Ken Jennings We Salute You!

September 9, 2004 12:52 PM

Ken Jennings, why have you forsaken me?Mr. Kottke, best known for breaking the Teacup Dome scandal, is now reporting that Ken Jennings has lost his 75th game. For the record today he will play his 42nd game, so he still has a long way to go. Perhaps most interesting is that the AP, etc. are all picking up on this but not giving direct credit to Kottke -- as seen in this Slashdot thread.
posted by geoff. (48 comments total)

It's gotta be H & R Block, no?
posted by Kwantsar at 12:59 PM on September 9, 2004

What is this "Teacup Dome scandal" that you speak of?
posted by euphorb at 1:02 PM on September 9, 2004

This has stumped me, I think this might be a clue,

"Number of employees (end users): About 20,000. 'During tax season, the company grows to 100,000 with about 80,000 seasonal employees. A lot of our offices are only open four months of the year.'"

So 17,000 is not really correct at all. Even though the 4 month timespan is correct, 100,000 is a lot more than 17,000.
posted by geoff. at 1:11 PM on September 9, 2004

I was taking a jab at the fact the press is basing this from apparently one source, Kottke, and how he's not a source I'd consider reliable (not that I don't trust Kottke, but he's a secondary source, the primary source is unnamed).

And I meant Teapot Dome Scandal. I deserve that for being a smartass.
posted by geoff. at 1:13 PM on September 9, 2004

disney world or six flags maybe?
posted by zelphi at 1:23 PM on September 9, 2004

I heard about this this morning on NPR whilst eating my grapefruit. It was enough to make me cry. And then I realized the grapefruit had squirted me in the eye.

In equation form:

NPR = Jeopardy/(Jennings*(Kottke/2)*x)

Where x is my grapefruit.

Also, all you teevee watching troglodytes should evolve already.
posted by Kafkaesque at 1:26 PM on September 9, 2004

I thought 17,000 employees working 4 months a year referred to MetaFilter.

And geoffdot, I got your Teapot Dome reference and it made me laugh (however, the last time I heard it referred to in a humorous manner, it was by Dennis Miller when everybody thought he was a liberal).

And maximum props to Jason Kottke (who probably should be grateful that he gets under-credited, thereby saving his site the effects of Hurricane Ken).

It's still interesting to note that J.K. had the inside story about K.J. I'm just sayin'.
posted by wendell at 1:27 PM on September 9, 2004

Nope, Disney World I know has more employees than that, and yet again:

"Each year, 3,000 full-time and more than 50,000 seasonal employees work and play at Six Flags. ... "
posted by geoff. at 1:27 PM on September 9, 2004

Does this post count as a spoiler?
posted by shoepal at 1:29 PM on September 9, 2004

I think kottke is seeing how far some fake, unsourced news can spread.
posted by donth at 1:34 PM on September 9, 2004

I thought 17,000 employees working 4 months a year referred to MetaFilter.

Wendell made me laugh, yay Wendell
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 1:34 PM on September 9, 2004

kottke blogs gossip about a tv game show.
kottke's gossip gets repeated in print.
kottke pouts on slashdot about lack of attribution.
everyone cares more about the gossip than about kottke.
life is good.
posted by quonsar at 1:40 PM on September 9, 2004

Kottke used spoiler tags, jackass.
posted by smackfu at 1:47 PM on September 9, 2004

is now reporting that Ken Jennings has lost his 75th game.

*sigh*

At least now we know there will be an end. I was beginning to fear that the little know-it-all would be haunting my screen for ever.
posted by jonmc at 1:48 PM on September 9, 2004

This post almost makes me wish I owned a television...
posted by ParisParamus at 1:48 PM on September 9, 2004

Does this post count as a spoiler?

Sure. Kottle took precautions to make sure the spoiler wouldn't be mistakenly read but our beloved poster geoff in all his obvious intelligence didn't see it that way.

