One of our longer lasting game shows is Jeopardy,viewed throughout the world and still holding it's own as the most challenging quiz program in syndication.
Most of us grew up with current host Alex Trebek(Art Fleming was the original question man for the early seasons,starting in 1964 and ending in 1979)and while the sets may have changed over the years,the basic Q&A format really hasn't.
It's status as a high water mark of intelligence makes Jeopardy a show most desirable for folks eager to display their smarts,with some of those contenders even coming from the realm of fiction.
From sitcoms to movies and comedy sketches,Jeopardy has been an ideal goal for many a made up character. Let's take a gander at some of these amusing appearances and see if any of the pop culture players had the chops to reach the final round:
MAMA'S FAMILY: Thelma Harper tried her hand at Jeopardy and really had a tough time of it for awhile there. Fortunately,she managed to dig herself out of the minus pit and make it to the final question. While Thelma wasn't the big winner that day,at least she did better on Jeopardy than when her clan went on Family Feud:
GOLDEN GIRLS: Dorothy was hellbent on being a contestant but her over-zealousness cost her a spot on the show. However,she did get her very own Jeopardy themed dream sequence,going up against Rose and Empty Nest spin-off character Charlie(who made frequent appearances on GG from time to time). Dorothy's dream ultimately spun out of control,with the help of a cameo by game show magnate Merv Griffin,but what a wild ride it was:
GROUNDHOG'S DAY: One of best throwaways gags in the movie was when bored with his seemingly never-ending day weatherman Phil showcased his memorization of the Jeopardy episode playing that evening. To most of the folks with him,he seemed to be super smart but at least one of them was a little spooked by Phil's ability to answer the questions even before they were asked:
WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP: A major life goal of girlfriend Gloria in this flick was to make a splash on Jeopardy and she got her wish indeed. Lucky for Gloria that the judges didn't hold her pronunciation of an answer against her;they're pretty picky with that for regular contestants these days:
CELEBRITY JEOPARDY/SNL: A popular reoccurring skit on Saturday Night Live during Will Ferrell's time was this parody version that had Sean Connery taking every opportunity to drive Trebek crazy. While I don't think Connery has ever been on the show,he may not want to after such hilarious expectations have been built up here:
Well,that's all the time we have for now,folks. Tune in next time when we may have more game show related pop culture picks for display. In the meanwhile,please enjoy our parting gift,courtesy of Weird Al and company:
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