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
- July 8, 2002 — Kermit the Frog appears in a pre-taped clue: "In 1979, I had a Top 40 hit with this song from The Muppet Movie."[1]
- April 4, 2006 — The Sesame Street cast appeared on the show from the Sesame Street set 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.
- Sarah Whitcomb, a member of the Clue Crew, appeared at The Muppet Whatnot Workshop for a question on FAO Schwarz and the Muppets.
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!
- A pastiche of the Jeopardy! theme is used in Episode 4216 of Sesame Street as Leela removes stains from Gabi's sweatshirt.
- 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."
- In The Muppets episode "Generally Inhospitable", Pache says "What is do you guys ever do any work around here?"
Muppet Mentions
- 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 had a listing of questions that mentioned 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.
|
|
Also...
- Bob Bergen hosted Jep!, the children's version of the show.
- Don Pardo was the announcer for the original version.