You think you're pretty smart, don't you, Trebek?
September 17, 2015 10:36 AM   Subscribe

 
It's a funny name.
posted by entropicamericana at 10:39 AM on September 17, 2015 [14 favorites]


prize bull octorok, what did I just say about ethnic slurs?
posted by Navelgazer at 10:41 AM on September 17, 2015 [7 favorites]


The Penis Mightier than the game show host
posted by cmfletcher at 10:43 AM on September 17, 2015 [11 favorites]


This was... not particularly "wily", was it? Slyness, tricksiness, misdirection, cunning, and craftiness involved = all pretty much zero.
posted by Wolfdog at 10:43 AM on September 17, 2015 [6 favorites]


The word "hero" gets thrown around a lot these days...
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:44 AM on September 17, 2015 [9 favorites]


According to a friend of mine who was recently on the show, contestants are forbidden from referencing the SNL sketch. But I guess she didn't have anything to lose, so.
posted by jedicus at 10:44 AM on September 17, 2015 [14 favorites]


Does anyone actually know the film's name? All searches lead to that clip.
posted by grumpybear69 at 10:44 AM on September 17, 2015


South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut - Blame Canada
posted by Navelgazer at 10:46 AM on September 17, 2015 [4 favorites]


Does anyone actually know the film's name? All searches lead to that clip.

South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut. The song was "Blame Canada" and the line was "now he tells me to go f--- myself."

Yet I can't remember where I left my coffee.
posted by dances with hamsters at 10:47 AM on September 17, 2015 [5 favorites]


Here's the performance in question, by Robin Williams.
posted by Navelgazer at 10:49 AM on September 17, 2015


Naturally, the first comment on the Jezebel article is from someone named "Suck It, Trebek".
posted by Potsy at 10:51 AM on September 17, 2015 [4 favorites]


"It’s always been unclear whether Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek is at all amused by the long-running Saturday Night Live sketches about his show..."

I suspect that he's generally a good sport about these things*, but enough already.

*Maybe not so much about Eugene Levy's take on Trebek hosting SCTV's 'Half Wits'. I can see that being a cause for life-long bitterness.
posted by Capt. Renault at 10:53 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]


Ah, right. The 2000 Oscars, not the 1999 Oscars. I blame beer.
posted by grumpybear69 at 10:54 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]


*Maybe not so much about Eugene Levy's take on Trebek hosting SCTV's 'Half Wits'. I can see that being a cause for life-long bitterness.

That was Alec Trebel, a totally original character! Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
posted by Sys Rq at 10:58 AM on September 17, 2015 [2 favorites]


Sabre! It began with a bloody 'S.'
posted by graymouser at 10:59 AM on September 17, 2015


The word "hero" gets thrown around a lot these days...


Sho does your mother, Trebek!
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 10:59 AM on September 17, 2015 [77 favorites]


According to a friend of mine who was recently on the show, contestants are forbidden from referencing the SNL sketch. But I guess she didn't have anything to lose, so.

I just taped a Jeopardy! appearance two weeks ago. I don't recall that being explicitly forbidden, but they did discourage people from writing non-answer messages during Final Jeopardy, e.g., 'Hi Mom!'.

On the subject of SNL/Jeopardy!, I find it terribly fremdschamen-inducing when contestants do their Connery impressions for Alex (see here for an example.) Last season Alex asked at least one contestant to do his Connery impression, which was not that good. Since Alex has a card with like 4-5 anecdotes to choose from for each contestant, this suggests that he is not particularly troubled by the SNL/Jeopardy! thing.


you want to see my amazing photo with Alex, you say? who am i to say no?
posted by palindromic at 11:00 AM on September 17, 2015 [63 favorites]


Oh, good. An excuse to remind everybody about that time Andy Richter destroyed Wolf Blitzer on Celebrity Jeopardy!
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:05 AM on September 17, 2015 [18 favorites]


If you're doing a Connery impression then you need to keep your voice low (as in pitch, not volume.) If your pitch is too high you end up sounding like Bane.
posted by I-baLL at 11:05 AM on September 17, 2015 [6 favorites]


I suspect that he's generally a good sport about these things*, but enough already.

