Final Jeopardy: 19th Century Europeans (1-25-18)

Today’s Final Jeopardy question (1/25/2018) in the category “19th Century Europeans” was:

In an 1889 letter to his brother, he wrote, “I wouldn’t exactly have chosen madness if there had been a choice”

4x champ Rachel Lindgren has won $65,199 so far. She’ll hit the 5-game mark today if she can defeat these two players: Jeff Machusko, from Centennial, CO; and Rosie Jonker, from New York, NY.

Round 1 Categories: The Quotable Will Rogers – 3-Letter Words – Band of Brothers & Sisters – Train Time – Found My Place in the Book – Crayola Colors

Rosie found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “Will Rogers” under the $400 clue, with 3 more clues in the same category still to go. She was in second place with $4,000, $1,200 less than Rachel’s lead. She bet $2,000 and guessed Interpol. That was WRONG.

This then 96-member institution “opens with a prayer and closes with an investigation” show

WHAT IS THE UNITED STATES SENATE?

Rachel finished in the lead with $5,200. Rosie was second with $2,800 and Jeff was last with negative $800.

Round 2 Categories: 3-Name the Author – Historic Boycotts – Rhyming Terms – The Producers – Heavens – Tibet See

Jeff found the first Daily Double in “Rhyming Terms” under the $1,600 clue on the 5th pick. He was in third place with $800 now, $4,800 behind Rachel’s lead. He bet the $2,000 allowance and he was RIGHT.

Greek term for the unwashed masses show

WHAT IS THE HOI POLLOI?

Rosie found the last Daily Double in “3-Name the Author” under the $1,200 clue on the 13th pick. In second place with $6,800, she had $1,600 less than Rachel’s lead. She bet $3,000 and she was RIGHT.

“Jo’s Boys, and How They Turned Out show

WHO IS LOUISA MAY ALCOTT?

Rosie finished in the lead with $13,800. Rachel was next with $10,800 and Jeff was in third place with $5,200.

NONE of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.

WHO IS VINCENT VAN GOGH?

Vincent Van Gogh regularly corresponded with his younger brother, Theo, who was a source of both emotional and financial support to the artist. The phrase in the clue is in a 4/21/1889 letter to Theo, written before Vincent admitted himself to the Saint-Paul Asylum at Saint-Remy for treatment on 5/8/1889. In the letter, Vincent acknowledged his unstable state of mind (that led him to cut off his left ear on 12/23/1888). Yet he held out hope that he might recover. Neither Van Gogh brother lived very long after that. Vincent died from a gunshot wound to the stomach on 7/29/1890 at age 37. Theo died at age 33 on 1/21/1891 from dementia paralytica.

Their letters (as well as letters Vincent wrote and received from others) are all available in English on VanGoghLetters.org.

Jeff had a blank. He lost his $3,000 bet and was left with $2,200.

Rachel came up with Dostoevsky. That didn’t cost her a ruble so she remained at $10,800.

Rosie thought it was Nietzsche. Her $7,801 bet dropped her to $5,999. That made Rachel the winner with a 5-day total of $75,999 and Gilbert Collins has some company in the next ToC.

A triple stumper from each round:

TRAIN TIME ($600) In the 1800s inventions like this man’s improved steam engine were adapted for trains

3-NAME THE AUTHOR ($2000) “The Magician of Lublin”

2 years ago: ALL of the players got this FJ in “British Musical Theater”

A critic said, “I doubt if there is a single joke in” this 1885 work “that fits the Japanese. But all the jokes… fit the English” show

WHAT IS “THE MIKADO”?

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