AND THE WINNER of yesterday's giveaway, a copy of A POISONOUS POUR by Maddie Day, is Susan! (Susan, please send your contact information to Edith at edith@edithmaxwell.com)
HALLIE EPHRON: Raise your hand if you've heard of Jamie Ding?I have, I have!
For the past month I've been tuning into CBS at 7:30 and following his trajectory as a contestant on “Jeopardy!”
Episodes have followed a pattern with Jamie (he's got the kind of approachable personality that makes me want to refer to him as Jamie) gathering momentum and buzzing in first, over and over, making modest wagers, and calmly answering (asking!) correctly, question after question, on every topic imaginable... and clobbering his two opponents.
Rarely guessing wrong and without breaking a sweat.
But last week, after 31 wins, he lost.
His streak is the one of the longest in “Jeopardy!” history and he finished with more than $880,000. His nemesis was Greg Shahade, an International Master in chess who was lightning-fast on the buzzer.
Jamie calls himself as a “faceless bureaucrat.” He tended to look faintly surprised whenever he got an answer right. And his easy banter with Jeopardy host Ken Jennings was priceless.
He has the ideal nerd pedigree, asthe son of a neuroscience professor and a high school math teacher. He competed on high school quiz bowl team. Went to Princeton and has a job (he calls himself a bureaucrat, and I'm quite sure he is meticulously great at it) where he's working to address the housing crisis (and a social conscience!)
Didn't watch Jeopardy regularly until recently. Didn't start practicing to be a contestant until earlier this year.
A true Everyman.
As his clothes attested his favorite color is orange. And he's cool, calm, collected, with a reliable intuition about where the daily doubles lie...until this final game.
A fan on Substack opined: “Put Jamie Ding on the $20 bill." As for me, I think he should run for president. And a cocktail in his honor wouldn't be amiss.
Do you follow Jeopardy and have you been watching Jamie's incredible winning streak?
We faithfully watch "Jeopardy!" and enjoyed seeing Jamie each evening . . . he is an amazing player with an incredible amount of knowledge . . . we were awed.
ReplyDeleteAnd all with so little drama!
DeleteYes, we watch faithfully almost every night. Jamie was amazing - we will see him again in GOAT tournaments and more. There must be a fan club somewhere we can all join!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if he'd ever go up against Ken Jennings himself, and who'd come out on top.
DeleteHaven’t really watched Jeopardy since Alex Trebek died.
ReplyDeleteBrenda, it's really still good. But don't start if you're concerned about it becoming a habit again, which it easily can.
DeleteI don't watch it, but I had a friend who won a whole week some years ago. Jamie sounds impressive!
ReplyDeleteWow.
DeleteYes watched Jeopardy and enjoyed his rise
ReplyDeleteWe stopped watching network TV so many years ago, and I couldn't even tell you when Jeopardy airs, apart from early evening. It is to our credit nationally, though, that a show about having knowledge has been one of the most successful game shows in American history. Three or four friends have been on it over the years, too.
ReplyDeleteIf you have not seen Quiz Lady, it's a must-see movie. It stars Sandra Oh as the sister of Awkwafina, whose lonely character follows a Jeopardy-like show her whole life, and who ends up traveling across country to appear on the show herself. Jeopardy fans would enjoy it.
QUIZ LADY... putting it on the list. I'm a big Sadra Oh fan. Wondering if anyone's watching THE PUZZLE LADY which is a new series on (I think) Britbox. Puzzles are having a moment.
DeleteYes, The Puzzle Lady is fun! I would watch Phyllis Logan in anything!
DeleteI am rarely home then but friends who have competed say the buzzer is their nemesis! If you press too soon, it freezes; if you wait that extra second, it's too late! I did see that the Governor of NJ praised him so I knew who he was.
ReplyDeleteWe love Jeopardy – it is lunch time entertainment (along with Jello). We have enjoyed Jamie, and have about 8 more shows to go – so glad for the spoiler. He is cool, calm, knowledgeable and funny. However, we both say that the games are not as much fun, as it is all him. He is first in and always right. We do like a back-and-forth game, just to keep it more than a quiz between ourselves. We did notice that it took a while, but he did catch on to making bigger bets – he had the money to lose, so that also meant he had the money to win large.
