'Jeopardy' host Alex Trebek reveals he has Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer

[Syfy]

Well, Jeopardy!'s meant to be a subdued, but fast-paced game. But we still of course hear the audience applaud contestants finding the Daily Double (even if they go on to get it wrong), so it's sad to watch classic episodes of Wheel and hear everyone stop for a moment to celebrate the Wheel landing on $1,000 (even if they end up calling a wrong letter), yet today, someone could spin $5,000 five times in a row and it would be treated like $500.

When I was at WOF, I was given two excuses. First, I cheered when someone landed on the Million Dollar Wedge, and was told during the break, "You can't react like that because it looks like you're showing favoritism to one contestant". It was literally the first turn of the game. Then on another episode taped that same day, someone hit the $3500 twice in a row (which led to him winning over $20K in that round alone, which is more than what many winners finish the whole game with) and was told by someone else during the break, "When you scream like that, it messes with the audio." This makes no sense given how loud audiences were in the past, especially when they used to film on location. And look at how crazy Price is Right's audience cheers for things like "Here's $500 for getting the price exactly right", and giving standing ovations for someone winning $1,000, while Wheel's audience just sits and claps politely when people win the million.

That being said, although I've never been to a Jeopardy! taping myself, I read that the audience actually does not clap during the credit roll; it's all added in post-production. I can definitely see Jeopardy!'s staff shushing someone screaming "YEAAAAAHH!!" at a successful true Daily Double, but again, it's a much different atmosphere than someone spinning the top amount multiple times in a row on WOF.

Were you at the studio city location during the taping because sometimes like during the outdoor taping the echoes from loud cheers can distort the audio. Not that its a big deal regardless but just wondering.

 

[vchimpanzee]

https://uproxx.com/tv/alex-trebek-not-leaving-jeopardy-soon/

I found that on another site.

 

[frankberry]

I wish the best for Alex but I understand that the chances of successful chemo treatment are not good the second time.
The treatment is very hard on the body and Alex isn't a young man.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

Reality suggests the odds are not in his favor. They weren't the first time. Less so for a second go around.

 

[Kelly A]

Don’t get why they would tell the audience not to cheer or show emotion when something exciting happens a lot of shows have people hired to get people to do just that hype people I believe they are called. I could see them not wanting something like that in jeopardy because they are trying to recall information about questions Wheel rob maby you could provide some more insight as to why wheel producers run the show like this.

What the show Producer's don't want, is a standout voice calling or cheering from the audience. Some people are naturally louder or project better than others in a crowd. The show Producers are okay with an overall coordinated enthusiastic audience din, but not one or two voices that punches through so clearly that can be picked up by the host or contestant mics. The other big flag that will stop production, is when one of those punching-through voices is heard at an inappropriate part of the show.

Many moons ago when I worked for TPIR, one of my jobs was audience warm-up. Even back then, it was a tricky task to get the audience excited, but remind them that this is television, and cursing out loud was a serious no-no. There were several times when we had to stop the show and re-rack one of the games because either an audience member would get a little too verbose, or the contestant who just lost that new car, who let an F-bomb go. Having to stop production because of someone getting too excited and loud in the audience really sucked. Mainly because it's harder to get the production flowing in the right direction again.

And yes, the audience applause on Jeopardy is put in during post. The only applause during the production is when Alex is being introduced, and when the final scores are revealed. Everything else is canned.

 

[vchimpanzee]

And yes, the audience applause on Jeopardy is put in during post. The only applause during the production is when Alex is being introduced, and when the final scores are revealed. Everything else is canned.

Wait, not even the Daily Doubles? Even the contestants applaud for that.

I was watching a recent episode of "Fresh Off the Boat" today and the family was in Los Angeles because Eddie wants to go to UCLA. His brother Emery was in the audience of a TV series taping and the very enthusiastic warm-up guy told the audience he knows they've seen this 15 times but react like you're just seeing it for the first time.

 

[Kelly A]

Wait, not even the Daily Doubles? Even the contestants applaud for that.

I was watching a recent episode of "Fresh Off the Boat" today and the family was in Los Angeles because Eddie wants to go to UCLA. His brother Emery was in the audience of a TV series taping and the very enthusiastic warm-up guy told the audience he knows they've seen this 15 times but react like you're just seeing it for the first time.

Listen closely to the applause during the daily double(s). There may be some in-studio applause, but they duck the in-studio and insert the recorded applause in the post production process. They want the level and length of any applause to be consistent because the show is only something like 24 minutes long. Even with an applause light, the audience applause can take too much time.

 

[Kelly A]

I was watching a recent episode of "Fresh Off the Boat" today and the family was in Los Angeles because Eddie wants to go to UCLA. His brother Emery was in the audience of a TV series taping and the very enthusiastic warm-up guy told the audience he knows they've seen this 15 times but react like you're just seeing it for the first time.

