Jeopardy!

Jeopardy! is a daily syndicated trivia game show, created by Merv Griffin in 1964. The series ran on NBC from 1964 to 1975, and in syndication from 1974 to 1975 and 1978 to 1979, with all versions hosted by Art Fleming. The syndicated version was re-launched in 1984 with new host Alex Trebek, and has aired continuously since.

Beginning in 1992, the show has featured celebrity tournaments, and the show created a celebrity of their own with contestant Ken Jennings, who won 74 consecutive games on the show.

The series theme song has entered the pop culture lexicon, and the show itself has been parodied on shows ranging from The Simpsons, to Saturday Night Live (whose oft-recurring parody of its celebrity tournaments included three Muppet references), and has even been an important element of an episode's storyline, with characters appearing on or auditioning for the show on shows such as The Golden Girls, The Nanny and Cheers.

Appearances

• Sarah Whitcomb, a member of the Clue Crew, appeared at The Muppet Whatnot Workshop for a question on FAO Schwarz and the Muppets.

• The Sesame Street cast appeared on the show on April 4, 2006, to promote the Season 36 "Healthy Habits for Life" initiative. The first round included a special category, "Sesame Street Eats". When players chose to answer questions in that category, they were shown a short clip of Trebek on the Sesame set, talking with the Muppets about healthy food. Big Bird, Elmo, Rosita and Oscar appeared, as did a dozen Muppet Eggs.

"Sesame Street Eats"

Alex with Elmo

Oscar and Alex

Alex with Rosita

Big Bird with Alex

A Dozen Muppet Eggs

Sarah Whitcomb at the Muppet Whatnot Workshop.

References

• In episode 108 of Muppets Tonight, The AL-1995 Plus Tax computer plays the Jeopardy! theme while he calculates the answer to 2+2.
• Much like how on Jeopardy! the questions are answered in the form of a question, in the Sesame Street game show sketch "The Anything-in-the-World Prize Game", Guy Smiley mistakes Oscar the Grouch's question "Who is this guy?" as an answer in the form of a question.
• In his book, Before You Leap, Kermit says his dad has been asked if he is interested in appearing as a contestant during "Celebrity parents Week" on Jeopardy!
• Music parodying the Jeopardy! theme appears when Cookie Monster starts playing "The Waiting Game" in the Sesame Street song, "Good Things Come to Those Who Wait."

Muppet Mentions

Kathy Ireland giving out a clue in 1997.

• Over the years, categories have included "People with Muppet Names", "Rhymes with a Muppet", "Muppet News", "Know Your Muppets", "Survivor 12: The Muppets", "Name that Muppet", '40 Years of Sesame Street" and "Jim Henson". Also, various non-Muppet categories have had clues relating to the Muppets.

• The Jeopardy! fansite J! Archive has a listing of questions that mention the Muppets, Jim Henson, Sesame Street and Fraggles and more.

Connections

Celebrity Jeopardy! Contestants have included many individuals who have worked with the Muppets and/or productions from the Creature Shop.

Buzz Aldrin, season 13 Jason Alexander, season 11, 14 Ed Asner, season 10 Tom Bergeron, season 25 Sandra Bernhard, season 13 Wayne Brady, season 17, 19 Carol Burnett, season 9, 14, 16 LeVar Burton, season 12 Shawn Colvin, season 16 Harry Connick Jr., season 17 Anderson Cooper, Season 20 James Denton, season 23 Sandy Duncan, season 16 Jodie Foster, season 17 Matthew Fox, season 13 Jeff Foxworthy, season 12 Kelsey Grammer, season 10 Seth Green, season 17 Melissa Joan Hart, season 14 Judith Ivey, season 9 Charles Kimbrough, season 12 Richard Kind, season 15 Larry King, season 11 Jane Krakowski, season 17 Nathan Lane, season 16, 17 Rebecca Lobo, season 14 Jon Lovitz, season 13

Susan Lucci, season 23 Cheech Marin, season 9, 14 Peter Marshall, during Fleming's run Michael McKean, season 15, 23, 26 Christopher Meloni, season 23, 26 Brian Stokes Mitchell, season 23 Martina Navratilova, season 15 Bebe Neuwirth, season 23 Leslie Nielsen, season 10 Oliver North, season 14 Rosie O'Donnell, season 9, 16 Brad Paisley, season 19 Holly Robinson Peete, season 15 David Hyde Pierce, season 11 Regis Philbin, season 9, 14, 23 Lou Diamond Phillips, season 11 Tony Randall, season 11 Lynn Redgrave, season 12 Andy Richter, season 16, 26 Pat Sajak, season 10, 26 (also appeared on 2 April Fools' Day episodes, in 1997 and 2010.) Paul Shaffer, season 23 Harry Shearer, season 23, 26 Martin Short, season 23 Harry Smith, season 23 Kevin Sorbo, season 17 Jon Stewart, season 16 Martha Stewart, season 17 Meredith Vieira, season 16 Noah Wyle, season 12, 16

Also...

• Bob Bergen hosted Jep!, the children's version of the show.
• Don Pardo was the announcer for the original version.