Jeopardy! questions

[TLEberle]

On an earlier episode of Jeopardy! this week, a contestant who turned out to become the carryover champion gave the question "Who is Red Button?" and was ruled correct. Coming out of the break, Alex informs everyone that the judges were at work checking the audio, and the result was a $4,000 delta.

1) Is there someone (or several people) whose job consists solely of checking the audio transcription to make sure that syllables aren't left out or added?

1a) To what degree is a contestant allowed to challenge the response of his or her opponents? Could I pull aside someone during the break and say "I don't think Mary's answer was right, could someone check?"

The other question pertains to the reaction of the contestants, particularly Robin, who through conservative wagering won the title and defended as well. In both instances, she was more excited than anyone I've ever seen by the prospect of winning, even if it was a few thousand dollars. Are contestants coached to give us a small smile when they win? I thought it was refereshing, and wouldn't mind something a little more expressive, especially after a huge payday.

[Don Howard]

[quote name=\'TLEberle\' post=\'180482\' date=\'Mar 7 2008, 10:18 PM\']
1a) To what degree is a contestant allowed to challenge the response of his or her opponents? Could I pull aside someone during the break and say "I don't think Mary's answer was right, could someone check?"
[/quote]
I'll await the expert opinion along with you.
I can't get the picture out of my mind now of someone snitching on a fellow player decreeing, "She left off the S in 'Buttons'". Then, after the show, the tattled-on contestant approaches the whistle-blower and bellows, "You cost me four thousand dollars. I lost the game because of you, b*t@h!!!!" and then a catfight begins.
I wonder now if anything even close to that's ever happened once the game is decided and tape stops.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'TLEberle\' post=\'180482\' date=\'Mar 7 2008, 10:18 PM\']
1a) To what degree is a contestant allowed to challenge the response of his or her opponents? Could I pull aside someone during the break and say "I don't think Mary's answer was right, could someone check?"[/quote]
Very specifically and with authority, yes, that's exactly what you do.  It was done to me in my game, but my answer stood.  

I can't say with authority who precisely is responsible for listening to playbacks and making decisions about pronunciations, but I doubt it's a specific person's job so much as just one of the roles of the judges.

I don't remember being specifically coached one way or another about how to react to winning.

[chad1m]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'180497\' date=\'Mar 7 2008, 11:00 PM\']
I don't remember being specifically coached one way or another about how to react to winning.
[/quote]I don't remember ever being told how to react in any sort of circumstance. I guess they figure natural is the best way to go.

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' post=\'180487\' date=\'Mar 7 2008, 10:45 PM\']
"You cost me four thousand dollars. I lost the game because of you, b*t@h!!!!" and then a catfight begins.[/quote]This creates the image of the Miller Lite catfight girls rolling around on the Jeopardy! stage. I am now intrigued.

[irwinsjournal.com]

I saw that episode and immediately noticed that the contestant had left off the "s".  

"Hey, it's Red Buttons!!!" I shouted at the television.

I was not surprised that upon coming back from commerical, the "bad news" was disclosed.