I got the "beat"

     My score for this weekend's episode, which originally aired 9-23-11: 24400 (27800 without negs).
     Yesterday, Gary won his first episode. Can he make it two?

Gary Roberts (Is it because of his name that he reminds me of Garry Marshall?)

Michelle Martin

Shawn Selby

     Gary, a defense consultant, looked so chuffed when Mr. Trebek said he is bright, at the top of the show. But Mr. Trebek seems to think every Jeopardy! contestant is bright, and I don't agree. Naturally, Gary went to International Affairs first. Shawn, who called that category Internal Affairs once, seemed to prefer Pop Culture, while Michelle went to Dr. Seuss on the 11 O'Clock News first. That category makes me a little nervous, by the way, since contestant coordinator Maggie uses the book title One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish as an example in her spiel. It seemed to throw off my opponent Katie (see the Colorful Books Daily Double), but I'd have said what she did in response to that clue. I don't know about you, but my sisters were read to a lot as little girls, and we never did Dr. Seuss. I think I went 2/5 in the category today. Michelle did better than that!
     Sticking with International Affairs paid off for Gary - he found the Daily Double of the round there in the 1K spot. He'd gotten 3 right and had 2000. Shawn had gotten 6 right and had 3000, and Michelle had gotten one right and had 200. I say there's no excuse for not risking it all here, but Gary risked just 1000. Here's the clue: "3-word term for international equilibrium in which no single nation or alliance predominates." I didn't know, and neither did Gary. But it makes sense when you hear it.
     Gary got the next 3 right though, all in On "Edge". Mr. Trebek said "I hate to stop you when you're on a roll," but it was time for the first break. Gary had 2200 now.
     Bad interview alert: Mr. Trebek had to ask Michelle what it was like having a teenager and a toddler. ? I didn't like Shawn's interview either - He's related to Robert E. Lee and George Washington, so he claims.
     I've never heard of this, in On "Edge": "A grasslike plant that grows in wet areas." Michelle got it, and it looked like Gary was ringing in too. Then I was amazed this next clue was a triple-stumper, in Blender Settings: "To keep the band in time, it's what a good drummer tries to 'keep.'" And believe me, I don't use a blender.
     At the end of the round, Gary had gotten 5 right since the break and had 5400. Shawn, had gotten 2 wrong I think, and one right. He had 2400. Michelle had gotten a whopping 8 right and had 5600.
     Gary found the first Daily Double of the Double Jeopardy round in Aviation Pioneers. He'd gotten 2 right and had 7400. Shawn had gotten one right and had 3200, and Michelle still had 5600. Gary might want to make this a true Daily Double again, considering there were 5 whole categories left after this. But he risked 1600. I got this one but he didn't: "On June 15, 1916 in Washington State, this American flight-tested his first plane, a seaplane called the Bluebill." Mr. Trebek was right when he said this name is closely associated with Washington State. That's how I got it.
     Jimmy proved today that you don't have to do accents to be on the Clue Crew:
     I've never heard of this correct response, by the way.    
Were you surprised when Gary's neg wasn't reversed on this clue in Books that Changed America?: "Bill McKibben got us hot & bothered with 'The End of Nature,' the first book for general readers about this type of 'change.'" I was also surprised when Michelle was brave/foolish enough to ring in with virtually the same response.
     Gary found the last Daily Double too, in Books that Changed America. He'd gotten 3 right and the one wrong since his last Daily Double. His score was 9800. Shawn had gotten 4 right and had 6000. Michelle had gotten 4 right also, and she had 10000. Gary wagered just 600?!? Here's the clue: "His 1849 'Resistance to Civil Government' outlined his belief in nonviolent protest." Gary got it right, of course. There were 2 full categories plus 2 clues left.
     And how was this a triple-stumper, in On Lead Vocals?: "1977: 'Hotel California.'" Even without Michelle eliminating Glenn Frey. Geez.
     At the end of the round, Gary had gotten 2 right since his last Daily Double and had 12000. Shawn had gotten 5 right and shot up to 12400. Michelle had gotten 3 right and one wrong and had 14400. What a close game! It's fun to figure out what you'd wager, from the couch. If I were Gary I might've wagered 8000. If I were Shawn I might've wagered 8400 for the same reason: expecting Michelle to wager enough to cover Shawn if he doubled, but then get the Final wrong.
     The Final Jeopardy category was 1960s Television. Here's the clue: "Jackie Gleason considered, but then decided against, suing this show that premiered September 30, 1960." The correct response never crossed my mind, but a bunch of wrong answers did. Gary got this one wrong, and lost everything! It didn't matter because Shawn and Michelle both got it right. Shawn added 6501, and Michelle added 10400. She'll be back tomorrow then, and so will I!
     My Coryat today was 29800, and I had one neg worth 1200.