JEOPARDY!

 From Worldometer (new  COVID-19 deaths yesterday):

   DAY  USA  WORLD    Brazil    India    South Africa

June     9     1093     4732         1185        246       82

July    22      1205     7128         1293      1120     572

Aug    12      1504     6556        1242        835     130

Sept     9      1208      6222       1136       1168       82

Oct     21      1225      6849         571        703       85

Nov    25       2304    12025        620        518      118

Dec    30       3880    14748       1224       299      465

Jan     14       4142    15512       1151       189      712

Feb      3       4005    14265       1209       107      398

Mar     2        1989     9490        1726       110      194

April   6         906     11787         4211       631       37

May    4         853     13667        3025      3786      59 

June   1         287    10637         2346      3205      95

 July   7          251      8440        1595        817     411

Aug    4          656    10120        1118         532     423 

Sept  22       2228      9326          839        279     124

Oct    6         2102      8255          543        315       59

Nov   3         1436      7830         186         458       23

Dec    1        1633      8475          266        477       28

Jan    7         2025      6729         148        285      140

       14          2303      7872         238        430      128

       19          2374      8972         349        493      156

Summary:  All increased in new deaths yesterday from this past Friday.

Jeopardy! was created by Merv Griffin in 1964, hosted by Art Fleming.  

• Actually, it was Griffin's wife at that time, Julann, who came up with the idea.  They together wrote the theme song (click on that for a ten hour version).  It's a bit more complicated than that, for there are several branches.

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  The syndicated version premiered in 1984 with  Alex Trebek as host.  His final appearance was on 8January2021.  

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  In addition to the production crew and staff, since 2012 Jeopardy! has employed nine writers and five researchers.  Five episodes are taped each day for two days every other week.    

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  More than 8000 episodes have aired, winning a record 39 Daytime Emmy Awards.  The concept is now used worldwide.  
• Read Wikipedia to know about the details of the show.

For almost 40 years the daily champion was retired after five consecutive victories.  That changed in 2003, leading the following year to Ken Jennings, the current host, putting together a 74-game winning streak, netting $2.52 million dollars, or $33,636/episode.  

Also won more than a million in special tournaments.  He is the highest-earning contestant in the history of American game shows with $5,223,414, and says he spent his winnings on the three T's:  taxes, tithing (10% to the Mormon Church) and widescreen TV.

James Holzhauer came with a background as a professional sports gambler.  Over a 32-game streak in 2019 he earned $2,462,216 using a strategy of betting nearly everything he had in Final Jeopardy.  He intimidated his competitors

Had a best one-day earning of $131,127.  His total game show earnings are now up to a bit more than $3 million.  In addition to whatever he does today, he contributes to The Atlantic's sports coverage and serves as the sports betting columnist for the New York Post.

In 2021 Matt Amodio had a 38 game winning streak, netting $1,518,601.  If Amy Schneider wins today and tomorrow, she will tie Amodio.

Brad Rutter has won $5,138,436 in game shows.  Had to retire from Jeopardy! after five wins in 2000, but never lost to a human in 17 matches in five tournaments, where he was third to Jennings.  Watson beat them both. 

Watson?  Yes, IBM had an English computer  by that name for founder Thomas Watson, and a math guy, Deep Blue, who in 1996 almost beat world chess champ Garry Kasporov, but lost 4-2.  However, the following year, after some re-programming, Deep Blue won 3.5 to 2.5.  Kasparov asked for a re-match, but Deep Blue declined.  So Kasparov went on to continue being the world chess champion until 2000.  

It was more than a decade ago when Watson took on Jennings and Rutter for $1 million.  Over three episodes Watson won $77,147 to $24,000 for Jennings and $21,600 for Rutter.  Watson later went into healthcare for cancer therapies.  Hopes to become a doctor someday, plus become a smart business computer.

What is the next Jeopardy! extravaganza?  No date yet, but certainly Matt Amodio and Amy Schneider will be among the competitors in the upcoming annual championship match.  Also, Dr. Sam Buttrey of the Naval Postgraduate School, for he last month prevailed at the Professors Tournament.  So will the winner of the February 8-22  Jeopardy? National College Championship.

I've had two recent endings with eggs, so make this a third:

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