Monday, June 14, 2010

Jeopardy Introductions

As a young boy I would often spend many summer days at my grandparents' house in the hills of East Tennessee. At their home they had several routine practices. Once such routine was watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy each weeknight. Sometimes I will keep their routine and watch these long running game shows.
When I was a lad and still today, I am surprised at some of the introductory remarks and information Jeopardy contestants share with the nation. Surely the contestant knows that they will be on national television. Surely the contestant has watched the program before, so they know what is going to happen. And I am certain the show producers even told the contestants to be prepared for Alex Trebek to ask them about their lives.
What surprises me, is that on almost every program there is a contestant who shares the most absurd, random, or boring fact about themselves. On tonight's show one of the contestants inhaled an ant through a soda straw. Another contestant was quick to share that she took a class with the Pope's secretary. The final contestant and champion, shared how his wife was planning on spending his winnings on a trip to Disney World. I guess these are interesting facts, but really is this the kind of information you want the millions of people watching you on television to know?
If you were a contestant on Jeopardy what introductory information would you like the nation to know?
Here's mine. "I have gone to Captain D's about once a week for 20 or so years." Or how about this, "One time I saw a man that looked like Kenny Rogers, but it wasn't him." Here is a good one, "I once bought a watermelon and thought it was ripe, but it wasn't."

1 comment: