Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
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- Second Banana
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
I sincerely hope for no Wolf Blitzer moments.
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
Maybe scouring the Archive will present counterexamples, but I don't recall any celebrity apparently intentionally ringing in solely to supply a joke. I do recall instances where, in last-second recognition that a thought-of response was certainly incorrect, an extemporaneous joke response was supplied, as when Lovitz famously gave this response:
"O" MY $200: Marine mollusk good at arm to arm to arm to arm to arm to arm to arm to arm combat
Jon: What is an o-crab?
Also, let's be real. The charity money is lagniappe, but it's not the raison d'être for Celebrity J!... Any of these celebs could easily give $25k or whatever to their favorite charity. (Maybe Michael McKean couldn't have afforded a million. I don't know.) Celebrity J! is about the entertainment inherent in watching some Hollywood people contend with material written for the real nerds or make fools of themselves trying.
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
It's not the spirit of Jeopardy, though. There is no implied meritocracy in the qualifying process.
Maybe that concept is dead in the 2020s, but the idea that an ordinary person could read and train and have that moment, maybe even make a life-changing amount of money... that's Jeopardy. No dancing in the audience, no need to clap like a seal on command, no gimmicks or quirks that substitute for genuine personality. As Barry Sanders said, act like you've been there before.
An hour for a question set? No, I don't believe for a second it won't be dumbed down to celebrity level - you'd have all three well into negative territory otherwise. Interviews can only go on so long. It's going to be staged quip after staged quip - more Match Game than quiz show. You don't put a failed comedian like Patton Oswalt on screen if you don't want Patton Oswalt's "brand" of humor. It will be a mockery of anyone and everyone who ever wanted to be a Jeopardy champion. Mayim Bialik can take her neuroscience degree and use it to try and comprehend how to resurrect her dignity after taking part.
An hour? I suppose models will reveal each answer in a suitcase on Howie Mandel's command. Sigh.
Maybe that concept is dead in the 2020s, but the idea that an ordinary person could read and train and have that moment, maybe even make a life-changing amount of money... that's Jeopardy. No dancing in the audience, no need to clap like a seal on command, no gimmicks or quirks that substitute for genuine personality. As Barry Sanders said, act like you've been there before.
An hour for a question set? No, I don't believe for a second it won't be dumbed down to celebrity level - you'd have all three well into negative territory otherwise. Interviews can only go on so long. It's going to be staged quip after staged quip - more Match Game than quiz show. You don't put a failed comedian like Patton Oswalt on screen if you don't want Patton Oswalt's "brand" of humor. It will be a mockery of anyone and everyone who ever wanted to be a Jeopardy champion. Mayim Bialik can take her neuroscience degree and use it to try and comprehend how to resurrect her dignity after taking part.
An hour? I suppose models will reveal each answer in a suitcase on Howie Mandel's command. Sigh.
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
Given that A) Celebrity Jeopardy! is not remotely a new thing and B) Mayim's neuroscience degree has been used as part of some very nasty attacks against her in the last couple years... this post is a terrible look.Anachronism wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:00 pm Mayim Bialik can take her neuroscience degree and use it to try and comprehend how to resurrect her dignity after taking part.
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
I always saw Celebrity Jeopardy! as a different show from Jeopardy! The fact that it will now be occupying an entirely different air time/space makes that separation even more complete. Not a single "worthy" person will be losing their spot this time around--if it could ever be said that that was the case.Anachronism wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:00 pm It's not the spirit of Jeopardy, though. There is no implied meritocracy in the qualifying process. ... the idea that an ordinary person could read and train and have that moment, maybe even make a life-changing amount of money... that's Jeopardy. ... It will be a mockery of anyone and everyone who ever wanted to be a Jeopardy champion.
I totally believe that Cera and Oswalt, among others, could pass the regular test and appear on the regular show. So I don't have any concerns with them handling "regular-level" material, if that's going to be what they get.
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
Expanded prime-time celebrity jeopardy is a new thing and one would think that someone capable of obtaining a doctorate in neuroscience would understand why it mocks everyone who has wanted to be part of the regular show. It is undignified and it is not nasty to expect someone with her intelligence to understand.Ironhorse wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:07 pmGiven that A) Celebrity Jeopardy! is not remotely a new thing and B) Mayim's neuroscience degree has been used as part of some very nasty attacks against her in the last couple years... this post is a terrible look.Anachronism wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:00 pm Mayim Bialik can take her neuroscience degree and use it to try and comprehend how to resurrect her dignity after taking part.
