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Jeopardy! Whiz Becomes Encarta Spokesman

Ant writes "BetaNews' story says Microsoft tapped Jeopardy! king Ken Jennings, who recently finished his 75-game run on the show, to become the spokesman for its Encarta product line. Jennings will embark on a nationwide media tour called 'Quiz the Whiz' that challenges news desks to stump the human encyclopedia with questions from Microsoft's Encarta Reference Library Premium 2005."

17 of 339 comments (clear)

  1. Stumpers by teh_mykel · · Score: 3, Funny

    Stumper question #1: "What is Linux?" either unknown data, or grossly misrepresentive data, or simply undetailed data. Compare "Who is Bill Gates?" for maximum biasm.

    --
    this sig no verb
    1. Re:Stumpers by fireman+sam · · Score: 5, Funny

      Just thought of a better question:

      "What is a General protection fault 0x4700AF2D in KERNEL32.DLL:MessageBoxExA+046 EAX 0x00000000 EIP 0x00000000 EDX 0x000010FA"

      --
      it is only after a long journey that you know the strength of the horse.
  2. I.. by double-oh+three · · Score: 4, Funny

    I felt a disturbance in the force, as if 10 thousand nerds cried out and then were silent.

    --
    "For years, I struggled with reality... but I'm happy to say I finally won out over it." -- Elwood P. Dowd
  3. Why is it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...that when I see the phrase 'natural fit' in a MS press release, I think of some poor bastard yet again taking it in the ass from BG?

  4. Mistaken Identity by BarryJacobsen · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... I searched for myself once and turned up all sorts of erroneous information...One seemingly reputable and authoritative page even had my name wrong!"

    Just a guess, but maybe they were talking about someone else?

  5. Makes you wonder ... by merdaccia · · Score: 3, Funny
    Ironically, Microsoft also mixed up his name in the interview, referring to the trivia whiz as "Jenkins."

    How priceless would it be if they got his name wrong in Encarta too.

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    *blinking cursor*

  6. That's it? by fearanddread · · Score: 5, Funny
    75 shows and then he gets to be the Encarta spokesman? Seems a bit of a letdown somehow.

    I'd like to see a Texas cage match between Jennings and Trebek.... winner gets Jeopardy hosting duties.

  7. Re:creepy.... by wayne606 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Let's see... Painfully clean-cut, Mormon, works for Microsoft... Thinks "watching me on Jeopardy! has made reading and learning seem just a little cooler"..

    Actually my theory is that Bill Gates got tired of being the nerdiest guy around Redmond...

  8. Looks like my theory will be tested by Enrico+Pulatzo · · Score: 3, Funny

    Does he know the answers, or merely the questions?

  9. Re:In Case It Be Dotted by marktaw.com · · Score: 5, Funny
    answering 2,700 Jeopardy! questions
    Don't they mean "questioning 2,700 Jeopardy! answers" ???
  10. Obligatory Jepordy answer by CrazyJim0 · · Score: 5, Funny

    42

    See if he knows the question.

  11. Re:Here's an answer you won't hear him say.... by dirkdidit · · Score: 3, Funny

    Answer: Starting after Star Wars Episode I, these two things are known to cause blindness, deafness and hairy palms in geeks.

  12. Re:Here's an answer you won't hear him say.... by Capt'n+Hector · · Score: 3, Funny

    Edible? Well, I don't know about the grits...

    --
    Quid festinatio swallonis est aetherfuga inonusti?
    Africus aut Europaeus?
  13. Answers for fun by FunWithHeadlines · · Score: 4, Funny
    What causes Pip in poultry?

    When chickens read Great Expectations.

    How old is Mae West?

    She's dead. But you're still welcome to come up and see her sometime.

    Who was the last British heavyweight champion of the world?

    Doesn't matter, the Irish still didn't recognize him.

    How far is Winnipeg from Montreal?

    It's too cold to tell now; ask again in summer.

    When did Florence Nightingale die?

    When her life ended.

    What is the height of the Empire State Building? What was the date of General Gordon's death?

    Is there a connection between the two?

    What are the Thirty-Nine Steps? Come on! Answer up! What are the Thirty-Nine Steps?

    Here ya go. Bring popcorn, it's great.

  14. Re:Slashdot Interview... by DocMax · · Score: 3, Funny

    If Slashdot gets that interview, will we have to submit our questions in the form of answers?

  15. Strange by Azathfeld · · Score: 5, Funny

    I never thought I'd hear of a man making millions of dollars and then deciding to become an encyclopedia salesman.

  16. Re:In Case It Be Dotted by mibus · · Score: 3, Funny

    Don't they mean "questioning 2,700 Jeopardy! answers" ???

    No no no, you have it all wrong.

    Me: This Slashdot post calls into doubt the possibly incorrectly phrased "answering 2,700 Jeopardy! questions".

    You: What is "Don't they mean "questioning 2,700 Jeopardy! answers" ???".

    I'll take Karma Bonus for four hundred, thanks!