The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: irwinsjournal.com on April 14, 2015, 03:30:39 PM
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Just curious: I thought there would be a thread about the Jeopardy On-Line Test which is taking place the next three nights as I type this (April 14-16). I was a little surprised that there wasn't anything about it here.
Or maybe I'm the only one on this board who hasn't already tried it... therefore, it's a non-story?
I might give it a shot anyway... worst case is that I confirm that I don't have anywhere near a broad enough knowledge of material to be considered for the show. (Cue Weird Al.)
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I saw something about it a few weeks ago, but forgot all about it. I honestly haven't seen much about it, and don't even remember where I read the initial blurb.
Would love to just do it for fun. My former employer airs the show, and while I haven't worked there in three years, I'm not sure what the show's eligibility requirements offer for a statute of limitations.
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Or maybe I'm the only one on this board who hasn't already tried it... therefore, it's a non-story?
I'd say it is a non-story because those who know of it have signed up for it and know about it, and those who haven't signed up probably aren't the group that would have a go anyway, so it doesn't move the needle.
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Well, I did give it a shot. It was fun, and I know I got some of the clues answered correctly.
My most popular response was still, "What is I Have No Idea Alex?"
I don't think I'll need to wait by the phone for the audition call. I'm glad I tried it, though.
/Why, yes, it IS easier just sitting on the living room couch
//"Start building again"
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When they asked for the capital of Estonia, I wonder if they'll accept "What is the letter E?"
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When they asked for the capital of Estonia, I wonder if they'll accept "What is the letter E?"
That was a lone proud moment for me in a test where I was left wondering what kind of education my parents paid for.
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When they asked for the capital of Estonia, I wonder if they'll accept "What is the letter E?"
Wish I'd thought of that. :)
The questions for the first on-line test are all posted on the Jeopardy! Facebook page. I guess that means tonight's and tomorrow night's tests will be different. [Yes, I know: Duh.]
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Bumping this up to note that there will be an online test for Season 2 of Sports J! on May 19 at 10pm ET.
JD
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Just a reminder that the "Sports Jeopardy" online exam is tonight. You have until 9:00 ET to register.
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Apparently, from what I read, there were technical problems that resulted in some people getting an actual Jeopardy test, if the Facebook comments were any indication.
Curious, this.
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Apparently, from what I read, there were technical problems that resulted in some people getting an actual Jeopardy test, if the Facebook comments were any indication.
Curious, this.
I know of at least a few FB friends that received the "classic" J! test instead of the sports one. A few others, myself included, never got a test at all -- had the laptop on the J! test page 30 minutes before test time (same as with the "classic" test), but the test never launched.
I did send a letter to the technical suits to report the issue -- to be honest, I expect nothing to come from this (the show emphasized multiple times that last night at 10pm ET was the only time the test would be offered), but if there are enough complaints about incorrect tests and tests not being launched, the show could offer a makeup test or auditions to those affected.
JD
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Apparently, from what I read, there were technical problems that resulted in some people getting an actual Jeopardy test, if the Facebook comments were any indication.
Curious, this.
I know of at least a few FB friends that received the "classic" J! test instead of the sports one. A few others, myself included, never got a test at all -- had the laptop on the J! test page 30 minutes before test time (same as with the "classic" test), but the test never launched.
I did send a letter to the technical suits to report the issue -- to be honest, I expect nothing to come from this (the show emphasized multiple times that last night at 10pm ET was the only time the test would be offered), but if there are enough complaints about incorrect tests and tests not being launched, the show could offer a makeup test or auditions to those affected.
JD
They should, if stuff like that was so widespread. At the very least give a do over to the ones who got the wrong test, because that's their screwup.
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Y'all realize that "taking a test to get on a game show" is not an inalienable human right, right?
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Y'all realize that "taking a test to get on a game show" is not an inalienable human right, right?
Yes. That's not the point. If you're offering an audition test for a particular show, you need to make sure that everyone who is participating gets the same test.
Not getting in because of technical issues is one thing, not getting in because they didn't give you the proper test is another.
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Yes. That's not the point.
Then why do you keep beating this drum?
Not getting in because of technical issues is one thing, not getting in because they didn't give you the proper test is another.
Yep, they screwed a few people, and in so doing they might have screwed themselves out of a few potential contestants. Good thing, then, that they have plenty more (and I mean by a lot) than they need.
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I see it as empathy towards those who were put out.
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I see it as empathy towards those who were put out.
That would indeed be very empathetic of them. They don't need to be empathetic, though. It'd be nice if they did, but to say "they should" implies some kind of obligation.
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That would indeed be very empathetic of them. They don't need to be empathetic, though. It'd be nice if they did, but to say "they should" implies some kind of obligation.
