Buzz
Arthur Chu rose to fame by securing 11 victories on Jeopardy! in March 2014 and continues to unaedly maintain his prominence in the public eye through every possible avenue.
As trivial as it may seem, triumphing on Jeopardy! has evolved into a cultural benchmark for demonstrating one's intellect and breadth of knowledge.
For example, I can now assert that I am more intelligent than nearly everyone globally, except perhaps Ken Jennings, David Madden, and Brad Rutter, given that I’ve won more Jeopardy! games than they have. This brings me great satisfaction. Meanwhile, those around me delight in highlighting Jeopardy! questions they answered correctly that I missed, such as Julia Louis-Dreyfus winning an Emmy last year or any sports-related trivia.
In Hollywood, a common trope involves humbling an arrogant intellectual hero—a beloved archetype—by confronting them with a dreaded Jeopardy! clue they can’t solve, effectively knocking them down a notch.
Below is a compilation of five fictional characters and the Jeopardy! clues that left them baffled, along with insights into why mastering such clues could prove invaluable if you ever find yourself on the real Jeopardy! stage.
1. Cliff Clavin, “Archibald Leach, Bernard Schwartz, and Lucille LaSueur” (Cheers, “What Is… Cliff Clavin?”)
Cliff Clavin, the self-proclaimed genius from Cheers, is perhaps the most iconic fictional Jeopardy! contestant to falter. In a 1990 episode, he squandered a massive lead by betting everything on the “Movies” category, ultimately losing with his infamous response: “Who are three people who have never been in my kitchen?” (The correct question was, “What were the birth names of Cary Grant, Tony Curtis, and Joan Crawford?”)
This blunder is essential lore for Jeopardy! enthusiasts and has been enshrined in strategy guides as “Clavin’s Rule." The regret of wagering too little on a known clue pales in comparison to the humiliation of betting it all on a clue that costs you the game.
2. Dorothy Zbornak, “American hero buried in Grant’s Tomb” (The Golden Girls, “Questions and Answers”)
Dorothy Zbornak from The Golden Girls was another iconic intellectual who harbored grand aspirations of appearing on Jeopardy!, a dream she pursued in the 1992 episode titled “Questions and Answers."
Dorothy’s relentless pursuit of a Jeopardy! appearance, which strained her relationships with friends and family—a pursuit I can personally relate to, reminiscent of a Melvillean obsession—culminates in a surreal dream sequence. In it, she faces off against the endearing but dim-witted characters Rose and Charley Dietz (the latter being Rose’s charming counterpart from the Golden Girls spinoff Empty Nest).
Despite her clear intellectual edge over the insufferably naive individuals surrounding her—a struggle I know all too well—Dorothy is robbed of victory at the last moment. When asked about “Grant’s tomb,” she confidently answers “Ulysses S. Grant,” only to be declared incorrect, while Rose’s absurd response of “Cary Grant” is deemed correct.
Merv Griffin himself storms onto the set, declaring that if he decides Cary Grant is buried in Grant’s tomb, no one can argue otherwise. This moment perfectly encapsulates every bright but misunderstood individual’s belief that the world is governed by a cabal of charming yet clueless people determined to undermine and infuriate us.
Meanwhile, in the show’s “real life,” we discover that Dorothy’s Jeopardy! audition was rejected because, despite her brilliance, she was deemed too unlikable for national television.
This episode remains memorable to me because many people referenced it when critics claimed I was too unlikable to appear on Jeopardy!.
This criticism stings because I could never hope to match Dorothy Zbornak’s brilliantly sharp, hilariously abrasive charm. Additionally, my mother once told me I was named after Bea Arthur, only to later reveal she was joking, leaving me emotionally devastated.
3. The Brain, “This classic TV character was known for saying ‘Bang! Zoom! Right in the kisser!’” (Animaniacs, “Win Big”)
This clue originates from the very first Pinky and the Brain cartoon, which premiered on the WB as part of Season 1, Episode 2 of Animaniacs on September 14, 1993. If you, like me, watched it during its original airing, treat yourself to a cookie.
The segment “Win Big” introduces us to the iconic duo, Pinky and the Brain, and sets up several defining traits of their cartoons from the start. These include Brain’s absurdly intricate plan to conquer the world (he needs exactly $99,000 to buy a “superconductive magnetic infindibulator,” which will amplify Earth’s magnetic field, immobilizing anyone carrying metal coins), Pinky’s tendency to derail the plot with random pop culture references, and Brain’s comically oversized and ill-fitting “human suit.”
This short also highlights the creators’ profound admiration for the Golden Age of TV and cinema, a theme that reaches its peak in the ultra-niche cartoon short “Yes, Always."
The $99,000 figure is a nod to an episode of The Honeymooners titled “The $99,000 Answer," where Ralph Kramden’s dreams are dashed once again due to his arrogance, impatience, and poor treatment of his best friend.
Despite Ed’s willingness to help Ralph prepare for a music trivia game by playing countless piano pieces, Ralph grows frustrated with Ed’s habit of repeatedly playing the opening bars of “Swanee River” before moving on. Predictably, Ralph’s downfall comes when “Swanee River” is the first question he faces on the show.
“Win Big” works brilliantly as a standalone piece for viewers unfamiliar with The Honeymooners, while also serving as a meticulous tribute to the original episode. It cleverly directs its younger audience to the source material by having Pinky incessantly quote Ralph Kramden’s famous line, “Bang! Zoom! Right in the kisser!” while Brain tries to focus.
4. Julie Smith, unknown question about animals (“Little Expressionless Animals,” Girl With the Curious Hair by David Foster Wallace)
This entry is the most literary on the list—not from television but from a short story by David Foster Wallace, first published in The Paris Review.
Unfortunately, the specific question that stumps the story’s protagonist remains a mystery, though it’s safe to assume it involves animals, her weak spot, much like sports are mine or the word “Achilles” is for Julian Batts on Wheel of Fortune.
Every Jeopardy! enthusiast should read this story immediately. It follows a Jeopardy! contestant who achieves an unprecedented winning streak, becoming a cultural icon. As the fictional Merv Griffin observes, “This girl doesn’t just dominate trivia. She imbues it with meaning. She humanizes it, giving it the power to evoke emotion and catharsis. She achieves the balance of clarity and depth that the industry has sought for decades—a fusion of intellect, emotion, instinct, and timing. She embodies the game show itself. She is mystery.”
In essence, when David Foster Wallace penned this story in 1988, he essentially foresaw the Ken Jennings phenomenon… if Ken Jennings were an enigmatic, strikingly beautiful lesbian with a shadowy history. (If only.)
5. Adam West, “This was the first spacecraft to land on the surface of Mars.” (Family Guy, “I Take Thee Quagmire”)
While Adam West isn’t a fictional character, his portrayal on Family Guy sees him selflessly giving up his chance to win money on Jeopardy! to save the world from an interdimensional trickster. Read more Superman comics if the reference isn’t clear.
This moment stands out as one of the rare pop culture nods, alongside “What Is… Cliff Clavin?” and the SNL Celebrity Jeopardy! skits featuring Darrell Hammond as Sean Connery, to be referenced on Jeopardy! (It didn’t land well.) And yes, Alex Trebek has undoubtedly heard “Suck It, Trebek” more than enough times—attempt it on the show, and they’ll likely just cut it out.