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
To keep things optimistic, how about the format change is simple like opening with a chat segment? I'm looking forward to someone like a Bellamy Young being surprisingly proficient at the game.
While some were out of their element this was not an awful week of games: https://j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=4891
Going by Celeb Wheel the games are in the spirit of regular play and do not turn into circuses even though there can be some extra yucks aired. It's just 13 weeks and no one has to watch. The Equalizer, Fox animation, SNF, AMC zombies, and HBO dragons are still options.
While some were out of their element this was not an awful week of games: https://j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=4891
Going by Celeb Wheel the games are in the spirit of regular play and do not turn into circuses even though there can be some extra yucks aired. It's just 13 weeks and no one has to watch. The Equalizer, Fox animation, SNF, AMC zombies, and HBO dragons are still options.
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
How is it any such mockery? It's a separate entity and as such does not take away any contestant slots.Anachronism wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:11 pmExpanded prime-time celebrity jeopardy is a new thing and one would think that someone capable of obtaining a doctorate in neuroscience would understand why it mocks everyone who has wanted to be part of the regular show. It is undignified and it is not nasty to expect someone with her intelligence to understand.Ironhorse wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:07 pmGiven that A) Celebrity Jeopardy! is not remotely a new thing and B) Mayim's neuroscience degree has been used as part of some very nasty attacks against her in the last couple years... this post is a terrible look.Anachronism wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:00 pm Mayim Bialik can take her neuroscience degree and use it to try and comprehend how to resurrect her dignity after taking part.
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
Because they're playing it off as the same show, the same level of questions. That in order to be entertaining enough for prime time, the ordinary trivia nerd doesn't have the personality to pull it off. The mockery comes from the expansion and the pretense.Ironhorse wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:18 pmHow is it any such mockery? It's a separate entity and as such does not take away any contestant slots.Anachronism wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:11 pmExpanded prime-time celebrity jeopardy is a new thing and one would think that someone capable of obtaining a doctorate in neuroscience would understand why it mocks everyone who has wanted to be part of the regular show. It is undignified and it is not nasty to expect someone with her intelligence to understand.Ironhorse wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:07 pmGiven that A) Celebrity Jeopardy! is not remotely a new thing and B) Mayim's neuroscience degree has been used as part of some very nasty attacks against her in the last couple years... this post is a terrible look.Anachronism wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:00 pm Mayim Bialik can take her neuroscience degree and use it to try and comprehend how to resurrect her dignity after taking part.
Of course I don't have to watch and there are obviously more important issues in the world than not liking the concept. I think my frustration comes from knowing that I'll never be on the show, even though I pass the test repeatedly. The producers simply do not want what made Jeopardy what it is.
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
Celebrity Jeopardy difficulty has always been on par with regular J! It's also been a part of J! for 30 years now. THIRTY!Anachronism wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:25 pmBecause they're playing it off as the same show, the same level of questions. That in order to be entertaining enough for prime time, the ordinary trivia nerd doesn't have the personality to pull it off. The mockery comes from the expansion and the pretense.Ironhorse wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:18 pmHow is it any such mockery? It's a separate entity and as such does not take away any contestant slots.Anachronism wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:11 pmExpanded prime-time celebrity jeopardy is a new thing and one would think that someone capable of obtaining a doctorate in neuroscience would understand why it mocks everyone who has wanted to be part of the regular show. It is undignified and it is not nasty to expect someone with her intelligence to understand.Ironhorse wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:07 pmGiven that A) Celebrity Jeopardy! is not remotely a new thing and B) Mayim's neuroscience degree has been used as part of some very nasty attacks against her in the last couple years... this post is a terrible look.Anachronism wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:00 pm Mayim Bialik can take her neuroscience degree and use it to try and comprehend how to resurrect her dignity after taking part.
Of course I don't have to watch and there are obviously more important issues in the world than not liking the concept. I think my frustration comes from knowing that I'll never be on the show, even though I pass the test repeatedly. The producers simply do not want what made Jeopardy what it is.
The best thing that Neil Armstrong ever did, was to let us all imagine we were him.
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
Longer than that if you include the Fleming days.Volante wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 7:39 pmCelebrity Jeopardy difficulty has always been on par with regular J! It's also been a part of J! for 30 years now. THIRTY!Anachronism wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:25 pmBecause they're playing it off as the same show, the same level of questions. That in order to be entertaining enough for prime time, the ordinary trivia nerd doesn't have the personality to pull it off. The mockery comes from the expansion and the pretense.Ironhorse wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:18 pmHow is it any such mockery? It's a separate entity and as such does not take away any contestant slots.Anachronism wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:11 pmExpanded prime-time celebrity jeopardy is a new thing and one would think that someone capable of obtaining a doctorate in neuroscience would understand why it mocks everyone who has wanted to be part of the regular show. It is undignified and it is not nasty to expect someone with her intelligence to understand.
