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not so random thought

Am I the only one who wants to smack the shit out of that guy on Jeopardy?

Comments

...and the answer is:

NO

He's actually really nice in person (I've known him from college quiz competition and also worked with him), though I'll readily agree that he doesn't come across well on TV.

But nobody gets to smack him until I get my chance, because he delayed my own Jeopardy! appearance by a season. (I was invited to the contestant pool for a taping, but he was the returning champion (only 8-time champ at that point) and since the Sony contract forbids friends from facing each other, I never got to go on; since they're booked with contestants for the season, I'm apparently coming back some time in 2004-05).

Smack him? I want to be his best friend.

At least until the money runs out.

His best friend? No, I'd prefer to be him, or rather in his place anyway. Unfortunately, after making the first cut for the show two years ago, I never got a callback. Hmmmmmmm...

He's very annoying, smug and arrogant. The worst was when he said that because of his new money, he "now favors the Bush tax cut." Then he smirked.

Grrrr.

It's amazing how he's demolishing these folks, though.

I like him, Michele. He's not arrogant, and he's very, very good; couldn't beat him on my best day (and that's the first time I've ever said that, 'cus I am).

Matt, you think you could take him? I'd call it a blessing (especially because he's got a lot more experience on the "button" than any of his opponents, which is the unfair part of letting continue.)

For a second, I thought you were quoting from the DU....or that Whoopi Goldberg/Bush hate fest.

No! Never! Damn, I always knew it, you're a horrible person -- ROFLMAO. I'm sorry, I just can't resist it LOL. Yes, Yes, Yes LOL.

Well, michele, I sure don't want to smack him. I want to be the first in line to congratulate him. This is an accomplishment along the lines of the longest baseball hit streak ever, the likelihood of it ever being broken.

But, isn't this kind of typical of anyone of our species who ever stands out in terms of accomplishments.

Someone always wants to smack them down, "bring them down to our level." Or accuse them of all sorts of perfidy (arrogance, etc.). Yeah, that's it. Accomplishment is its own punishment.

In high school, we hated the "smug" valedictorian, no-good pompous grade whore.

In college, those damn 4.0 gpa geeks, we hate them too. Arrogant bastards.

And those jerk law students, or grad students, or med students. Rich, pampered a**es.

Sigh, it doesn't end.

Nope, I like the guy, and want to see him win a million bucks.

Way to read too much into something Ed.

He's just too smug for my tastes. Nothing more, nothing less.

Instant analysis for $200, Alex.

And the answer is:

Proving my point.

The question:

With all due respect, michele, what did you just do.

I don't want to extend this discussion any further than necessary, but one point that I wish to make.

I have lived this kind of stuff. Every one of those categories I listed as examples, has applied to me in one way or another (and, for that matter, to my youngest daughter).

I speak from experience as to how it feels when others turn your accomplishments against you.

No offense meant, actually, just a sort spot scratched.

Sore spot.

Sorry.

Pretty soon he'll run out of opponents. Nobody will want to take him on. They'll demand to have a fair chance to win. He oughta take his 30th win and then walk away from the show.

I say they should put him up against Will Ferrell playing Sean Connery. If that doesn't crack him, nothing will.

Penis Mightier!

I don't think he's smug. Maybe you see something in his body language that I don't see; all I see is a guy enjoying himself by doing something he has obviously prepared for for a long time. The jocks have plenty of heroes, let to bookworms have one too.
My only problem with him is that he wants to give some of his winnings to NPR. Leftist wanker. :)>

No desire to smack at all, nope. In fact, this has got me and my husband actually trying to remember to turn the TV on for Jeopardy everyday! To see him go on. This is quite amazing.

Smack him? No. Congratulate him? Yes. I'd like to smack Michael Moore, Al Franken, Judy Gold, etc.

Ed Falkner wrote:
But, isn't this kind of typical of anyone of our species who ever stands out in terms of accomplishments.
Only intellectual accomplishments. Sports accomplishments get near-universal praise.

Dang, first Ray Smuckles writes about him, now Michele. Ken's getting famous in the blogosphere. I don't get how a lot of people seem to think he's too smug. I think he's a pretty witty guy (especially for a Mormon computer programmer), and he's made the show even more interesting than it was before. We nerds have a new hero!

Oh, and jon...

"I'll take 'The rapists' for $100, Alex."

I tape the show to watch later. Ask me again in a couple of months.

Why would you want to smack him? Just because he excels at what he does? Since you did not state the reason why you want to smack him , I'll make the following assumptions.

Either A) He laid the trivial smack down on one of your friends who happened to be a contestant.
Or B) You are jealous of another's success.

Trying to knock someone because of their hard earned success smacks of LLL'ism.

I'm disappointed in you. (Not like you care that someone with the name of "mood modifier" thinks of you :P)

Geez, is everyone here an amatuer psychologist? I didn't like his attitude. I thought he was smug.

I don't begrudge him anything. The guy is obviously brilliant and I'm in awe of his knowledge. In fact, I admire his brain and I hope he goes on to win a million.

Some of you read way too much into things. Psychoanalysis based on one sentence is kind of, well, stupid.

I think it's weird how some of your readers rush to condemn, scold, anal-lyze and otherwise get all super-serious after you make a flippant comment about some Jeopardy dude. Note to Michele's painfully super-earnest readers - don't jump over to my site and comment, because I'll just call you all nonsensical nit-witty douchebags, and then your head will implode as you try to decipher the projection of my childhood anguish and relate it to your own fucked up lives.

See? And I wasn't even all serious there, but I bet the hackles on the back of your neck are at attention, aren't they?

Douche bags.

I record Jeopardy! on TIVO every day and have been doing so for all the months I've had TIVO. I watch each episode in <20 minutes by skipping the intros, interviews, chat, etc. So I've never seen him do anything but blast through the board. His mannerisms in the first few weeks made him look smug, but I think he is getting looser and is making a concious effort to appear kinder & gentler.

I know the correct response to about 90% of the ones he gets correct, so on knowledge alone I could keep up with him fairly well. But he sure does have the button timing nailed. He had an opponent the other day who showed signs of being smarter than him, but she was not able to ring in at all after the 3rd category or so, though she was smashing that button furiously for most of game. (She gave up around the time Ken hit $20K.)

the guy is my f-in' hero! Sure he comes across as smug... wouldn't you if you DOMINATED the way he has? He's so full of trivial knowledge that I'm extremely jealous.

I thought I was trivial enough for Jeopardy before... but that guy makes me seem like an amature... and I'm the guy everyone calls for trivia night. I can't remember the last time I lost a trivial pursuit game....

I'd have to say that everyone has a love/hate relationship with going up against him, though... Sure, it'd be awesome to be the guy who beats him, but 1) he makes everyone else look non-existant and 2) how the HELL would you follow that performace up?? anything short of topping his performance and you look like you were incredibly lucky...

He's the best Jeopardy contestant I've ever seen.

Rarely buzzes in oin a question he doesn't know. Maybe the ultimate 2nd half player as he simply destroys his opponents in double jeopardy. I haven't seen every show but has he been in a situation where he actually had to bet to win in final jeopadry?

Oh. I thought you meant Trebec-I was game for that. Talk about a pompous ass! This guy has all the answers in front of him, yet still manages a smug look, "No, I am sorry, here is the mispronounced answer said in a horribly overdone accent with an I-know-everything smile."

The only personality who elicits more curses at the TV screen from me would be Joe Buck, who is a travesty to announcing and has ruined more that one history-making baseball moment with colorless commentary, barely-concealed Yankee hatred, and has done the nearly impossible: lowered Fox TV standards.