For Bob’s bio, see the About section.
Representation
Prisoner of Trebekistan media inquiries
Prisoner of Trebekistan press release as text:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
This is just stuff I’ve found both (a) completely useless and
yet (b) oddly amusing. I intend to add to this frequently, and you’ll see
a mention of new additions on both the main and Trebekistan.com blogs when I do.
Some of the below surfaced while studying, some of it I stumbled upon
at random, and some of it I’ve just heard over the years and found even
more amusing when it actually checked out.
However, as the book shows, I’ve been surprised over and over by things
that I thought were utterly pointless turned out to be terribly
important. So maybe something here will change your life someday, in
completely wondrous and unforeseen ways.
But probably not.
Scientists have found that dying stars pulse at an audible frequency — F above middle C, to be exact — just before exploding into supernovae. Coincidentally, Jeopardy! p-TING noise when the Final Jeopardy is revealed is two F notes, an octave apart. The first tone is F above middle C.
The residents of La Gomera in the Canary Islands speak a sophisticated language communicated entirely by whistling.
While attending Radcliffe, former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was nicknamed "Pinky."
Not a single member of the American Mensa Hall of Fame was ever an actual member of Mensa.
Qu
For questions about the rest of the site, visit the main FAQ.
These are the questions I hear most often (or, toward the bottom, I anticipate hearing most often), in roughly the order I usually hear them in. So, to save us all a little time:
I think I figured out who the Jane/David/Danny/etc. character is, and it’s someone I’ve heard of from TV. Am I right?
Probably.
For the record, "Jane" is Jayne Mansfield, "David" is David Rockefeller, and "Danny" is Danny Gans, Las Vegas Entertainer of the Year every year since the invention of the billboard, apparently.
And I am lying through my teeth right there. If your guesses seem more reasonable, then they probably are. Rest assured, yes, if you think you know one of the characters from TV, then you probably do.
What kind of a car is Max?
Can’t tell you, because I still drive him, and I value my privacy, believe it or not. But people apparently imagine him most frequently as a 1960s VW bug, the kind that sounds like a small aircraft taking off when it struggles to get on the interstate. That’s close enough for me.
What
Lots of tragedy in the world everyday, obviously. And a lot of people will argue that it was only a matter of time, and he went out doing what he loved, and there are greater horrors to worry about. And true. Still, very sad at the news.
Couldn’t help but think of this sign at the Australia Zoo, warning people not to do any of the silly things that the owner might try:
Honestly, it never would have occurred to me to attempt to play catch with a crocodile, much less dangle my own legs toward it.
Of course, it also never would have occurred to me to walk a wombat on a leash, either.
Unique place. Unique life. Guy made millions of people happy. Not many can say that. He’ll be missed.
Bradford Rutter is the biggest winner in the history of Jeopardy! and perhaps its greatest player, having amassed over $3.2 million at the tender age of 27, becoming the biggest quiz show winner in history.
Brad has won the 2001 Tournament of Champions, the 2002 Million-Dollar Masters, and the 2005 Ultimate Tournament of Champions, making him the only 3-tournament winner in Jeopardy history. When he played Ken Jennings and Jerome Vered in the three-day finals of the Ultimate Tournament, he beat both Ken and Jerome three games in a row.
No one, in fact, has ever beaten Brad. So, you ask me, he kinda deserves his own interview.
The following was recorded at a small Italian restaurant in Beverly Hills, walking distance from the lush Beverly Hilton, where Jeopardy! bunked him during two of his tournament wins. I had only begun working on Trebekistan and had no real idea what the book would eventually look like.
Me: Of course not. And if something slips, and you don’t want it in, that’s fine. I’ll be the only one who knows. That could work to my advantage if we ever play each other.
Brad: So if I say something like [something completely unrepeatable] —
Me: [laughing] I can promise that won’t be in the book.
Brad: Cool. Y’know, when I heard you were writing this, I thought, "this is the perfect guy."
Me: I see. So the tape goes on, and the flattery begins. You’ll go far in Los Angeles, my son.
Brad: You’re very kind.
Me: First question: that Ultimate Tournament final had to be a blast. And with the closed set, it must have been a uniquely shared experience. You stay in touch with your victims?
Brad: Sure. Ken and I email back and forth, and I gave Jerome a call now that I’m in town. But you know as well as anybody about how people stay in touch. It’s like almost the whole Masters group. It’s fun for us all to get together on the east coast for the regional dinners when I’m out there. India puts those together, those are fun.
Me: Speaking of Ken, we’ve emailed a few times. He seems like a pretty cool guy. Totally has his head on straight for somebody who pulled off what he did.
Brad: No question. Although I don’t know how he does that artistic stuff with the light pen.
Me: What’s up with that? Who wakes up thinking, "today I’ll try out 24-point Helvetica?"
Brad: That’s almost amazing as winning 70-odd games.
Me: Me, I just try to write "Bob," and it looks like I have some kind of disorder.
Brad: Well, that’ll teach me to assume. [Grins.]
Me: So. [Pausing, finally catching the wicked glee in Brad