[devil’s advocate]
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=638&e=3&u=/nm/20040715/en_nm/television_jeopardy_dc
Somebody should go back and check how Jeopardy’s ratings were trending before this guy showed up. Can anyone say “21”?
[/devil’s advocate]
You can’t fake what that guy is doing.
Sure you can! There are ways to fake just about anything.
Conspiracy theories where none are needed are one of my pet peeves.
Jeopardy admitted that they changed the rules. Winners are no longer limited to a five day winning streak. (Essentially allowing them to show up to more than one taping.)
The winning streak guy admitted that he has an advantage because he is now way more comfortable in the studio than his opponents.
And guess what? The changed the rules to improve their ratings.
And guess what? It worked.
I ain’t saying it’s true, just that it’s certainly possible.
The Return of Quiz Show 2000: The Next Generation
< tin hat >
They could simply be making sure to deliberately skew towards questions they think he might do better at than his opponents. From what I remember about the player selection, they give the producers catagories they feel most comfortable with so that the show can put in an even number of each for all three players.
I mean, it’s not like a reality show would ever skew things to their advantage. ;)
< /tin hat >
… but yeah, a conspiracy theory is silly. I imagine a number of the previous big-time champions on the show could have pulled off similar performance if there had not been a limit to their winnings as well.
I know that if I were a producer trying to keep Ken’s streak going, I’d deliberately pick his opponents from the bottom of the barrel. Match him up with people of lower ability. Not that I think they’re doing it, but that’s how I would.
What’s kind of funny is that the reason I and probably a lot of others are watching is to see him lose. America loves an underdog and hates an …overdog.
If it’s on TV, it’s staged. That’s my policy anyway.
It saves me from having to use my brain and determining it on a case-by-case basis.