Has James Holzhauer broken "Jeopardy!"?

It's that weird fake smile he does - THAT is creepy...

 

I have watched many of his episodes. He is obviously brilliant, is very fast on the signaling device, and is comfortable taking big risks on daily doubles and Final Jeopardy. He obviously fishes for the Daily Doubles, but you have to answer questions to be in a position to get the Daily Doubles, and he is very very good at that -- probably better even than Ken Jennings was.

The thing I didn't like about this guy was on a show last week, when he rang in on a $400 clue, as fast as ever, which was the last clue in the game. This is when he had $60,000+.
And kept the third contestant, who had $0, from getting on the positive side and be around for Final Jeopardy.

The decent thing would have been --- not to ring in -- and let that last contestant save a little face. I don't know if she knew the answer or not, but she never had a chance to ring in.

I have more of a problem with stuff like that.
As far as his personality is concerned --- all I will say is that professional gamblers are a strange breed (no offense intended).
I have known some professional gamblers in my life, and I don't trust any of them.

 

As far as it being rigged, I think the chances of that are 0% (or as close to that as you'd like).
After the quiz show scandals of the 1950s, things were changed to make sure that didn't happen again (no interaction between staff and contestants -- huge legal implications if it did).
I read a blurb from Ken Jennings about that not long ago (but not sure if that was before or after Mr. Holzhauer showed up).

 

I think we've reached the point where incoming contestants are a bit unnerved by what they are about to face in Holzhauer.

 

I think James will continue to win until a contestant comes along who is quicker on the buzzer, of course you have to know the questions also!

 

Could be worse - he could have a mustache.

It'd make him look like he has something to hide.

People would be talking - LOTS of people!

 

Good God - if he seems creepy to you, he must be a combination of Son of Sam, the Zodiac Killer and my last ex-girlfriend!

 

I remember seeing that episode. It was one of the first ones with Drew Carey.
I remember Drew didn't seem that excited that someone hit right on, and I heard that people gave him crap about it, like he wasn't the man for the job. Well, Drew knew something was fishy, so no, he didn't get too excited for that reason.

 

I think also that, for him to have a chance to lose, Mr. Holzhauer has to bet big on both Daily Doubles in the second round and miss them.
Of the shows of his that I've watched, I only remember one where it wasn't a "runaway" at the time of Final Jeopardy (to define that for those who may be unfamiliar, you have to have at least one-half of the top person's total at the time of Final Jeopardy to have any chance to win --- this of course assumes that the top person doesn't bet stupidly)

I have noticed that he has missed several clues dealing with '70s and early '80s pop culture. He doesn't look like he's old enough to remember those years.

 

I’m pretty sure that the shows airing now were taped well before Holhauzer’s first show was broadcast, so he’s still an unknown quantity to new contestants. Of course, if they sit in the studio audience and see him in action for a game or two before it’s their turn to compete, they’ll be thinking, “What have I gotten myself into?”.

 

I don't know if he's strictly smarter than Ken Jennings, but he's plenty smart AND he plays the game for the biggest payout. Earn money fast by hitting the bottom of the board first then bet big on a daily double where you're confident of the subject matter. That's a winning combination.

 

I think because he wants to maintain his poker face is what makes him come off as creepy. I bet in real life he doesn’t come across like that

 

I've never been on jeopardy, because I don't plan to be in the Los Angeles area anytime soon, but I always wonder why no one picks the most expensive clues first.

'let's make it a true daily double, Alex' would be my bet 95% of the time anyway, I know more useless information than most people.

 

"Contestants", play the game.
"Players", play the idea of the game.

Without the sense of ethics the rest of the contestants bring.

This is why it matters.

 

Holzhauer is ruthless and robotic, but is that a sin? Maybe he'll use his winnings to fix his jawline. Meanwhile, whoever knocks him off will be a hero.

Austin Rogers? Now, him I wanted to push into a puddle of sewage.

 

I'm a lifelong Jeopardy fan and I find his run to be a lot of fun. He's fast, knows his answers and bets heavily. I think some are unnerved because he has a winning strategy. Ken Jennings thinks he's great.

 

What specific ethics is he missing?

 

Jeopardy has been broke for a long time because the "knowledge" needed to win is very narrow. Like 40% of the questions seem to be about Shakespeare or the Suez canal.

 

I'm also on a board that has produced a number of Jeopardy contestants, and the ones who got on insist that nearly everyone who makes it on air knows the answers - that it's all about buzzer skills and betting strategy.

 

I just find him boring. It's like watching an NHL team play a pee-wee team.

Unfortunately, it feels like he's going to be around for a while.

I also hate it when contestants start at the bottom. I don't blame them for doing it, but as I have nothing at stake, I prefer getting eased into the category.

 

Funny, I seem to be asked the same question that the last responder didn't seem to grasp...

I'll say this once, and let it go, and if you don't like the concept, it won't be worth my time going over it with you again:

A "game" is a fun thing, one does with other people they like. It involves competition and incentive, but the real reward is in having fun with other people you like.

If somebody comes into the game with no other love for humanity than, "there is a prize, and I want to take it away from everybody else there, because I don't care about them anyway, so that's why I will play"...then, I wouldn't even want to invite you over to my Game Nights, to pay you to park my other friend's cars. Because if I can't trust you with their keys, why should I trust you with our fun...?

 

Samuel Taylor Coleridge is ALWAYS the answer.

 

I agree with the previous posters who think he's creepy. He sort of looks like David Boreanaz to me, so maybe he's channeling Angelus on the show, hence the creepy vibe.

And one other thing: usually at the end of the show the contestants shake hands, but I noticed that the second and third place contestants will shake hands with each other, but when they go to shake hands with Holzhauer, he ignores them. He only shakes hands with Alex. Very poor form if you ask me.

 

I don't agree with anything said in this post. Certainly Shakespeare shows up a lot, and is worth knowing here for that reason, but the subjects asked about are very broad. This is the only game show I've ever seen that has asked questions for which I learned the answer in my final year of my electrical engineering degree. There's opera, ballet, English royalty, anagrams, geography (more than just the Suez Canal), history, Greek mythology, classical music, movies, pop music (meaning current, which none of us know), presidents and their policies.... I have to do something else now, but if I didn't I could probably sit here for 10 more minutes and keep putting down subjects.

I don't think he will be as well liked or as fondly remembered as other former champions. Maybe that will change -- I guess it depends on how he presents himself after this Jeopardy run is over.

 

I've not noticed that, but I haven't been paying attention then. I'll start watching for that now.