Who is lazy?

That'd be me. Why else would there only be photos up here for a week with absolutely no dialogue? You might think I was so overwhelmed by the fun that was had last Saturday. But fun is not the type of thing to overwhelm me. Maybe over scheduling myself like I am some 8 year old taking chess lessons, violin lessons while also being on the soccer, volleyball and tennis teams is likely to overwhelm me. (I know no such 8 year old but I imagine one like this does exist and I only wish him/her the best in dealing with his/her crazy parents in the future)

But today's Saturday and last week at this time, there was fun!
We met our guests at the SE corner of 50th and 6th Avenue so as not to get involved in whatever clusterf*cks might have been awaiting us at the very Radio City Music Hall corner. It was a fairly wise move since as we approached the entrance of Radio City Music Hall there were about five security guards (cops? - doubtful) keeping people-traffic moving and directing Jeopardy fans where to go based on their status. Had I received tickets in the mail I would have low class status (I made that classification up myself) and would have stood on line in the cold (comparatively - it was about 50 degrees and windy compared to the Friday before's almost 80 and sunny!). The line started at the NE corner of 50th and 6th and headed east. We, with our now Will Call status, soon to be called VIP status(!), were instructed to head into Radio City Music Hall to receive our tickets. We walked up to the table (no line, just two men sitting behind it) and after some Rauch, Shevitz Rauch debate, the tickets were found and inside we went.
We stood where we were told to stand based on a large sign that said, VIP BLUE DOT. (Our tickets each had a blue dot sticker.) There were about 10 people in front of us. Anyway, this post is not about lines! (well, so far it is and it shouldn't be)

So the doors open and we are directed to our seats - 7th row on the viewers right hand side. Once the curtain goes up we see the contestant podiums and we are standing parallel to them so it is kinda hard to see (in person) the third contestant. (and when I say third contestant it is really the contestant on the left for a TV viewer).
All of this doesn't matter because there are two huge - like so huge I couldn't even guess how many inches - HD TV screens hanging on the sides of the stage. I can see the one on the left perfectly and I see the board of squares perfectly as well.

So, back to the timeline though. We are sitting by about 10:15 knowing the taping doesn't start until 11. Ho hum. We read our Playbills which lists the 30 contestant/celebrities to take part in the Radio City fun. Jeremy and I had already seen this list via the Jeopardy Web site a few days back but my dad (guest #3) and I read through it. As he gets to Rachael Ray there is a slight groan - by both of us and we determine that would probably be the worst guest to see. I turn to Jeremy and we also confer that would be the worst out of the 30 to watch. Then, a couple behind us, as I eavesdrop, says to one another, "Oh gee, I really hope one of the contestants is not Rachael Ray!" So glad that is settled.

So, first there is a "rehearsal". Johnny Gilbert or some other Jeopardy man comes out to tell us the three contestants will be coming out and Jimmy (of Clue Crew fame) will be acting as Alex and the three celebs will get a chance to practice with the buzzer and practice selecting clues, etc. The categories and clues will be different in the real game - - the real game for which the celebs play for their "favorite" charity. Favorite charity seems like a weird semi-oxymoronic term. I like homeless people more than I like people with AIDS. Or I would like people with Breast Cancer to et cured prior to people with Alzheimer's. Hmm. . . favorite charity is definitely not the right term. How about "charity of choice"?

So, let me cut to some sort of chase so this "Who is Lazy?" posting does not become the posting that never was posted.

First Harry Shearer walks out. And next Isaac Mizrahi. At this point I am so happy and clapping wildly and just so . . . happy that we haven't seen Rachael Ray yet. Then as the doors open for Isaac Mizrahi I see a female figure with long brown hair in the background. Can it be? Fo' real?! I panic. My heart skips and beat and then
YES! Soledad O'Brien of CNN (or See "NN", a category later in the real game), appears!

So, the show will be aired on Nov 14. And if you have any questions about the taping, feel free to let me know.


Editor's Note: This "Who is Lazy?" posting was started one week after the Radio City Hall extravaganza and finally finished on the first day of airing of the Celebrity Jeopardy tapings. The one we watched is on November 14!

What are photos from the Celebrity Jeopardy taping?

Who are 3 people we won't see on Saturday?

