How many "fairly tough" contestants show up during the course of 75 regular games? The last 75 games of the 2008-2009 season produced me, Justin Bernbach, Liz Murphy, Kevin Joyce, and Fred Beukema, and certainly there were some other tough contestants who weren't fortunate enough to win as much (if at all) during that time.Quantum wrote: ↑Mon Apr 16, 2018 11:00 pm Not to convince everyone that I am a conspiracy theorist, but . . . I thought that they brought on some fairly tough opponents for Ken Jennings, to prevent complete run-aways in the games. (Not that it did that much good.) Was this your impression, or not? One of the contestants I knew ran a local TV academic quiz show for close to 20 years prior to appearing on Jeopardy to face Ken Jennings. Most of the day-to-day contestants do not seem to have this type of background.
POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
KJ's opponents were totally average over the course of 75 games, naturally that means that some were very good and some were very mediocre.Quantum wrote: ↑Mon Apr 16, 2018 11:00 pm Not to convince everyone that I am a conspiracy theorist, but . . . I thought that they brought on some fairly tough opponents for Ken Jennings, to prevent complete run-aways in the games. (Not that it did that much good.) Was this your impression, or not? One of the contestants I knew ran a local TV academic quiz show for close to 20 years prior to appearing on Jeopardy to face Ken Jennings. Most of the day-to-day contestants do not seem to have this type of background.
Just because one runs a quiz show for many years doesn't make him a top notch trivia player. By that metric Alex Trebek would be unbeatable were he to move to a contestant's podium.
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
Ken had won 38 games at the end of S20, so the powers saw what he was doing when the tapings concluded in perhaps April 2004 for that season. When auditioning players during the summer and making calls for S21 this was a case when yes, the contestant coordinators could look for certain factors in trying to round up good competition for KJ.Quantum wrote: ↑Mon Apr 16, 2018 11:00 pm Not to convince everyone that I am a conspiracy theorist, but . . . I thought that they brought on some fairly tough opponents for Ken Jennings, to prevent complete run-aways in the games. (Not that it did that much good.) Was this your impression, or not? One of the contestants I knew ran a local TV academic quiz show for close to 20 years prior to appearing on Jeopardy to face Ken Jennings. Most of the day-to-day contestants do not seem to have this type of background.
A deadpan player that might normally get overlooked could get the call if the test score was high. Nothing wrong with that.
At the end of S21 David Madden had won 14 games, so same thing with the possibility of knowing a strong champ was at the #1 spot and needed worthy competitors. Some of the people who aired early in S22 could have been picked to try to take him out.
Matt Ottinger's background of having hosted a show and also been on $otC would have been known to the powers and he's not the only one with such a resume. He was on early in Ken's run, so he probably had the call in place before J! had any idea about KJ.
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
I’m honestly not sure how to answer. My only audition so far was Kansas City, which was a 14 hour drive (not counting the hour and a half to my sister’s the day before). But it was also the closest to me. So is that “the closest location” or “a distant one”? (This time I chose Portland, definitely a distant one as it’s two time zones away and closer than what I think is the closest location, St. Louis, probably a 16 hour drive if I had to guess.)
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
For what it's worth, twice I've been the person who traveled farthest for the audition I attended, but I have yet to get the call.
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
Considering they give a person about a month's notice to come out for a taping (such as today is 4/17, call comes in and says be here on 5/17), then no, they do not do what you're suggesting as no way in friggin hell do they expect anyone to have a month long winning streak, even if they have already been on for two months.Quantum wrote: ↑Mon Apr 16, 2018 11:00 pm Not to convince everyone that I am a conspiracy theorist, but . . . I thought that they brought on some fairly tough opponents for Ken Jennings, to prevent complete run-aways in the games. (Not that it did that much good.) Was this your impression, or not? One of the contestants I knew ran a local TV academic quiz show for close to 20 years prior to appearing on Jeopardy to face Ken Jennings. Most of the day-to-day contestants do not seem to have this type of background.
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
By the time your games aired, you would most likely have already lost so they have no idea how you would play for TV audiences.Quantum wrote: ↑Mon Apr 16, 2018 5:16 pm I was suggesting something slightly different--not picking the players based on a game's questions, but picking the questions based on the players, or a player. I am certain that they know by now how they could get rid of me as a contestant if I was not going over well with the TV audience. (Perhaps this is just slightly paranoid, but this is how I would do things if I were in charge of the TV show, to increase the entertainment value and give the TV audience more people they would like to root for.)
If you are ever a producer for a game show, I would strongly suggest that you don’t give a player you don’t like categories that aren’t in his wheelhouse.
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
Okay, I am persuaded.
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
Friction is also obviously a new concept to him.
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
My aunt said the exact same thing to me: "They can stop the wheel wherever they want!" She also told me a woman should never be president, so there's that
After my audition in July, I had hot debates with family members about whether or not Jeopardy! gives you the categories in advance (they don't). Where do people get these lunatic ideas?
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
some right here on jboard...morbeedo wrote: ↑Wed Apr 18, 2018 3:50 pmMy aunt said the exact same thing to me: "They can stop the wheel wherever they want!" She also told me a woman should never be president, so there's that
After my audition in July, I had hot debates with family members about whether or not Jeopardy! gives you the categories in advance (they don't). Where do people get these lunatic ideas?
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
I auditioned in Boston in 2007 and I will be going to NYC for my second try the end of May.
I live in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, at the far eastern end of the island. A few more miles and I would be very wet. I'm actually closer to London, England, than I am to Dallas, for example.
Each time, I chose a city that was closest to my residence, except that I picked NY this time because I went to Boston already. Although I have been to New York State, I've never been to the Big Apple.
I live in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, at the far eastern end of the island. A few more miles and I would be very wet. I'm actually closer to London, England, than I am to Dallas, for example.
Each time, I chose a city that was closest to my residence, except that I picked NY this time because I went to Boston already. Although I have been to New York State, I've never been to the Big Apple.
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
+1Golf wrote: ↑Mon Apr 16, 2018 1:08 pmThis.squarekara wrote: ↑Mon Apr 16, 2018 12:55 pm my feeling is that the audition lottery is random or automated. TPTB work so hard and do so much already, I just can't see them weighing travel times at this point in the selection process.
Simple theory - there are too many qualified people.
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
This time there was no Boston, closest probably is NYC for you.Pointer wrote: ↑Wed Apr 18, 2018 6:40 pm I auditioned in Boston in 2007 and I will be going to NYC for my second try the end of May.
I live in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, at the far eastern end of the island. A few more miles and I would be very wet. I'm actually closer to London, England, than I am to Dallas, for example.
Each time, I chose a city that was closest to my residence, except that I picked NY this time because I went to Boston already. Although I have been to New York State, I've never been to the Big Apple.
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
Ahem, I think I am the person on the jboard whom triviawayne is calling a lunatic. However, you will see on this page that I have already surrendered on the idea I was propounding. I cannot verify where I got the original idea about seeding.
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
Don’t worry, there’s been a ton of lunatic ideas about the process.
While there are some points we will never know exactly, just a little sense is all it takes to draw a logical conclusion of what happens.
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
You learned something and acknowledged you were wrong. A rare thing on the internet.
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
My brother in law I believe it was believed that when you’re selected for the show you’re given a big book o’ trivia to study of possible answers that could come up. (Although I have heard that this is essentially what happens with the kids on Fifth Grader)morbeedo wrote: ↑Wed Apr 18, 2018 3:50 pmMy aunt said the exact same thing to me: "They can stop the wheel wherever they want!" She also told me a woman should never be president, so there's that
After my audition in July, I had hot debates with family members about whether or not Jeopardy! gives you the categories in advance (they don't). Where do people get these lunatic ideas?
"Jeopardy! is two parts luck and one part luck" - Me
"The way to win on Jeopardy is to be a rabidly curious, information-omnivorous person your entire life." - Ken Jennings
Follow my progress game by game since 2012
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
There are books of Jeopardy! oriented trivia, of course. I have an old one, which I haven't read--but I probably will, if I am invited for an audition this time around. The contestants aren't *given* them, though.
Incidentally, dhkendall, did you ever audition in Lexington, KY (if that is not out of bounds to ask on jboard)?
Incidentally, dhkendall, did you ever audition in Lexington, KY (if that is not out of bounds to ask on jboard)?
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Re: POLL: A Hypothesis about Auditions
Nope, we share audition stories and experiences all the time here!Quantum wrote: ↑Mon Apr 23, 2018 8:58 am There are books of Jeopardy! oriented trivia, of course. I have an old one, which I haven't read--but I probably will, if I am invited for an audition this time around. The contestants aren't *given* them, though.
Incidentally, dhkendall, did you ever audition in Lexington, KY (if that is not out of bounds to ask on jboard)?
Only had one audition so far, Kansas City, June 30, 2015 9:00am. Hoping this year is my second, and that two’s a charm.
Curious why you asked though
"Jeopardy! is two parts luck and one part luck" - Me
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"The way to win on Jeopardy is to be a rabidly curious, information-omnivorous person your entire life." - Ken Jennings
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