Today I had what I hope is another bright idea: I decided to post a poll asking the same thing I did in yesterday’s opening paragraph. It’s under the Facebook widget, on the right. Let me know what you want!
I think I mentioned John Pearson was sitting in my row the day this taped. Since he is so tall, he could stretch and see what he couldn’t, like who was playing each episode. He’d give us a play-by-play: “Looks like…no, it’s…” etc. Today, it was these three:
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| Rebecca Rider |
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| Arthur Chu |
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| Mark Japinga |
I was annoyed again this episode by one of those National Day of Prayer peops, eating something crunchy. Who does that?!? And remember how I said they were sitting in folding chairs? Hers said “Wheel of Fortune. Do not remove.” I wish I could’ve taken a picture.
I must admit I’m happy for the chance to do a Mark episode, when I didn’t expect to. At first I wasn’t sure I wanted to do tonight, since I wasn’t “ready,” but what a joy it turned out to be.
I told Mark at the after-party he was the best-dressed contestant, and that I’d say so here. I seriously think I’ll do a poll about that next: Who was best-dressed? By the way, I followed up with my dad to see if he watched on Friday, and he did! I told him Mark was playing again today, so we’ll see if he watched.
Before either Friday’s or today’s episode, Corina yelled into the audience, asking who was with Mark. Mark’s mom identified herself. Corina asked her to say her last name (for the pronunciation). She must’ve said it 3, 4, 5 times, yet today when Johnny said it, it didn’t sound that way or the way I’ve heard Mark say it. I wonder what he thinks.
It was so clear in the audience, and maybe to you too, that Mark knew most of these responses but couldn’t ring in first. 🙁 I wondered how it would look on TV. Tell me how in the world this was a triple-stumper, though, in Next in Line: “A top 20 recording of ‘How Sweet It Is’: Marvin Gaye, Jr. Walker & the All-Stars….”
Arthur found the Daily Double of the round in Battle Creek.
Arthur 2600 (4 right)
Mark 2400 (4 right)
Rebecca 0
Arthur wagered 1000 on this clue: “Site of a Nov. 7, 1811 battle, this Indiana river got additional notoriety in an 1840 campaign of a different sort.” Arthur knew it.
I don’t know how this was a triple-stumper either, in For Your I’s Only: “Element whose compound is in use here.” (There will only be “i”s in the correct responses.)
This was the last clue before the first break.
Arthur (One right)
Mark (One wrong)
Rebecca (One wrong)
Since I was in the studio audience and saw Julia Collins’ winner’s interview, I was very worried she didn’t know what was coming in Rebecca’s interview when I saw this tweet yesterday:
Today’s post-game chat! I took Alex’s advice, and spent the rest of the SemiFinals on the couch in the green room.
https://t.co/KRgZ6Y2oIe
— Julia (@JeopardyJulia) November 18, 2014
Now as I was looking for that tweet, I found this:
So, Chicago’s getting a new archbishop, and Jeopardy’s getting pre-empted here. I’m bummed; it’s a great game & I don’t remember much of it.
— Julia (@JeopardyJulia) November 18, 2014
It’s for the best, yeah? Mark’s interview though, was a delight. Even the studio audience laughed.
At the end of the round:
Arthur 6800 (4 right)
Mark 2000 (4 right and 2 wrong)
Rebecca 1800 (5 right)
I think Arthur said “Harlem” when selecting Harem Shuffle, twice. He found the first Daily Double of the round in Quotes of Note.
Arthur 13200 (5 right)
Mark 3600 (One right)
Rebecca 1800
Ouch! Arthur wagered 1000 on this clue: “Churchill said he couldn’t forecast the action of Russia: ‘It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside’ this.” Even I knew this instantly. Arthur did too.
Whoa, Rebecca got the next Daily Double! The category was A Load of Odin.
Arthur 16600 (2 right)
Mark 2400 (One wrong)
Rebecca 4600 (2 right)
Rebecca wagered it all (and I’m thrilled) on this clue: “Odin’s sons by Frigga were Hermod, Hodur & this beloved son who died in a tragic accident.” Rebecca was right! On my notes, I have that cheering was so loud after a correct Daily Double I didn’t hear the person select. It must’ve been this one, no?
There were a few triple-stumpers this round where I don’t know whether I knew it from the studio audience or not (so I don’t mention them). This isn’t one, in Actresses Onstage: “Since starring as Evita in 1979, she’s become one of Broadway’s biggest stars.” I read her book! Patti LuPone: A Memoir
At the end of the round:
Arthur 17800 (3 right and one wrong)
Mark 8000 (8 right and 3 wrong)
Rebecca 12800 (4 right)
Mmm…interesting! The Final Jeopardy category was French Literature. This is the clue: “Its first chapter recalls ‘the little scallop-shell of pastry, so richly sensual under its severe, religious folds.” This one stumped me. Mark was wrong and lost everything. 🙁 Rebecca was wrong too and lost 7000. Arthur? He was right! He wagered 7801, so even if wrong he’d have won. Go on Arthur!
One year ago: Won’t the real Jeanie please stand up?
Two years ago: On the Decay of the Art of Strategy
Three years ago: You must remember this…
Four
years ago: Wide world of weird, weird moments