I meant that I was being sympathetic to the testees (very careful on the spelling there) who missed out on the chance.
As you said, it would be very nice of the show to have a re-do. If they don't I'm not going to lose any sleep over it, because it's just a game show.
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I see it as empathy towards those who were put out.
That would indeed be very empathetic of them. They don't need to be empathetic, though. It'd be nice if they did, but to say "they should" implies some kind of obligation.
Merely playing Devil's Advocate, the show might want to avoid another situation where the press could dog-pile on them like they have at least twice in the last couple years.
I agree with you, Chris, but this is a thought that should at least be considered by TPTB.
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Merely playing Devil's Advocate, the show might want to avoid another situation where the press could dog-pile on them like they have at least twice in the last couple years.
Possibly, but how much did those incidents negatively impact viewership?
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Merely playing Devil's Advocate, the show might want to avoid another situation where the press could dog-pile on them like they have at least twice in the last couple years.
Possibly, but how much did those incidents negatively impact viewership?
Fair counterpoint, but I imagine it's still a headache they'd like to avoid if they can do so easily, which they can.
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Fair counterpoint, but I imagine it's still a headache they'd like to avoid if they can do so easily, which they can.
Why's it all that easy? I imagine some coordination was necessary to set up the first test event considering how adamant they have been that it's a One Night Only sort of thing. What's easy about going to that expense and effort for something that we seem to all agree is only being done out of goodwill?
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Yes. That's not the point.
Then why do you keep beating this drum?
Not getting in because of technical issues is one thing, not getting in because they didn't give you the proper test is another.
Yep, they screwed a few people, and in so doing they might have screwed themselves out of a few potential contestants. Good thing, then, that they have plenty more (and I mean by a lot) than they need.
So let me see if I have the crux of your argument correctly placed.
I'm selling something to you. Right after you pay for the item, I give you something else which is not the item you paid for and never actually give said item to you. By your logic, I can do that because you already agreed to pay me, right?
It isn't rocket science. They screwed up, and even if it thins out the contestant pool a bit it doesn't make it right that people went in expecting to take one test and ended up taking another. It isn't like these people's computers/mobile devices crashed in the middle of the test.
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So let me see if I have the crux of your argument correctly placed.
I'm selling something to you. Right after you pay for the item, I give you something else which is not the item you paid for and never actually give said item to you. By your logic, I can do that because you already agreed to pay me, right?
Unless there was a registration fee of some kind for this online test (hint: there wasn't), then no, you don't have it correctly placed at all.
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So let me see if I have the crux of your argument correctly placed.
I'm selling something to you. Right after you pay for the item, I give you something else which is not the item you paid for and never actually give said item to you. By your logic, I can do that because you already agreed to pay me, right?
Unless there was a registration fee of some kind for this online test (hint: there wasn't), then no, you don't have it correctly placed at all.
Well, enlighten me, because I don't understand what your beef is. The test was supposed to be for Sports Jeopardy and some people got a test for regular Jeopardy, and the error is something that they (the production company) is responsble for, so why shouldn't the people who were given the wrong test because of that error be offered a do over? It's not about the test being an "inalienable right", it's about an error that could have (and should have) been avoided.
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Let's take away the commerce aspect and simplify it a little. You're in college and you have to pass a history exam in order to graduate. The exam is administered online, but when you sign in, you're given an Algebra exam. When you bring this to the professor's attention, he basically shrugs it off.
No, it's not a God-given right to take the test, but a makeup test would at the very least be fair, since it was the show's screwup. No one is entitled to a makeup, but it's still better than saying "Oh well, sorry for your luck."
/Not just saying all that because I blew my exam and need a Mulligan
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Let's take away the commerce aspect and simplify it a little. You're in college and you have to pass a history exam in order to graduate. The exam is administered online, but when you sign in, you're given an Algebra exam. When you bring this to the professor's attention, he basically shrugs it off.
Again, though, your argument suffers from the same fallacy as Palmer's, which is suggesting that a tangible negative impact results from their mistake aside from "you don't get to be on Jeopardy this time."
We actually all agree more than we don't here: yes, it would be nice of them to offer a second exam. My point is that Jeopardy! is not a charity, it's a business, and that the vibe I am getting from some of the comments is that it's not understood (or being glossed over) that there is a non-zero expense to doing that that I would expect them to get adequate return for before committing to doing it, and I'm not convinced that "it would be nice" is adequate return in and of itself.
(And this doesn't even touch the issue of: do they KNOW which registrants got the wrong test, and if not, why's it any more fair to give the folks who did get the correct one two bites at the apple?)
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Let's take away the commerce aspect and simplify it a little. You're in college and you have to pass a history exam in order to graduate. The exam is administered online, but when you sign in, you're given an Algebra exam. When you bring this to the professor's attention, he basically shrugs it off.
