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What's TOC?

I thought when that video was leaked that he threw the game, but now that I actually saw the game, I don't think so. The girl just got lucky with the Daily Doubles.


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Tournament of Champions.

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If he returns after Trebek is replaced (and I have little doubt he will) it will certainly look like I'm correct.

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Oh he definitely threw the game. He could have easily bet more money, but either someone told him to quit, or he chose to quit after stacking up over $2 million over nearly a month's worth of games. Nobody like him bets only $1300 on a Final Jeopardy question. And the girl who took up the gauntlet after him was very forgettable.

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Actually, his final wager was a calculated move. He "took the low", in gambling parlance.

And betting more money wouldn't have helped him if the girl answered correctly (which she did). Her wager was a dollar more than twice his total would have been, and he foresaw that outcome.

He could only bet on her to lose, he didn't have enough $ to wager to surpass her.


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I also thought he threw the game

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Me too, I think Matt did the same thing last year. Maybe they just got tired of it, who knows.

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Maybe, but James sure was a lot of fun while he lasted!!

I also wonder how much of their winnings get eaten up in taxes anyway? I've read that the winners have to sign tax forms back stage right away. I've never thought winnings should be taxed. They're not earned, they're won.

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I would be surprised if these types of winnings aren't taxed before they even reach your hands. This isn't illegal gambling. The government can follow exactly what is going on, and I'm sure it does. Same thing with the Lottery.

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I too enjoyed James and was pretty sad when he left. Every now and again you get one on there you just like. Like Alex, how he answered all the questions like he did not know and was guessing.....and got them right almost every time. Such a good show

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I think he did, too. But I think it was because of the thing about his daughter asking him when he'd be home.

Why would James be 'forever disallowed' to return as champion if there's a new host? That makes no sense.

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It's nonsense. There's no rulebook about hosts.

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Nonsense? How so? Are you saying that regular contestants are allowed to return (after their defeat of course) or that they are forever banned from returning regardless of who's host? It can't be any other way.

Have contestants from the Art Fleming era of the show played again with Trebek as host? Yes. Not very many (probably because it was so long ago and they had to be very young at the time).

Have any regular contestants (not those invited back for special appearances) returned to appear twice while Trebek is host? NO. Never.

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A few years ago there was a player who was allowed to come back in the next game after losing because the judges determined that she was actually right in Final Jeopardy, after the fact. Other than that, nobody comes back as a contestant after losing.

This whole host loophole is indeed nonsense. If Trebek left the show today, there would be thousands of former contestants from the decades lining up for a second chance that they won't get. The only reason anybody from Art Fleming's era came back is because it was quite literally a different show in those days with only a basic similarity to the Alex Trebek era -- produced, written and directed by a completely different group, under different ownership. The Trebek era wasn't just a new season with a new host, it was a revival series of a game show that had been cancelled.

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OK I forgot about people who are allowed to return because of a mistake. That has happened more than once.

Yes there will be thousands lining up for a second chance and I think some will be allowed to return.

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He posted that on Twitter because it was funny and cute - I am sure he wouldn't have actually thrown the game because his 4y.o. daughter wanted a party.

It took him 13 years to get on Jeopardy!


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Doesn't make sense? I don't see why not. How many regular contestants have returned to re-appear on the show after being defeated? None.

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Perhaps I read the original post wrong. I was assuming that the poster said that if there were a new host, the producers would have told James (if he were still champion) that he wasn't allowed to stay on the show anymore.

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It did occur to me he might have thrown the game, but I didn't know why he would want to. I only caught the very end of the episode, and it didn't seem to add up.

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