Why did Jeopardy double their prize money??

[NakaNaka]

I noticed this last night and I'm shocked. How could they change Jeopardy like that!?!

 

[minendo]

<< I noticed this last night and I'm shocked. How could they change Jeopardy like that!?! >>



wow this is news to me since i havent watched jeopardy in several months now

 

[pulse8]

Probably because you have to be intelligent to get onto Jeopardy and don't get all that much cash, but any tool can be on Millionaire and win a good chunk of change.

 

[RedRooster]

Cause the ratings were going into the toilet and the execs insisted that something to be done, to avoid cancelling the show.
The show is still super lame, unless there's categories like "S" Words or Therapists.

 

[TuffGirl]

Really? I hadn't seen the show in a while either. Is it doubled for both rounds 1 and 2??

As an aside, I wonder if any AT members have ever been on Jeopardy, or know someone who has. I know there's a lot of smart ppl here.

 

[pulse8]

My sister was on Jeopardy in October of 1999.

 

[Linflas]

If I had to guess I would guess "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and "Weakest Link" have something to do with it.

 

[TuffGirl]

<< My sister was on Jeopardy in October of 1999. >>


Cool! Was she in one of the special tournaments like the teen or college one? How much did she end up winning??

 

[pulse8]

She was in the regular Jeopardy show.

She didn't win all that much. She came in third, but did well in the beginning. They gave her about $600 in gift certificates. I don't know if you guys ever saw the blind guy that was on the show and became a 5 time champion, but she went up against him the first night he played.

 

[Cerebus451]

I noticed this last night. I was flipping past the channel and I saw on the big board they were about to reveal a clue worth $1200. I did not think twice about it until I saw this post. Then I suddenly realised that there is no $1200 question, unless they doubled the values.

It definitely has to do with Millionaire and Weakest Link. The smartest of the smart 5 time champions will usually only walk away with $100k (or even much less) in cash plus a car, and it is a heck of a lot of work to be a 5 time champion on that show. They probably started to notice a decline in the quality of their contestants and decided to up the money values to keep the smart people coming in.

 

[MeanMeosh]

my cousin was on jeopardy in may and he won aroun $76000 and a 2002 corvette. had to sell the corvette to pay for the taxes though...... then he went back on the tournament of champions and lost in the semi-final round by $100.... that sucked.

they're also talking about raising the prize money on the tournament of champions to 1 million bucks.

 

[TheKidd]

My friend's father was on almost 10 years ago. He won four episodes, and almost one the fifth. He ended up walking away with more cash than some of the guys who won five shows. He was a pretty smart guy, but more importantly he had a photographic memory.

 

[TuffGirl]

<< She was in the regular Jeopardy show.

She didn't win all that much. She came in third, but did well in the beginning. They gave her about $600 in gift certificates. I don't know if you guys ever saw the blind guy that was on the show and became a 5 time champion, but she went up against him the first night he played. >>


Whoa, I do remember that blind guy! His name was Eddie I think and he had a lazy eye and was sorta doofy looking, right? That was really remarkable how he won all those matches. Stiff competition for your sis, geez.

 

[pulse8]

Yup! That's him!

They had worked with this guy Eddie for 2 years before he was on the show to make the show compliant for a blind person. He knew his stuff, but his blindness was more an advantage than a disadvantage for him in the long run. It won him a bunch of money and I think 2 cars.

 

[erub]

wow, i watched Jeopardy at the gym just now for the first time in years - i did notice that the price $ was doubled, interesting...

 

[stingbandel]

I think they are losing the ratings also they can't compete with who wants to be a millionaire.




Darno

 

[NakaNaka]

how is the blindness an advantage?

 

[Platypus]

<< Yup! That's him!

They had worked with this guy Eddie for 2 years before he was on the show to make the show compliant for a blind person. He knew his stuff, but his blindness was more an advantage than a disadvantage for him in the long run. It won him a bunch of money and I think 2 cars. >>



Not to be a heartless bastard, but what is he going to do with two cars besides sell them?

 

[pulse8]

<< how is the blindness an advantage? >>



Well, first of all he knew he was going ot be on for 2 years prior and everyone else had a month. There are things you could do to prepare yourself for that.

He also couldn't see the cameras, lights or other people so he wasn't distracted or nervous with those factors.

You're allowed to ring in only after the host has finished reading the question. He was very quick on the show. All he had to do was listen, which I'm sure he's very good at and ring in when he heard him finish. Most people on the show will read the question and then wait until he's done so there's a down time there where you'll let your guard down.

I'm not saying it was a bad thing that he won or that he did it unfairly. I'm just saying that his blindness proved not to be a disadvantage like most thought it to be.