Brandon, you can't take away the commerce aspect. If the scenario you described happens, then it's actionable; if they refused to fix it and just failed me instead, I could sue for more than enough money to finish my degree at a better school.
Let me ask you a question. If I fly out to California because I want to see The Price is Right, and the taping gets cancelled because Drew throws out his back when he forgets that he's not really a Seattle Sounder, what actions should I expect CBS to take?
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If I fly out to California because I want to see The Price is Right, and the taping gets cancelled because Drew throws out his back when he forgets that he's not really a Seattle Sounder
Sorry, I just had this sobering thought that it's entirely possible that Brad Evans and Zach Scott might be injured at the same time...
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Let me ask you a question. If I fly out to California because I want to see The Price is Right, and the taping gets cancelled because Drew throws out his back when he forgets that he's not really a Seattle Sounder, what actions should I expect CBS to take?
That's a fair point. I see where you guys are coming from in that regard.
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Here's a question from another angle: You apply to take the Sports J! test. You mistakenly are administered a regular J! test instead. You take the regular test nonetheless and are confident that you did well enough on the test that you should be in their upper nth percentile for consideration to take the next step.
If you were on J!'s payroll, would you:
a) Accept the test, and offer the next audition step for only the regular show, as that is what show the test was for?
b) Accept the test, and offer a choice to the potential contestant to take the next audition step for either Sports J! or regular J! or both?
c) Declare the test null and void even though they scored high enough to qualify fot the next audition level?
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(a) probably doesn't make sense because the next step in the process isn't synced up with where the show's production staff is. In other words, if there are no upcoming in-person auditions, there is no next step to schedule the person for. The regular J! online tests were months ago so that process may have run its course already. My own in-person J! interview was around Memorial Day a few years ago, so that time may have passed.
(b) doesn't make sense to me from a production standpoint - the regular J! option for the reasons discussed above and the Sports J! option because, as of yet, the prospective contestant hasn't demonstrated any actual ability in Sports trivia.
So that leaves us with (c), or as others have suggested, an option (d) - offer them the Sports J! test. But as others have said, there may be fairness questions there if you can't tell who got mixed up (although I would think that whatever system they use to process the results would make it fairly obvious) and would potentially be offering some people two shots where most people only got one. We also don't know how much it would cost.
I agree with those who have stated that the show has no requirement or obligation to offer a make up test. Sometimes things just happen. Kind of like the disclaimer on slot machines "malfunction voids payout." Even though you might be staring at 3 flaming 7s, if it's because the machine screwed up, you aren't going to get the jackpot.
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Just got an email from J!
There will be a makeup Sports J! test on June 3 at 10pm ET.
Not sure if this exclusive to those who had glitches.
JD
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Not sure if this exclusive to those who had glitches.
It isn't. As the email said, it's for anyone who had already registered, but didn't get to take the sports test, including those who took no test, regardless of reason, such as forgetfulness. Fortunate and thankful for this second chance on a personal level, as everyone and everything (doctor appointment, shuttle) was running late for me that day, so I wasn't able to take it.
Nice bone by Sony, and its wider than expected reach was unexpected, as they really did not need to extend this far out.
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Well, props to them for doing the right thing.
Although I kinda have to scratch my head about everyone who didn't get the chance to take the test getting the shot. The wrong test people and the ones who couldn't get into the page (it took me a few tries myself, I know the pain), okay...but if you forgot about it, that's your own fault. Then again, I can see why they'd do that.
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So it sounds like anyone who registered but did not post a plausible test score can do this, confirming that they don't have a really good way of telling exactly who got the wrong test.
They certainly didn't have to do that, but props to them for doing so.
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So it sounds like anyone who registered but did not post a plausible test score can do this, confirming that they don't have a really good way of telling exactly who got the wrong test.
You had to log into the site, and once you completed the test you received an email confirming this. No real loophole for the people who might have thought they did badly to get a second chance.
I don't doubt that they're gonna have trouble finding out who had the issue, but there were a lot of people that posted the complaints on the Facebook page and they provided an email to contact them with the info...maybe it won't be everyone, but I'm sure they found a lot of those people through those methods.
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No real loophole for the people who might have thought they did badly to get a second chance.
No, I agree, but as you said, it re-opens the door to those who bailed on the test through no fault of the J! people. Which doesn't bother me but I can see where it might tweak some people.
At any rate, it sounds like this was the best solution available to them given technical restraints, and it comes awful close to hitting the exact target audience without giving anyone who took the correct test a second chance. So all props to them and I'm glad it worked out.
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The only change I hope they made was to offer a different test...which, in reality, is the best way to go about fixing what they broke (because they posted the questions on FB like they did with the online tests...don't know if I mentioned it or not)