He's always been the straight man in those skits. Even if Connery berates him, Connery is still the butt of the joke.

"That's therapists."
posted by brundlefly at 11:10 AM on September 17, 2015 [4 favorites]


She's probably a good, smart person, but I wouldn't characterize the entirety of her nervous, error-filled game as wily. (Says the person who will faint/throwup/forget my own name should I ever be a contestant.)
Also, I've been puzzled how easy some of the DD's and the first night's FJ (re: Road Not Taken) have been so far this new season.
palindromic that's so cool. When is/are your show(s) airing?
posted by NorthernLite at 11:11 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]


MESSAGE TO TREBEK: BRING BACK THE MOUSTACHE
posted by Chrysostom at 11:12 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]


*wanders into the thread chewing gum and wearing a giant, orange, foam cowboy hat*
posted by SansPoint at 11:13 AM on September 17, 2015 [28 favorites]


"Ursula Andress, Catherine Deneuve, and Charo. Twice."
"That's FOREIGN FLICKS, Mr. Connery. Foreign Flicks."
posted by Spatch at 11:14 AM on September 17, 2015 [16 favorites]


Hey, most people who lose on Jeopardy! don't win the internet.
posted by prize bull octorok at 11:14 AM on September 17, 2015 [2 favorites]


If I ever made it to Jeopardy! I, too, might spend 600$ just to get Alex to say "Turd Ferguson." I mean, once the money's spent it's gone, but you'll always have that moment of glory.
posted by octobersurprise at 11:15 AM on September 17, 2015 [6 favorites]


You don't get to keep your winnings if you're in last place, do you?
posted by kafziel at 11:19 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]


this is related by only the thinnest of threads, but who in Hollywood do I have to send a vial of coke to in order to get a remake of Smokey and the Bandit with Norm McDonald in production?
posted by the phlegmatic king at 11:21 AM on September 17, 2015 [7 favorites]


I have Jeopardy! on the brain right now.

Hey, most people who lose on Jeopardy! don't win the internet.

Exception: Louis Virtel, who wrote an essay about his one regret after losing.

When is/are your show(s) airing?

October 2nd.

You don't get to keep your winnings if you're in last place, do you?

Only the winner keeps their winnings. Second place gets $2000, and third gets $1000.
posted by palindromic at 11:22 AM on September 17, 2015 [3 favorites]


kafziel They used to get parting gifts, but after dropping the 5-win limit, they let the two non-winners keep either their winnings, if they exceed (IIRC) $2,000 for second place, and $1,000 for last place. Otherwise, they just get the $2k and $1k.

EDIT: Or, what palindromic said, and I'd trust them since they have direct knowledge.
posted by SansPoint at 11:23 AM on September 17, 2015


Yeah, it's strictly 2k for second, 1k for third. If you actually got to keep earnings for non winners betting would be a lot different for Final Jeopardy, I'd guess.
posted by kmz at 11:29 AM on September 17, 2015


This was... not particularly "wily", was it? Slyness, tricksiness, misdirection, cunning, and craftiness involved = all pretty much zero.

I can't help but hear this in the voice of Will Ferrell doing Trebek and getting increasingly agitated.
posted by Celsius1414 at 11:36 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]


~You don't get to keep your winnings if you're in last place, do you?
~Only the winner keeps their winnings. Second place gets $2000, and third gets $1000.