For this reason, I'd like to see this FPP deleted.
posted by sexymofo at 1:49 PM on September 9, 2004

It used to be, I think, if you won 5 times you were off, and you'd be brought back in the "tournament of champions" later in the season. At the start of last season, they dumped that system in favor of a survival-of-the-fittest system by which winners stay on until they lose. Theoretically, this brings on better and better players until you get to somebody like Ken who looked unbeatable. Sharon from Ventura may be the beneficiary of a really bad-luck day on Ken's part, or she may be even better than Ken and go 100 games. In any case, unless Darwin was wrong, it's inevitable that another very long-lasting player will come along. Will Jeopardy fare better in the ratings with that pattern, or will they modify their rules to make it harder to stay forever?
posted by beagle at 1:58 PM on September 9, 2004

Apparently Geoff didn't see this MeTa thread. (spoilers galore)
posted by shoepal at 2:01 PM on September 9, 2004

Considering this is being reported on the CNN.com main page I didn't believe it was a secret any longer. I did not post it earlier for the reason of it being a spoiler, but once AP, et al picks it up then it no longer is a spolier in my opinion.
posted by geoff. at 2:04 PM on September 9, 2004

this is so shocking. geoff has flown a plane into my pre-prime-time television tower. today everything changed.
posted by quonsar at 2:04 PM on September 9, 2004

Who the hell is Ken Jennings? Is he running for the US Presidency?


(I don't live in USA)
posted by madman at 2:06 PM on September 9, 2004

For this reason, I'd like to see this FPP deleted.

At this point there are over 200 citations at Google News of this story, so let's not go off the deep end here.
posted by beagle at 2:08 PM on September 9, 2004

Um... let me trace the chain of events here.

1. Well-known Jeopardy contestant loses.
2. One member of audience emails Kottke about it.
3. Fact that Jeopardy contestant has lost later appears in TV Week, where it is picked up by the AP.

'Blogosphere' conclusion: obviously a massive anti-blog conspiracy!

Alternatively: maybe -- just maybe! -- some other member of the same audience told someone at TV Week.
posted by reklaw at 2:08 PM on September 9, 2004

Does this post count as a spoiler?

Sometime in the future, Ken Jennings will stop being on Jeopardy.

Wow, that ruins the whole show for me. Really. Yep.
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 2:10 PM on September 9, 2004

The game number he loses is the important spoiler, because it ruins the suspense. I haven't seen that anywhere unspoiled except here and slashdot, and I was pissed at them too.
posted by smackfu at 2:17 PM on September 9, 2004

The Merv Griffin Enterprises Mafia will get YOU for this!
posted by ParisParamus at 2:18 PM on September 9, 2004

I was just effing with you, geoff. No worries.

Though, the CNN link does offer this caveat : "Editor's Note: The Associated Press provided this story to news outlets, and gives details below. If you'd prefer to not know anything, stop reading now." and they chose to word the article such it didn't spoil anything.

Reklaw, I agree. Oh, and what Quonsar said.
posted by shoepal at 2:19 PM on September 9, 2004

We absolutely must delete this FPP before the vital secret of Ken Jennings is released into the wild! Facts are dangerous things, and must be kept down until such time as they no longer matter, especially for matters of National Security such as this!!

(Also, Wendell: That hit very close to home. I laughed, but it was the knowing laugh of guilt.)
posted by chicobangs at 2:37 PM on September 9, 2004

My guess:

UPS.
posted by notclosed at 2:49 PM on September 9, 2004

Considering this is being reported on the CNN.com main page I didn't believe it was a secret any longer.

You are exactly wrong. CNN gave me a choice as to how much information I wanted to read -- you told me exactly when the guy would lose on the fucking home page. Big difference.
posted by jjg at 3:07 PM on September 9, 2004

Every bit of information is a spoiler for someone, somewhere. But to expect the artificial, prepackaged media spoilers to remain undisseminated in today's world is unrealistic, to say the least.

And anyone who still watches Jeopardy...well, they'll probably forget the spoiler before the air date anyway.
posted by rushmc at 3:11 PM on September 9, 2004

My guess: The NFL?
posted by GaelFC at 3:12 PM on September 9, 2004

Do you people honestly watch jeopardy for the suspense? Sure, if someone told me all of the answers (questions, whatever) in advance i'd be pissed, but seriously, quit your whining. Yes, you now know when Ken will lose, but that doesn't mean you can't still watch for the next month and enjoy the challenge of answering yourself (isn't that why we really enjoy quiz shows anyway?). Were you really spending every show on the edge of your seat wondering if Tim, the accountant from Maine was going to beat Ken? Or Sharon, whoever she is from wherever? Who gives a damn, quit whining. And honestly: If you'd prefer to not know anything, stop reading now?!? WTF? Shouldn't this be implied for ANY news story?