Audience warm up for an in-studio audience in a scripted show is much different than a game show. Unlike a game show like Wheel or Jep, the audience is encouraged to laugh at lines. If the line doesn't get the laughs as preferred, they will add in canned laughter in Post to make up the difference.

Christina Applegate used to be frustrated when she would step into a scene during Married With Children productions, because some of the audience would hoot, whistle and holler way too long, throwing off her line timing. Many times the producers would have to re-rack that scene and ask the audience to curb the length of their appreciation.

One thing is consistent though; in-studio audiences are a blessing and a curse.

 

[anotherguyTN]

Audience warm up for an in-studio audience in a scripted show is much different than a game show. Unlike a game show like Wheel or Jep, the audience is encouraged to laugh at lines. If the line doesn't get the laughs as preferred, they will add in canned laughter in Post to make up the difference.

Christina Applegate used to be frustrated when she would step into a scene during Married With Children productions, because some of the audience would hoot, whistle and holler way too long, throwing off her line timing. Many times the producers would have to re-rack that scene and ask the audience to curb the length of their appreciation.

One thing is consistent though; in-studio audiences are a blessing and a curse.

I used to not think about it so much at the time but it's irritating now to see the audience on a sitcom applaud for a long time for a popular character and interrupt the flow of the show, and hoots and whistle over a characters who is considered sexy would fall in the same category. I can remember reading where the long applause got to be a problem on Seinfeld with Kramer, but they were asked not to do that.

I can also remember seeing on 60's sitcoms like Andy Griffith or The Beverly Hillbillies where there would be a special guest and there would be canned applause that didn't fit in.

 

[crainbebo]

The only 'common' times I hear applause on a sitcom is one: when a special guest makes a surprise appearance (i.e. a Two and a Half Men episode where Martin Sheen was at Charlie's door), or after a hilarious joke/sequence.

 

[WheelRob]

And yes, the audience applause on Jeopardy is put in during post. The only applause during the production is when Alex is being introduced, and when the final scores are revealed. Everything else is canned.

What about when someone sweeps a category by answering all five clues? There is usually applause after that.


Also, Wheel adds in canned laughter in pretty much every episode. It's pretty noticeable when Pat or a contestant cracks a joke during the interviews or during the chit-chat at the end. There was even a gag last season where Pat and Vanna were relaxing in beach chairs on the set and thought bubbles were inserted in post-production, with laugh tracks (and in one case, an "aww!" when Vanna's bubble had a picture of her cat) whenever joking ones appeared. I'm sure J! adds laughter at some points during the contestant interviews as well.

 

[CTListener]

What about when someone sweeps a category by answering all five clues? There is usually applause after that.

That would make sense, especially since it's done less often now, in the post-Holzhauer era, when many contestants imitate his ultra-successful lead-building style by trying to pluck the $1,000 and $2,000 answers off the board quickly, jumping from category to category to do so.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Yesterday a contestant said he donated platelets, which benefits cancer patients among others. Alex thanked him for that.

 

[FreddyE1977]

Yesterday I was horrified to open my mail and find an ad from Colonial Penn Insurance.

The top of the ad read in big, red letters "Are Final Expenses a Concern?"
Just below that a photo of Alex Trebek.

My God, that was horrible! Couldn't somebody have pulled these before they went out?

 

[frankberry]

Alex is the spokesman for Colonial Penn.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

Good lord, he’s been doing the commercials for years. Ok, he probably did them years ago and they’re still running the same ones, but still.

 

[FreddyE1977]

Alex is the spokesman for Colonial Penn.

Yes, I know. In his current situation though the ad is very unfortunate.

 

[WheelRob]

I remember when Alex was the spokesman for Phonics in the late 90's. I loved seeing him pop up on Nickelodeon even if it was only in commercials (plus that one time he voiced a parody of himself on Rugrats).

 

[WheelRob]

Per a friend of a Jeopardy! fan who went to the tapings on October 23, posted on a J! fan site:

A friend of mine went to a Jeopardy! taping last Wednesday. She saw the Thurs. and Fri. games. They have changed the schedule, and Alex does three games one day and two on another. He can't do five a day anymore. She said he didn't look well, and he had to re-record quite a few answers. He also had a coughing fit and was doubled over in pain because he had fallen and injured, but not broken, a rib. They had to stop the tape. He then announced that he would be taking two weeks off for various tests. He was done with the latest round of chemo and was stopping immunothearpy because it wasn't working. This doesn't sound promising. (These shows will air in January. Alex joked that the audience should have been there for the Christmas show, because they gave out gifts. Then he admitted he was joking; he doesn't have the kind of money Oprah does.)

 

[CTListener]

Yes, I know. In his current situation though the ad is very unfortunate.

Art Linkletter made a virtual second career out of being old. He pitched products for the increasingly elderly and infirm just about until the day he died. I don't think the ads were pulled prematurely as his own health deteriorated.