The time the Jeopardy! clue writers got tricked by a meme

Oct 24, 2024 3:36 AM

hetnkik999

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Does this sound right to you?

They were so confident in their facts that they proudly tweeted out the clue they used, tagging the official Tetris account.
https://twitter.com/Jeopardy/status/1181313245795106818

Tetris's response.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1181323129110646784

The shitpost that started it all. It went on to go viral on several social sites.
https://twitter.com/vecchitto/status/1099748313862234114

This page is NOT in the manual, lol.
https://www.retrogames.cz/manualy/NES/Tetris_(Nintendo)_-_NES_-_Manual.pdf

jeopardy

video_games

smashboy

tetris

The actual page in the manual

2 years ago | Likes 27 Dislikes 0

Teewee

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I attended the Emmys (not this past one but the one previous year) and while I was waiting for it to start I grabbed a beer and talked for a several minutes to a guy at the bar that has been working for Jeopardy writing these questions for the last 20 years. Billy Wisse. Anyway, he later went home with an Emmy.

2 years ago | Likes 93 Dislikes 1

Whose was it?

2 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

Okay, I was JUST looking all of this up last week because I wanted to know the official colors of the blocks for 3D printing them. When I went to the TETRIS wiki, those names were listed. Sure, the original game didn't use those names, but guess what else they didn't use... color. So what if the very first TETRIS didn't use those names, they do NOW because the fans named them and that is what matters. https://tetris.fandom.com/wiki/Tetromino

2 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

"So what if the very first TETRIS didn't use those names, they do NOW"

I mean, Tetris still doesn't use those names. Unofficial names are just unofficial names. Also that fan Wiki is a mess, why would you not use the official Tetris name for the blocks for the name of that page?

2 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

guess I’m finally relevant…

2 years ago | Likes 21 Dislikes 1

Hero is definitely aptly named

2 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 1

I remember losing my shit watching that episode. Like yelling at the tv mad. But also lolling

2 years ago | Likes 123 Dislikes 3

Oh my god, me too!

2 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 1

me too!

2 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 1

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

'Yeah they have names, L, Z, Bar, T and Square. They all suck...

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Pretty sure that Connery was behind that one. In fact if you listen carefully you can hear him in the background shouting, "hahaha those are just the names I call your mother in bed Trebek!"

2 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

What was Tetris' response?

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

The third picture in the post, labeled "Tetris's response."

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Oooooh. I saw the link, didn't want to go to twitter. Didn't see that the freshprince gif was their response. Dense moment. Thanks.

2 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

This is one I wish was true.

2 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

I was also fooled by this meme. TIL

2 years ago | Likes 833 Dislikes 4

2 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

TBF, having a full Tetris booklet used definitely makes it seem real.

2 years ago | Likes 53 Dislikes 0

I was completely taken in. Good gag!

2 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

Last year or the year before, this joke pissed me off so bad I had to go dig out my copy of Tetris (still in the original box) and open it and take pictures of every single manual page. Sorry the pages are turned each and every way. - /a/bH4Nfeq

2 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

Ok. I have more patience now so I fixed it /a/3q1i5dL

2 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

When I saw the meme, the first thing I did was look up the scanned manual to see if it was real, haha

2 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

That font, Open Sans, did not exist back then

2 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Teewee Hero Orange Ricky

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Of course Tetris would have American names because it's American/s

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 2

Me too, which is extra embarrassing since I already knew it was made in Soviet Russia.

2 years ago | Likes 20 Dislikes 0

The original version was made in Russia but the Game Boy version's English language manual is not going to be 😄

2 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

This is the NES version btw.

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Ah, right

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

We knew which one was hero without the manual

2 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

LINE PIECE

2 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

LINE PIECE

2 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

LINE PIECE

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Thou art a cruel and angry god!!

2 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It's canon.

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Those who will not create reality will be forced to live in others'! The Jeopardy writers are your gods!

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

This is the real page 12:

2 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Memes are fun, but the truth is more important. +1

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

The twist is that the page pictured actually is in the original Tetris manual, but the Jeopardy clip is fake.

2 years ago | Likes 153 Dislikes 10

2 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

2 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 0

No, reality is fake and the feverish dream is real

2 years ago | Likes 28 Dislikes 0

Trebek died which actually reversed this, you just have a real fever and a fake dream

2 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Jeff?

2 years ago | Likes 77 Dislikes 0

Jeff?

2 years ago | Likes 40 Dislikes 0

Geoff?

2 years ago | Likes 26 Dislikes 1

*Loud Tattoo Dad noises*

2 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

*weird British bird noises*

2 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Stop confusing the people!

2 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

I’m definitely confused

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

It was from 1980s Russia- they'd have names like "bread line" and "peasant beater"

2 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I always called them L, J, Z, S, I, T, and O.