It will be interesting to see how widely this knowledge spreads, and if there is a ratings spike in late october. It's bound to hit TV and radio news tonight (if it hasn't already), and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they even start promoting it and counting down to it as it gets closer. Frankly, I'm really glad that I now know to watch religiously in late october. I watch pretty much ever day anyway, but I do occasionally miss it, and I'd be pissed if I missed his loss.

Oh, and because someone has to say it:
Metafilter: A workforce of 17000 people, whose average working year is only 4 months long

actually, even better:
Metafilter: If you'd prefer to not know anything, stop reading now
posted by rorycberger at 3:39 PM on September 9, 2004

and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they even start promoting it and counting down to it as it gets closer.
The "wrong answer" - What ended Ken's winning streak on Jeopardy. The hipe for tuning in will be, do you know the right question.
posted by thomcatspike at 4:31 PM on September 9, 2004

I don't watch Jeapordy, and I could give a damn about KenJen, but that was a pretty shitty thing to post on the front page.
posted by majcher at 4:39 PM on September 9, 2004

You people who cry "spoiler" are as bad as the ones who demand that things be labelled with "NSFW". Kindly get the hell off my Interweb.
posted by reklaw at 4:42 PM on September 9, 2004

What book are you reading reklaw, so we can tell you the ending now?
posted by smackfu at 5:36 PM on September 9, 2004

"A History of English Literature", actually.
posted by reklaw at 5:52 PM on September 9, 2004

From the informant: "I was at the taping today of Jeopardy. He lost during his 75th game and eventually won 74 games. He ended up with 2.5M. He got a standing ovation by the crowd. I asked the studio if this was supposed to be a secret but they said we could spread the news. Spread the news. The show should air around the end of October."

The studio wanted this publicized. It was no secret.
posted by five fresh fish at 6:36 PM on September 9, 2004

It declines.
posted by smackfu at 6:42 PM on September 9, 2004

And besides, as a finite end is disclosed, more and more people will watch it until the end. I wouldn't be surprised if the show where Jennings loses is the highest rated Jeopardy show of all time.
posted by calwatch at 6:44 PM on September 9, 2004

You people who cry "spoiler" are as bad as the ones who demand that things be labelled with "NSFW".

And to those people I say, "get back to work!!"
posted by Robot Johnny at 7:04 PM on September 9, 2004

Nothing transmitted on the AP wire can legitimately be considered "a spoiler."
posted by majick at 10:17 PM on September 9, 2004

madman - i think it must be a tv show. sounds like a quiz where the winner stays on for the next show, and someone has stayed on for 75 shows. i guess it's important for americans because it involves tv and money.
posted by andrew cooke at 7:36 AM on September 10, 2004

I was watching the other night and wondering when the inevitable backlash against Ken (whereby the fickle public turns against the person who is too successful) would happen, and what the studio would do to combat that. Looks like they don't have to worry about that now.
posted by initapplette at 10:07 AM on September 10, 2004

The NSFW labelling isn't just for slackers. Lots of people surf the web in sensitive places. Libraries, net cafes, parents living room, etc. are all places I'd like a little working if I'm likely to see something when clicking on a link that couldn't be broadcast to the air in prime time.
posted by Mitheral at 10:52 AM on September 10, 2004

Broadcast to the air in prime time? In Australia? Or in the USA? Or perhaps in France

I'm afraid the puritanist attitude taken by the FCC is not that of a good number of other countries' regulators. And even in the USA, nudity is becoming accepted.
posted by five fresh fish at 11:54 AM on September 10, 2004

[Rex Harrison]

Then you, my friend, may click with enlightened impunity!

[/Rex Harrison]
posted by chicobangs at 1:04 PM on September 10, 2004