I always thought they should be able to keep what they win (and keep the 2k/1k amounts as guaranteed minimums) Heck, players get to keep what they win on the sister show, WoF. Then again, Jeopardy isn't awash in copious sponsors the way WoF is, so I guess the cash isn't there.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:43 AM on September 17, 2015


Does anyone actually know the film's name? All searches lead to that clip.

psst...every game of Jeopardy is right here. This is last night's.
posted by phunniemee at 11:49 AM on September 17, 2015 [4 favorites]


palindromic, that picture is adorable. Dinosaur dress!
posted by artychoke at 11:55 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]


Apparently, Trebek is a fan. From the second link, in reference to the SNL skit of May 18, 2002 (skit No. 12):

... for Ferrell’s last episode as an SNL cast member, the real Alex Trebek made a cameo. Trebek has said that he loves SNL’s Jeopardy sketches and was “extremely disappointed when Will left. We’ve never had any contestants as ornery as the Sean Connery character that Darrell Hammond portrays. I’ve been asked how I would feel if we had Sean Connery on Celebrity Jeopardy! I tell everyone I’d just walk up to him and punch out his lights.”
posted by JimInLoganSquare at 11:56 AM on September 17, 2015 [12 favorites]


I always thought they should be able to keep what they win (and keep the 2k/1k amounts as guaranteed minimums) Heck, players get to keep what they win on the sister show, WoF. Then again, Jeopardy isn't awash in copious sponsors the way WoF is, so I guess the cash isn't there.

I think it's more that if people could keep non-winning amounts, Daily Doubles and Final Jeopardy would probably see much more conservative betting, and not be as exciting for viewers.
posted by kmz at 12:31 PM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]


Inner Monologue: I don't care if it puts you in the lead, you will NOT wager three months of mortgage payments on Potent Potables!

200 dollars, Alex.
posted by cmfletcher at 1:24 PM on September 17, 2015


Wikipedia says that prior to 1984, all three contestants received their winnings, but that was changed in order to make the game more competitive and increase the amount of risk people would take for the Daily Doubles and Final Jeopardy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeopardy!#Winnings
posted by dweingart at 1:54 PM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]


I would get Alex to say: "What is 'Updog'?"

"No, that is incorrect."

And I would just nod and smile knowingly at the camera.
posted by Kabanos at 2:32 PM on September 17, 2015 [7 favorites]


p.s. hi mom :)
posted by moss at 5:38 PM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]


This is one of the best skits on SNL, pretty much ever in its whole run. It was just at the end of their last decent few seasons. Before the mediocrity completely took over. I will catch an episode here and there, and my god. For the past decade (two decades?), SNL just sucks.
posted by zardoz at 5:59 PM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]


Are you real? You can't be real. I didn't think they still made SNL Sucks Guy
posted by Potomac Avenue at 6:47 PM on September 17, 2015 [6 favorites]


(Pssst, check the username -- it's a deep cut!)
posted by wenestvedt at 6:54 PM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]


South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut. The song was "Blame Canada"

They got robbed by the voting members of the Academy. The winning song deserved every bit of the ripping they gave him on the episode of South Park that aired the week after (maybe two weeks after, my memory is hazy) when they took Phil Collins' "You'll Be In My Heart" from the soundtrack to Disney's Tarzan, and parodied it into "You'll be Inside Me".

Blame Canada was pretty much the perfect capsule summary to the plot and core values of Bigger, Longer, and Uncut. You'll Be In My Heart was factory standard schmaltz from the House of Mouse that could have been transplanted into like a half dozen other Disney films without changing a single lyric. The only reason it won was because it was a Disney movie.
posted by radwolf76 at 7:37 PM on September 17, 2015 [3 favorites]


I'm just happy they kept a tiny slice of hatred at the end, because who hasn't wanted to beat a woman with a shovel for being insufficiently entertaining?
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 7:53 PM on September 17, 2015


You'll Be In My Heart was factory standard schmaltz from the House of Mouse that could have been transplanted into like a half dozen other Disney films without changing a single lyric.