2 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 0

That's the most common naming method in the competitive community.

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

LINE PIEEEEECE

2 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

For me it's not that Jeopardy was tricked, but that the woman knew the answer

2 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

How many other games feature seven rotatable blocks?

2 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

each Tetris manual is personalised

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I was lucky enough to have OG tetris, and anal enough to still know where my booklets were thirty-five years later. :D

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

The original RIZ

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Cleveland Z and Rhode Island Z will always be Greg for me.

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Fucking Greg

2 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Cleveland Z is actually Nova Scotia Z (it's pronounced NO-VA SCOT-EE-YA).
Rhode Island Z is actually Ontario Z.
Smashboy is BoyinnaBox.
Hero is PEI
Teewee is Toronto Maple Leafs' official post-season logo.

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

My girlfriend is from NS and she calls zees "zeds." So is it a "NOH-VAH SCOH-SHA zed"?

2 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

I believe we just established it's pronounced Scot-ee-ah.

2 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

You pronounce Z as sjayed.

So it's No-VA SCOT-EE-YA SJAYED

2 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I hate when I get the old Cleaveland Z

2 years ago | Likes 280 Dislikes 5

You get this from performing the jersey sidecar.

2 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

People don't like it when the get a stream of Cleaveland Zzzmers.

2 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

The Cleveland Z is coming for you. We have intersections that wish they were a Cleveland Z

2 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Bro, the name is right there and you still misspelled it.

2 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I usually have to pay extra for it.

2 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Insert .gif of Craig Ferguson asking Jeff what type of train he took to Cleveland

2 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

Oh my.

2 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Lol it sounds like an STD

2 years ago | Likes 40 Dislikes 0

I’ll take it over a Cleveland steamer, however

2 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

How about a Cleveland Streamer?

2 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Idk, honestly anything involving Cleveland & I’m pretty much out.

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

It's Cleveland. So it is.

2 years ago | Likes 13 Dislikes 0

"What's a Z-Job?" - Beerfest

2 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Better than a Cleveland Steamer

2 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

Or a Cleveland Brown...

2 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Someone had to say it. I'm just glad it wasn't me.

2 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Sigh. Another thing I learned without my consent.

2 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Yoink!

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Wow, I totally had a Mandela Effect on seeing the "shitpost." A very strong sensation of having read that manual in 1990-ish and having thought the names were ridiculous. Strong enough to propose that perhaps there were multiple versions of the manual printed during the game's sales run.

2 years ago | Likes 18 Dislikes 1

Memory is intensely fallible. In fact every time you remember something, you’re creating a memory of that memory. Over time with small changes it can get so warped by misrememberance and outside influence that it’s like a jpeg that’s been reuploaded too many times.

2 years ago | Likes 26 Dislikes 0

I have very distinct memories of watching The Daily Show with Jon Stewart in my college dorm room. The problem is, he wasn't hosting TDS when I was in college. Memory is the great betrayer. The Mandela effect works so well because someone telling you about something in the distant past helps create a fake memory.

2 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

That's why I skip all that and have my ADHD immediately discard all information within less than a minute of it entering my brain.

2 years ago | Likes 18 Dislikes 0

Same!! And then people are amused at forgetful I am.

2 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

My forgetfulness has never amused me.
Probably.

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

It’s only amusing if you have a friend who forgives you for asking the same question six times. Also they can remember stuff for you.

Actually I had a boyfriend who taught me how to retrace my steps in my head to remember where I put things. (I thought it was stupid but he made me close my eyes and describe my steps to him and IT WORKED). We broke up six years ago but I still use what he taught me.

2 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Believe me, there weren't. They wouldn't have even named any of the blocks after colors since the colors in the game were constantly changing every level.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FAzHyXZPm0

2 years ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 0

In my memory (whether that memory is real or not), the bogus color associations were part of the reason the names were stupid.

2 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

I got to see you revise your wording through notification pop ups. I like that you went the extra mile to be as thorough in your communicating as possible. And also, fair enough!

False memories are a crazy thing, btw. I remembered playing a game at E3 in 2004 that was 100% NOT at E3 in 2004. It was there in 2005, and I didn't attend that year. I think just reading impressions about it embedded themselves as memories of me actually playing it.

2 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

I have a scar from my childhood (like 2 years old). I "remember" how it happened and a lot of stuff vividly, but I know these memories are all fake and basically constructed because my mum told me stuff. Crux is and was that I exactly know just what she told me. Nothing else, no addendum, no other memory around it. Nothing from that timeframe, which fits the scientific narrative that generally you are not aware of memories of that age. Always cool to see how our psyche works.

2 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I survived a gaslighting spouse. Acknowledging that memories are fallible while sticking to what I actually remember is a balancing act.

2 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

Yoo that's rough. Been there, doing that still lol.

2 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0