Of course I don't have to watch and there are obviously more important issues in the world than not liking the concept. I think my frustration comes from knowing that I'll never be on the show, even though I pass the test repeatedly. The producers simply do not want what made Jeopardy what it is.
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
and your point is?Volante wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 7:39 pmCelebrity Jeopardy difficulty has always been on par with regular J! It's also been a part of J! for 30 years now. THIRTY!Anachronism wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:25 pmBecause they're playing it off as the same show, the same level of questions. That in order to be entertaining enough for prime time, the ordinary trivia nerd doesn't have the personality to pull it off. The mockery comes from the expansion and the pretense.Ironhorse wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:18 pmHow is it any such mockery? It's a separate entity and as such does not take away any contestant slots.Anachronism wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:11 pmExpanded prime-time celebrity jeopardy is a new thing and one would think that someone capable of obtaining a doctorate in neuroscience would understand why it mocks everyone who has wanted to be part of the regular show. It is undignified and it is not nasty to expect someone with her intelligence to understand.
Of course I don't have to watch and there are obviously more important issues in the world than not liking the concept. I think my frustration comes from knowing that I'll never be on the show, even though I pass the test repeatedly. The producers simply do not want what made Jeopardy what it is.
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
That's what they always say, but the questions seem more like children's Jeopardy in practice. The SNL skits were a bit of an exaggeration, but not that much.
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
I only have records dating back to 2011's power players and...I never was much a fan of power players but they were on par with some of my better games. I do have records of 4 true CJ games, from when they aired after the shortened to COVID S36 season, and the first was a total cluster but the other ones similarly seemed reasonable. I do wish I had scores from the Celeb Invitational though; that's what I'm trying to dredge up from the gray matter floor. That one, through rose tinted memory, was good...and it just predates this forumAnachronism wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 8:13 pmThat's what they always say, but the questions seem more like children's Jeopardy in practice. The SNL skits were a bit of an exaggeration, but not that much.
And as to what J! is? It's a television show. It lives and dies on ratings, and Celeb J! is a quick and easy ratings booster.
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
I just went through the five games in the invitational in season 13... hard to say anyone but the weatherman (I'm not sure I've ever heard his name, unlike the other 14 contestants that week) who won the first game was someone who could have competed in a normal game. Clues seemed about 80% of normal, Coryatts were embarrassing. Kirsten Dunst seemed to struggle the most (2R, 2W, they let her play final anyway).Volante wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 8:58 pmI only have records dating back to 2011's power players and...I never was much a fan of power players but they were on par with some of my better games. I do have records of 4 true CJ games, from when they aired after the shortened to COVID S36 season, and the first was a total cluster but the other ones similarly seemed reasonable. I do wish I had scores from the Celeb Invitational though; that's what I'm trying to dredge up from the gray matter floor. That one, through rose tinted memory, was good...and it just predates this forumAnachronism wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 8:13 pmThat's what they always say, but the questions seem more like children's Jeopardy in practice. The SNL skits were a bit of an exaggeration, but not that much.
And as to what J! is? It's a television show. It lives and dies on ratings, and Celeb J! is a quick and easy ratings booster.
Yes, a television show. Maybe it means too much to me and I'm in the wrong here. But having cut the cord a long time ago, it's the only current show I watch outside of football games.
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
Might matter, might not, but Kirsten Dunst was 14 at the time of her CJ! taping...Anachronism wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 9:48 pm Kirsten Dunst seemed to struggle the most (2R, 2W, they let her play final anyway).
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
Several times over.Robert K S wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 5:30 pm (Maybe Michael McKean couldn't have afforded a million. I don't know.)
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
What did Michael McKean make money from?
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Re: Fun with ABC's "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
Interesting. It looks like the other two that day were also teens at the time, which explains both the question set and the scores. The one with Mike Piazza, Reggie White and Donna D'Errico was similar in difficulty and result. The other three were more 80% difficulty, with the "Law and Order" night the strongest in terms of scores and Mark McEwen (the weatherman) the strongest individual performance.Volante wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 10:32 pmMight matter, might not, but Kirsten Dunst was 14 at the time of her CJ! taping...Anachronism wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 9:48 pm Kirsten Dunst seemed to struggle the most (2R, 2W, they let her play final anyway).