Grandpa on Jeopardy

[flossieskid]

Not sure how many Forum members are fans of the game show "Jeopardy", but my husband and I are avid nightly viewers. Since my husband is a physician, he tackles the questions about medicine, science, math,
chemistry, as well as, literature, poetry, geography and the Bible! The guy is truly a walking encyclopedia!
I tease him and ask, "Why do you read the Bible so many times - you know how it ends?" But, of course,
people could read the Bible 50 times and find something new each time.  

My husband learned in medical school that the brain functions more fully in retaining information if a person studies for only 1-2 hours on a single subject, then moves on to another book or something else that stimulates the brain. Often, he reads up to 4 books at a time and his retention is amazing!

Sorry - but I digress!  My areas of expertise on Jeopardy are obviously anything show business related: 
movies, TV, Broadway, Music and, of course, actors and actresses.  I will sometimes surprise even myself
when I take a guess at something outside my wheelhouse and I get the answer right! Pop culture is
another area I have mastered fairly well.  Our daughter says, just like there is a special Jeopardy 
Champion Week, there should be a "couples week" - where one spouse knows about many areas and 
the other spouse will be able make it a successful duo with their own special knowledge and then
the couple could win the title of Champion AND a lot of moola!  Should we start a petition?!?!

The Waltons were on for 10 years and won awards, had HUGE publicity and, of course, we think,
as devoted members of the Forum, that every person should have a bit of Walton knowledge, right?
So imagine my surprise when Will Geer's photo was shown this week and the question was just
to identify him after Ken Jennings referenced his successful family series in the 70's and NOT ONE
of the champion contestants knew who the heck Will was!!  Seriously?!? I think I could understand 
if there was a cast member of Saturday Night Live who they couldn't identify - but The Waltons??
Although my husband did point out that perhaps some of the contestants might have been only 10-15
years old when the show was on.  But, still....

I think I remember a year or so ago, someone referenced the Walton Quiz that you can google on
METV.com.  I decided to take it thinking maybe there is a question I could not answer.  I got them
all right, but the questions were very easy as I think someone pointed out.  I don't know why I 
hadn't taken it until now.  It was fun, but it would be super great if they made up new questions
every few years - maybe a question about Flossie would show up.  It would have made my Mom
smile......


p.s.   I have no clue why my subject heading is not the same font size as my content.  So odd!!

[Easton]

I suppose avid Waltons fans not understanding people who don't know anything about the Waltons is the same as avid American football fans not understanding people who don't know anything about football.

At the time, there was a war going on. There weren't 27,384 television stations you could choose from to watch. The Waltons had a rather niche audience who, if they noticed Will Geer in another programme or movie, would say, "Oh! Grampa Walton!" Others might say, "Oh, he looks familiar," but not bother to look him up in the credits. Remember that Will Geer was blacklisted by Hollywood 20 years earlier.

I like Jeopardy! and I love Ken Jennings as host. I liked Mayim Bialik when she first took over as host, but she's not as prepared as Alex was and as Ken is. I know she left to support the strike, but I wouldn't be upset if she didn't come back.

My favourite parts of Jeopardy!, though, are the times I am able to answer questions about the United States which the American contestants can't.

So, I'm not really surprised that the contestants didn't recognise Will. I would be hard-pressed to recognise some actors from Little House on the Prairie. I was never a real fan.

[Johnny]

I haven't watched Jeopardy since Art Fleming was host. I wouldn't be very good at naming any actors from popular TV shows over the last 23 years as I haven't owned a TV since then. Even shows I do remember such as: Dallas & Family Ties & Cheers. I may recognize the actors but only recall maybe one lead actor's name and that's all. So I'm not surprised, contestants on today's Jeopardy didn't know Grandpa Walton's actual name. 

[patriciaanne]

Well, that's disappointing that not even ONE could answer among individuals who consider themselves trivia experts.

[carol]

I love Jeopardy. I watch it every night. I couldn't believe it either when no one knew who Will Geer was. I admit there have been some contestants that I wonder how they passed the test to get on the show. But I guess it's true that it's a lot easier to sit in your living room and answer the questions than be there up on the stage in front of the cameras.

[nedandres]

People remember things that they are interested in or passionate about. Unfortunately, I don't think too many people in the younger generations know much about TV shows from 50 years ago.