that you're baseball fans, I'm not surprised. I kept thinking, translated? What has to be translated? :-)
The lack of betting strategy in final jeopardy drives me crazy, especially by the player in 3rd place. My theory is that the person at the bottom should almost always bet zero, with the only chance of winning coming from the other two missing the answer. And if they missed it, #3 probably will, too.