ReplyDeleteWe still bet on the final, and have it as the great competition – often question with “how did you know that?”. If the contestant bets well, and gets the answer, all the better. Like the TSTL rule in a book, there is us yelling at the TV – bet nothing, stupid!
Congratulations to a great player!
Ha ha... Yay JELL-O!! And I confess, I agree that the games can feel a bit boring (is it ok to say that?) when it's all him. And for the longest time he seemed to be able to hone in on the Daily Doubles and pack in an unchallengeable lead.
DeleteI always watch Jeopardy. I really enjoyed watching Jamie; such a knowledgeable young man.
ReplyDeleteDianne Mahoney
We watch Jeopardy every week night, right after we watch QI on Britbox. It keeps our heads full of trivia, mostly trivial. Jamie isn’t our favorite contestant but he certainly knew his stuff. My joy the past month was when I got a right answer to one he missed! Our all time fav was Amy Schneider., but that’s another story.
ReplyDeleteWe often find crossover info on QI, too often to be accidental. Stream it on Britbox or You Tube. You won’t be disappointed
I’m doing well with recovery I think. With a couple of naps a day! For those of you who aren’t aware, I had a NSTEMI last Friday morning. Look it up. It might show up on Jeopardy one of these days!
I love Amy Schneider, too. She's another cool, calm, collected. (Ann, so glad to hear you're on the mend! Thanks for chiming in...)
DeleteGlad you are doing better, Ann. Naps for the win!
DeleteStill educating us, Ann, but this time with unnecessary self-sacrifice! Yikes. Glad you're on the mend.
DeleteGlad you are recovering, Ann!
DeleteI looked it up and I’m very glad you’re on the mend, Ann. Take care. — Pat S
DeleteSo glad you are recovering well, Ann! Big hugs!
DeleteYes, yes, yes! I had been watching Jamie's historic series of wins. I have a conflict on Mondays, so I was really surprised to see a new Jeopardy champ when I tuned in last night. The difference between the two champs was astounding. Jamie is so calm and quiet and matter of fact. Greg was flailing around, making noises of joy or disappointment, and had many facial expressions. It took a little getting used to! I also like Only Connect. a BBC quiz show that pits two teams of three against each other. There are several rounds, but it's mostly about making connections between 4 seemingly random clues or ideas. I do think the New York Times stole the idea for their Connections puzzle from Only Connect's Connecting Wall segment.
ReplyDeleteWe don't watch Jeopardy (or any regular network tv really) and as a matter of personal policy I try to avoid "appointment tv." But when I happen onto Jeopardy I always enjoy it. I'm so glad to hear that the show has retained its charm after Alex Trebek's death. Jamie Ding sounds like a hero we can all root for!
ReplyDeleteCongrats Susan!
DeleteI haven't watched Jeopardy, but have seen news stories about him. He is such a charming and delightful seeming person. I'm glad he did so well for so long.
ReplyDeleteWe cut the cable cord years ago, so no network TV for us. But I see Jeopardy! occasionally when I'm out and about, like at a bar or restaurant TV. Unfortunately, the sound is usually off, so I have to rely on Closed Captions (when they are enabled). I did see Jamie recently, but didn't know he'd had such a streak.
ReplyDeleteI used to love Jeopardy. We’re usually finishing dinner about 7:30 and my husband likes to watch Chronicle after that. Jamie Ding is a great name for a cocktail. And I bet he could be a pretty good president.
ReplyDeleteOh, I haven’t watched for a long time, but I agree, it’s always terrific!( It’s so personally gratifying when I get it right, it’s a little reassurance that I’m not completely losing it.) A million years ago I did a big TV feature on how to get on Jeopardy, we traveled to California to interview Alex Trebek and stand on the set and buzz the buzzer I even took the contestant-application quiz ! And our pal Thriller writer Meg Gardiner – – you readers know her, right? Is it three time champion! Amazing.
