Thursday, January 3, 2013 Game Recap & Discussion [SPOILERS]

[StrangerCoug]

How many people posting learned the answer to FJ! from School House Rock like I did?

[a couple of hours ago:]

Who else got today's FJ at least partially thanks to Schoolhouse Rock?

[tap tap] Is this thing on?

Wasn't paying attention. Sorry for asking the same thing you did.

[Linear Gnome]

Wasn't paying attention. Sorry for asking the same thing you did.

No problem--I think it's one of the hazards of having an early showing (4:30 central) and posting early.

Someone commented about being too old for Schoolhouse Rock. I'm 51, but, for some reason, some of those have stuck in my mind all these years ("Figure eight as double four..."; "Conjunction Junction, what's your function?"; "...today I am still just a bill...").

I got Flanders by vaguely knowing that Flanders Field is "something" and the Belgium connection.

Somehow, I've never heard of Pere Lachaise. Now I'm curious about it.

[ElendilPickle]

Wasn't paying attention. Sorry for asking the same thing you did.

No problem--I think it's one of the hazards of having an early showing (4:30 central) and posting early.

Someone commented about being too old for Schoolhouse Rock. I'm 51, but, for some reason, some of those have stuck in my mind all these years ("Figure eight as double four..."; "Conjunction Junction, what's your function?"; "...today I am still just a bill...").

I got Flanders by vaguely knowing that Flanders Field is "something" and the Belgium connection.

Somehow, I've never heard of Pere Lachaise. Now I'm curious about it.

A virtual tour of Pere Lachaise: http://www.pere-lachaise.com/perelachaise.php?lang=en

[TenPoundHammer]

Somehow,"America Rock" is the only set of Schoolhouse Rock videos I've never seen. I know a teacher showed us "Science Rock" and "Grammar Rock" in 4th grade, and I once owned the VHSes of "Science Rock" and "Multiplication Rock", but "America" has always eluded me.

I also got Flanders several ways:

1.) I saw "In Flanders Fields" quoted in a Peanuts strip once.
2.) The "other choir" in my school sang a pretty neat rendition of it set to music. (I've always joked that my school had two choirs: the one I was in, and the one whose members could actually sing.)
3.) I know Belgium's divided into Wallonia and Flanders.

[Bamaman]

I've never read that poem and did not know it was in Belgium. I knew it had something to do with the Dead from WWI and the TOM of Field gave it to me.

[kickerofelves]

3.) I know Belgium's divided into Wallonia and Flanders.

What a curious place your brain must be...

-a.

[seaborgium]

3.) I know Belgium's divided into Wallonia and Flanders.

And you didn't GO THE WRONG WAY IN A STINKIN' 50/50 CHOICE like you ALWAYS DO?!?!?

[TenPoundHammer]

3.) I know Belgium's divided into Wallonia and Flanders.

And you didn't GO THE WRONG WAY IN A STINKIN' 50/50 CHOICE like you ALWAYS DO?!?!?

Because this time it had "fields", didn't it?

[Kebert Xela]

"It's in there, but it's not coming out" ......... That's what she said

[jeff6286]

"It's in there, but it's not coming out" ......... That's what she said

Well played.

[cinemaniax7]

Count me among those who pre-called FJ thanks to Schoolhouse Rock. The entire series is available (and inexpensive) on DVD and is a must-have for future J! champions and their children. I'm particularly fond of "Interjections!" and "Three Is a Magic Number."

[MarkBarrett]

Count me among those who pre-called FJ thanks to Schoolhouse Rock. The entire series is available (and inexpensive) on DVD and is a must-have for future J! champions and their children. I'm particularly fond of "Interjections!" and "Three Is a Magic Number."

That will be me watching the Vikings vs. Packers tomorrow on TV at 2:03 of "Interjections!"

[Bamaman]

Back in the heyday of Saturday mornings, back when cartoon viewing was a scheduled date for 8-year-olds and their ­cereal bowls, back before Nickelodeon made animation into a 24-hour buffet, there arose a phenomenon that was good and pure and true. It was called “Schoolhouse Rock.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle ... story.html

[El Jefe]

(Crusty Saturday replay)

Boy, for Alex's sake he was glad he didn't editorialize the FJ (something along the lines of 'oh look at who got it right, interesting!') or else the howls would have been heard loud and far. I am surprised the get rate was 1/3.

Funny how this show preceded the 2014 College Jeopardy Tournament by 1+ years yet 2 DJ answers were from this past week -Arlington Cemetery and Reese's Pieces.

I try to minimize the complaints I have for Alex's delivery, since it's a tough job pronouncing so many difficult words, but it was pretty gausche to hear him balk at even trying to pronounce "Poozhikunnel." I mean, it's almost totally phonetic FFS! All you have to chance is whether the 'h' is silent. At the very least Alex could pick his best guess and ask it hesitantly, but to even not try without a discussion about it is a bit jerky. Again, I have high praise for his level of detail and correctness normally, but this stunk; couldn't they make pronunciations of full names something the contestant coordinator secures and relays to Alex? Alex's pronunciation of Ashok certainly seemed perfectly nuanced.

Jeffrey

[seaborgium]

I try to minimize the complaints I have for Alex's delivery, since it's a tough job pronouncing so many difficult words, but it was pretty gausche to hear him balk at even trying to pronounce "Poozhikunnel." I mean, it's almost totally phonetic FFS! All you have to chance is whether the 'h' is silent.

Really? His name was the first time I've ever heard "zh" pronounced as "r."

[El Jefe]

I try to minimize the complaints I have for Alex's delivery, since it's a tough job pronouncing so many difficult words, but it was pretty gausche to hear him balk at even trying to pronounce "Poozhikunnel." I mean, it's almost totally phonetic FFS! All you have to chance is whether the 'h' is silent.

Really? His name was the first time I've ever heard "zh" pronounced as "r."

I hereby dial back the chiding- the "r" sound made it a bit tricky, but it is still annoying to hear "Hey, [not A] right? [A]!"

Jeffrey

[seaborgium]

I don't get what you're saying. I thought Alex was appropriately humble there.

[Rex Kramer]

Back in the heyday of Saturday mornings, back when cartoon viewing was a scheduled date for 8-year-olds and their ­cereal bowls, back before Nickelodeon made animation into a 24-hour buffet, there arose a phenomenon that was good and pure and true. It was called “Schoolhouse Rock.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle ... story.html

I was there. It was fantastic.

Rex

[El Jefe]

I don't get what you're saying. I thought Alex was appropriately humble there.

Alex said "You noticed I didn't try to pronounce your last name, right?" And then he proceeded to try (and did very well/nailed it actually).

When other people say they're not even going to *try* to pronounce things, it reeks of bragging about ignorance. Maybe I'm just sensitive to this coming from him because he is such a skilled pronouncer of words- the statement of separation gets amplified coming from him. Alex and Jeopardy! are better than that.

But either way you should be consistent- if you say you're not going to try then wait for the person to tell you their name. Otherwise take your best shot while soliciting feedback. The mix of these two approaches seems awkward.

Jeffrey

[lieph82]

Trebek has managed to convince you over the years, with the confidence with which he has butchered pronunciations in every known language, that he is a skilled pronouncer of words?