Has James Holzhauer broken "Jeopardy!"?

I've been watching

I'm convinced he's an Alien

 

Answering correctly and betting wisely may have something to do with it as well.

 

I think a better matchup would be with all time earnings leader Brad Rutter. Outside of the Watson competition, he has never lost a game and could be considered a professional since he followed the vocation after his initial run in 2000.

 

I'm starting to think so too. The way he continuously beats people on the buzzer, the way he bets huge amounts and always gets it right... surely there's a category in this world he is ill equipped for, right? Obscure Music Trivia? African American Silent Movie Stars? S Words? There's gotta be something he doesn't know. He's gotta blow a huge wad on a daily double at some point. Yet each time he does not hesitate with the correct answer. What is his Achilles heel? Is this Rain Man counting cards or what?

 

Watson was an arrogant prick. I'd love to see this guy take him down a notch.

 

While I have no data to back it up, my perception is that James rarely buzzes in and guesses. If he does not know an answer, he does not buzz, rather than buzz in and guess incorrectly. He would not be where he is without alien level knowledge, and coupled with his playing style, it is truly amazing to watch.

 

Didn't "Jeopardy" used to limit winners to five victories and that was that?

If they become genuinely concerned that 1 player will rule them all, they can just bring that policy...

 

Meh. Five victories for the average winner wouldn't amount to $50,000, and for that kind of chump change I wouldn't even get on the plane to Burbank. 50K ain't even gonna pay off the mortgage.

 

Based on your definition of a "game", then I would say Jeopardy is not a game. They aren't there to have fun with people they like as they are competing against strangers.

Also, what about poker? I play with friends, but my goal is to win every hand. (Of course that never happens, but it is my goal.) Does that make me unethical?

 

No, the correct answer is "Robbie Burns", spoken in Alex's bad Scottish accent.

 

Holzhauer displays classic characteristics of pervasive developmental disorder, specifically “Asperger Syndrome”......socially deficient but narrowly focused and excelling at or being preoccupied by a specific subject matter. He has a unique combination of this and a near eidetic memory. That’s what makes him seem “creepy”. He’s just different in a way that makes him good at Jeopardy. It’s truly both a gift and a curse.

 

nah, hes just a supersmart guy who figured out exactly when to hit the buzzer, watch the other players theyre hitting the buzzers just a fraction too slow. we need to get Jennings out of mothballs and have them go mano a mano

 

He tries hard to smile like the humans do, but he can't quite pull it off.

 

Good read. You've got some righteous discernment skills there by golly.

I think it would be even more entertaining from an American freak show POV if Holzhauer had more of a Forest Gump personality. That'll really convince America Jeopardy is rigged more so than Wall Street.

Never knew there were this many that tuned into the show. Oh, wait, what am I thinking?



That's a clip from "Waiting" movie I just picked up the DVD recently for $2 at a thrift store. Hilarious! And unedited!

 

That's not my "definition" of a game. It's my definition of why friends come together to play games, not to learn to treat one another as adversaries.

I'm gonna go ahead and tell you what I told the last guy: if you don't like the concept, it won't be worth my time going over it with you again.

 

This whole thread is confusing. You view "Jeopardy" as a bunch of pals having casual fun, not an attempt by each person to win as much money as possible?

 

Again..."not worth my time".

 

Spoiler

Well he rolled on again today. Entering final jeopardy he had 4 x the money of his closest challenger. After correctly answering the final question, he finished with over $73,000 today.

 

The money is only there because people enjoy watching the competition. Holzhauer doesn't have an ante. People tune out, the show is going to go away.

I am behind on my Jeopardys, but my child is going to hate this guy. They always wants the challengers to win.

 

I want the best player to win, period. If it's this guy, so be it.

 

Jeopardy eventually goes broke due to this guy and has sell their soul to get back under solid financial footing.

Yes, that was a joke, people [golf clap]

I’d say there is a good chance this dude is ‘under the spectrum’ but his vast array of knowledge is unusual. Typically, those with a condition like his are experts at certain things but not overall general knowledge. Who knows, though. The human brain and autism is pretty much widely not understood.

 

i just feel bad for the people unlucky to be cast while hes on.....lambs to the slaughter. he actually seems like a nice shy guy, for him to lose he has to come up against someone on a roll and screw up a daily double during double jeopardy....

 

They were trying to make him more likeable by pushing the charity angle.
But did I hear him right saying he might take the charity's money rather than make more for them?
With jokes like that I can see why people aren't rooting for him.

 

I don't recall the exact wording but what he was saying (during a Daily Double) was that his bet would either increase the amount to charity if he was correct or decrease the amount if he was wrong.

 

Ah, that makes more sense, I didn't think about the getting it wrong possibility.