ReplyDeleteMeg Gardiner?!?
DeleteI am a Jeopardy superfan and have been for as long as I can remember. I record and watch every new episode, and that includes Celebrity Jeopardy (where the questions are easier). I watched Pop Culture Jeopardy last season as well, and I liked it less but really enjoyed Colin Jost as the host. I'm sure I'll keep watching. Alex Trebek was wonderful, of course, but I think Ken Jennings is also doing a fantastic job.
ReplyDeleteJamie Ding was a joy to watch, and although some watchers were tired of seeing him demolish all competitors, I was thrilled that he won so many times and would have continued watching him. As others have said, he was calm and personable and quick and brilliant. The chess champion who finally beat him is something else--I haven't quite decided just what. His first day, he swayed back and forth too much, screwed up his face into weird shapes, had unexpected reactions when he got a clue right, or wrong. Not as much fun to watch, but I think he's settling in a bit now. Either way, I'll keep watching. I'm one of those watchers who yells the answers I know (or think I know) out loud, and my big thrill is getting a Final Jeopardy correct when none of the contestants do (it doesn't happen often). Jeopardy is, and always will be, "appointment TV" for me, even if I have to watch it after it airs.
I yell out answers, too. Though I *never* know pop culture or song lyrics or geography so that cuts down a lot of the turf.
DeleteNice summary Margie. I too thing Ken Jennings is doing a great job. I'm sorry Jamie lost - will see him on celebrity Jeopardy.
ReplyDeleteI've only followed him in news stories and internet posts, but by all acounts, he sounds like a delightful gentlement.
ReplyDeleteHe's everything he's chalked up to be.
DeleteCongratulations to Susan winning Edith’s new mystery novel.
ReplyDeleteYou see, that's why I love this blog. I learn something everyday. I don't watch Jeopardy and only vaguely read about Jamie's rise and fall. I had no idea what an interesting guy he is and $880,000 is nothing to sneeze at. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Gerri! It's one of the fun things about WRITING this blog!
DeleteI watch Jeopardy a few times a week - unless there’s someone on a streak. Then I become invested and am a regular viewer. Suffice to say I (and sometimes my husband, if he gets home from work in time) have been watching Jamie from early on. Unfortunately (for us), the regular broadcast on Monday was pushed back until after the NBA playoff game. So we didn’t get to see his final-for-now game. And last night there was a NHL game on so I didn’t see the “new guy” play as the champion. — Pat S
ReplyDeleteHe's quite a contrast to calm, placid Jamie Ding. More drama... and he looks like he's sure his answer is wrong every time (it isn't). Wishing him well and looking forward to seeing how he does.
DeleteIt's amazing how deeply invested in the serial winners we can get, isn't it? I don't watch reality TV, but if someone produced a no-drama high-stakes show starring Jamie Ding (and some of the other winners) I would 100% watch it!
ReplyDeleteWHo knows, it may be in the works. He's certainly garnered a lot of attention.
DeleteI'm a little embarrassed to admit that I have never watched Jeopardy. In my family we always watched Wheel of Fortune--my parents' cocktail hour revolved around it--which I think was on at the same time. And I am almost always still working at 6:30 CST. That said, I would love to have seen Jamie Ding. I wonder if the episodes are on YouTube?
ReplyDeleteI think they are - Hallie
DeleteI rarely watch reality tv shows.
ReplyDeleteMy mother didn't like the long running champions because she wanted the others to have a chance. Well, two do every episode. I like the champions because I want to play along, and the experienced players answer every question. Also, I have liked almost every long time champion since they are witty and interesting for Ken to talk to. It's so hard now in the Tournament of Champions for me to pick a favorite as I love so many of them.
ReplyDeleteJeopardy is syndicated and not on network TV except for Celebrity Jeopardy on ABC. It's now on Hulu, which was great when the darn basketball pre-empted my Jeopardy.
I doubt Ken will ever play Jeopardy again as it is a conflict of interest. Besides, he has the longest streak and won the GOAT tournament.