So, Wednesdays I have class at 3:45 and last Wednesday (that'd be yesterday) I hung around the house in the am and saw that Regis and Kelly were having none other than Alex Trebek as a guest. I immediately set my bowl of cereal down and used the remote to Tivo (DVR to be exact) the show.
I got to it tonight and was delighted in more ways than one. I will mention two ways.

1- They showed a tape of Alex on the first day of the 1984 (inaugural Trebek) season. Heh heh.

He looked funny.
He had a fro. There is no other way to put it. He actually used the word himself (not on the 1984 show but rather the October 2006 Live with Regis and Kelly show.) Alex has won 4 Emmys and Jeopardy! the show has won a total of 26. 26!!

2-Once the interviewers were "over" Alex, talk turned to Reege. And how he had been on Celebrity Jeopardy! several times.
ZZZZ.
All I could think was,
"Please dear Lord, no. Please don't make me watch Regis Philbin play Jeopardy! on Saturday morning."
My prayers were answered.

Regis said to Alex that he would see him tomorrow. Phew. And he also mentioned he was playing against Carson Kressley, and Nancy Grace of CNN. Well good! Although, as Jeremy and I discussed Regis might have been the one you wanted to see, what with his high energy and what not. Ugh. Let's just keep our fingers crossed that the line-up of Reege, Carson and Nancy is NOT the best Celebrity Jeopardy! has to offer.


Side note: Jeremy and I have already seen Regis in person at the end of 2004 when we went to a taping of the David Letterman show.

Why, yes, yes I do...

I was doing some research for my blog posting and Glen all exasperated goes, 'You take this bloody blog more seriously than your job!' 'Umm, is that a problem?' is what I have to say to that.



Well, my post really is just to say that I've been to Celebrity Jeopardy! sometime during the year 2000. It's weird to think of Jeopardy! pre- AALNJ, Ken, and blogs for that matter. I went with a former Sotheby's colleague and her parents to The Theater at Madison Square Garden. The celebrity guests were Nathan Lane, Meredith Viera and someone who I can't remember. I have tried searching online for this thinking the internet wouldn't let me down. Alas, I could not find the third person (man? woman? who knows?) This is when Glen asked me the blasphemous question.



So, the ceiling is lit in the Madison Garden Theater way and the stage is set up with the infamous board.



I think there was someone to warm us up and tell us when to cheer, laugh, speak, or not speak. This was a really long time ago...and I can't remember too much except that Meredith Viera cursed when she got an answer wrong...she said "awww sh**" (which was not followed by 'I thought it was your birthday!')
Also, the celebs were not too bright from what I recall and I do not think that I am getting my experience confused with SNL's Celebrity Jeopardy!

Soo, if anyone can tell me who the third guest was on with Nathan Lane and Meredith Viera, I'll give you, um, a noogie!!!!

The real deal

It is odd I was talking about fate and then London AALNJ presented an installment about the high holy days. (very fun by the way).

And this is really what happened after we received that postcard looking correspondence in the self-addressed, stamped envelope I had sent to the Van Nuys Jeopardy studio back in August.

Email to my Sony friend @ 2:45 pm.
"Hey there -
I hope your week is going well.
I got notification in the mail today that I did not get Celebrity Jeopardy tickets . . .
Bummer. . . Dropping a line just in case your friend who works on the show wants to give a true die-hard Jeopardy fan (that'd be me) a chance to see the show in NYC next week (or weekend)!

Thanks,
Jess"

Who here likes that casual-ness, blase-ness of this note? I have to say it came quite naturally though I wrote it in a Jeopardy-laden frenzy!

Imagine if you will a too-old-to-be-obsessed with Jeopardy (or anything!) fan, sitting in her office, Jeopardy hat on, with the Final Jeopardy ditty (about two to three times faster than the televised rhythm) playing in her head.
That was. . .

not me.


But a funny image, nonetheless. Then let's say the rest of the afternoon the theme music won't stop from playing in a hostile manner in your mind.

Again, not me.

But then imagine an email return a mere 4 hours and 45 minutes later
indicating yes, there would be tickets waiting at will call for the Saturday 9:45 am taping. That, my friends, was me (!!) so we got 'em and we are going!