12 Categories You Could Beat Ken In

[Iuz]

My wife and I are big fans of the American game show Jeopardy ( http://www.jeopardy.com/ ). As anyone who watches the show knows a guy named Ken Jennings has made an unpresidented run winning over 40 games (as of this posting); the previous best was just 8 games.

A game my wife and I have begun playing with each other, is trying to come up with 12 categories (6 for each round) that we could beat Ken at. The only rules are these:

1. The categories must be plausible categories in Jeopardy. (ie. it cannot be so obscure that no one but you would have a chance)

2. It must be plausible that the twelve categories you pick would be in the same show. (ie. no major overlap between categories)

So what twelve categories could you beat Ken at?

 

[Iuz]

Here's my list so far

1. Canadian Cities
2. Star Wars
3. Dungeons and Dragons
4. The NHL
5. Physics Equations
6. Isaac Asimov
7. McDonalds
8. Savage Garden
9. Friends (the TV show)
10.
11.
12.

 

[BOZ]

ken may have barbie, but at least i have
*eric's grandma chases BOZ away*

 

[GlassJaw]

Comics/Superheroes
Music Theory/modern music/bands
anything sports related (Ken doesn't seem very good with sports)

 

[Psionicist]

Didn't that guy win only because Jeopardy had lost so many viewers recently?

Anyhow, here's my list:

Swedish History
Discrete Mathematics
The Simpsons
Dystopian Literature
Electronic Music
The Internet
Dungeons & Dragons.
Movies
Logic
Quantum Physics
Electronics
Religious Scripts (this one I'm not really sure about. Oh well).

 

[Torm]

I think I'd have him nailed in any of these.

Asimov's Sci-Fi
80's Top 40
80's Cartoons
Top 40 Country
World Mythology
Inside Your Computer
DC's Silver Age
The Constitution
History of Law
One Hit Wonders
Star Trek
In Hebrew

In response to a comment that Ken looks weak in sports:

Originally posted by KenJennings over on the Jeopardy board
Boy, you're not kidding. Also in Jeopardy! categories about sports.

It's a matter of time - the categories will be mostly wrong for him, and someone will beat him...

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

It's a matter of time - the categories will be mostly wrong for him, and someone will beat him...

Spoiler

I've heard that he's already lost, in a taping of his 75th(?) appearance. It's supposed to air in November. This could all be a hoax, but I heard it on my local news radio station.

I'm sort of surprised by how many Final Jeopardy questions he gets wrong, coasting to a win on huge Double Jeopardy earnings. I think my percentage on those has been better than his (of course, it's one thing watching in your living room, and another being on stage in front of an audience). He missed what I thought was a pretty easy one the other day on Harry Houdini and Arthur Conan Doyle, for example.

As for my dream categories:

Star Wars
Marvel Comics
Joss Whedon Shows (heh-heh)
Roman Emperors
Famous Battles
Baseball
Banking
Famous People Named "Max"

 

[Stone Angel]

I have heard this too but cannot confirm this.

I heard it from the radio. I think they should bring back all the five time winners and have a tournament of the champions kind of thing.

The Seraph of Earth and Stone

 

[Faerl'Elghinn]

1. OH-RYU-KEN!!

Street Fighter 2...

 

[RichCsigs]

No proof, but here's my thought.

Spoiler

I don't believe the 75th day report because the report said he lost on a taping on a Tues., and I'm pretty sure that during his media blitz last summer he said that he works during the week and tapes on the weekends. That's what I remember at least.