You can't really peg the shittiness of that song on the Walt Disney Company; its generic blandness is part and parcel with all post-Gabriel-Genesis slop. So much so, in fact, that despite my having been very much alive and conscious at the time, I am extremely surprised to learn just now that it's from as late as 1999. I would've guessed 1989 at the very latest. Feels like I've been rolling my eyes at it at least that long. And it won an Oscar? Jesus. Yes, that you can peg on Mickey, 'cause there sure as hell isn't any other reason so far as I can tell.
posted by Sys Rq at 8:30 PM on September 17, 2015 [2 favorites]


*Maybe not so much about Eugene Levy's take on Trebek hosting SCTV's 'Half Wits'. I can see that being a cause for life-long bitterness.--Capt. Renault

Norm Macdonald says the skit is a copy of Half Wits and got permission from Eugene Levy to do the skit.
posted by eye of newt at 10:18 PM on September 17, 2015 [5 favorites]


How is it possible that the turdferguson tag only refers to this article? Get busy retagging historical Burt Reynolds related posts, Mefites.

Maybe start by searching for tag Gator.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 12:24 AM on September 18, 2015 [2 favorites]


Are you real? You can't be real. I didn't think they still made SNL Sucks Guy

I don't get it. Are we to the point that SNL is now good again? Or something? Or is saying SNL sucks sooo 2003?
posted by zardoz at 12:27 AM on September 18, 2015


Everyone thinks that SNL stopped being good the year after they graduated from undergrad.
posted by sparklemotion at 4:37 AM on September 18, 2015 [1 favorite]


Everyone thinks that SNL stopped being good the year after they graduated from undergrad.

I feel really bad for the kids that graduated in the mid 80's. They must have a Bizarro World view of what is and isn't funny.
posted by dances with hamsters at 5:34 AM on September 18, 2015


"We’ve never had any contestants as ornery as the Sean Connery character that Darrell Hammond portrays."

On Jeopardy. A contestant on Classic Concentration once got passive aggressive with Trebek when he lost a prize for saying the word "surprise" rather than the non-existent "suprise" that the puzzle called for. (I wish I could find that clip but my last search attempt resulted in me wasting the entire day watching game show clips on YouTube.) Alex finally tells him something along the line of "You can leave anytime you want."
posted by dances with hamsters at 5:41 AM on September 18, 2015 [2 favorites]


How is it possible that the turdferguson tag only refers to this article? Get busy retagging historical Burt Reynolds related posts, Mefites.

Maybe start by searching for tag Gator.


Don't you mean Seminole?
posted by photoslob at 6:35 AM on September 18, 2015


No.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:16 AM on September 18, 2015


I feel really bad for the kids that graduated in the mid 80's. They must have a Bizarro World view of what is and isn't funny.

I graduated from high school in 1989 and for whatever reason had stopped watching tv by about 1991 (okay, I'll tell you the reason - back then when my friends got together all anyone ever did was smoke weed and watch the X-Files or Seinfeld and it was really boring).

So for me anyway SNL will always equal Jon Lovitz, Kevin Nealon, Victoria Jackson (look how weird she turned out!), Dana Carvey and a few others during the late 80's run.

I'm not sure if they were funny or not, but it's what I watched.

I stopped watching letter around 89 or 90 as well for whatever reason.
posted by Nevin at 11:22 AM on September 18, 2015


Yeah, similar here. Graduated high school in '91. Stopped watching SNL right about there, whenever Sandler first showing up.
posted by Chrysostom at 12:02 PM on September 18, 2015


I graduated from high school in 1989 and for whatever reason had stopped watching tv by about 1991 (okay, I'll tell you the reason - back then when my friends got together all anyone ever did was smoke weed and watch the X-Files or Seinfeld and it was really boring).

So for me anyway SNL will always equal Jon Lovitz, Kevin Nealon, Victoria Jackson (look how weird she turned out!), Dana Carvey and a few others during the late 80's run.


I was referring to guys like Brad and Anthony Michael Hall and a bunch of other people that weren't Eddie Murphy or Joe Piscopo.
posted by dances with hamsters at 5:37 PM on September 18, 2015


Zardoz, that skit is from like last year or something.
posted by Bistle at 8:20 PM on September 18, 2015


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