The damage to-date is a 12- day champion with $330,000 in earnings. He is described as an "independent researcher" but I think he's with the the C.I.A. helping M16 in London. He's a Yank in St. James Court. At least I'd like to think so. But I do favor spy books.
Harrison is described as "being originally from Terra Haute Indiana." He has degrees from N.Y.U., Columbia, and lately from Cambridge in the U.K. London is where he is now, acquiring a bit of a clipped British accent as he calmy answers Ken Jennings as fast as a machine whacks tennis balls in a practice session, swaying left and right at a bit at the podium, like a poplar in a gentle breeze. You pretty much don't even know there are any opponents. When the dust settles to enter the Final Jeopardy round the two statues that he's competed against haven't even amassed $10,000 together, while he's in the stratosphere where he can't be touched, no matter how Final Jeopardy turns out.
On the way to his current winning streak, there was one Final Jeopardy round where he failed miserably, and really stood to have the streak end. I don't remember the clue, but no one got it, and Harrison, who is not a reckless devil-may-care bettor like James Holzer, only risked a small amount. It's almost as if he sensed the Jeopardy clue masters were coming for him, and he ducked.
Harrison doesn't have any theatrical "all-in" moves like Holzer. He might bet in all on an early Daily Double, but if he fails it's no big deal because it's not a lot of money and his opponents have yet to amass anything. When he wins, he graciously turns to his opponents and gives them a respectful round of applause. It's the end of the cricket match, and he's a British gentleman. He's a decent chap.
The short bio on Harrison is that he's 27 years old. He has an enviable mop of hair on his head that looks like its never seen a comb, but looks good anyway. Great, in fact.
There is a news video available online of his parents being part of a televised news story coming out of Missouri, where both his parents are described university professors at the University of Missouri. The commentator sets the backstory by telling us tat Harrison comes from a household where there are 9 college degrees. That fits. Three people; three doctorates.
Harrison's doctorate is in Film and Screen Studies, if you can believe they have doctorate programs for that, at Cambridge, no less. He works at Lifted Entertainment, a U.K. television production company, producing such shows as University Challenge, where Harrison is a quiz writer (surprise, surprise). He's a game show ringer.
The news segment from a Missouri TV station KOMU appeared after Harrison had won a pedestrian 4 shows. He's now at 12, with $330,000 in winnings. His parents relate the expected growing up story, that Kem Jennings used in that obligatory meet and greet segment of Jeopardy where after the first commercial break, Ken Jennings prompts the contestant with a softball question and gets the rehearsed answer that relates to something in their life.
When it came time to prompt the champ, Harrison, we learn that at he age of 4 he could tell you all the U.S. presidents, their year of birth and where they were born. His mother told the same story on the Missouri news segment. She said he just remembers facts.
His father told the story of how he and a young Harrison were in some on some trivia tournament where they took on teams of 8 players. Harrison answered all the questions, but the one his father did. Apparently it was a blowout.
I'm writing this on Thursday morning, Thanksgiving, where at 7 p.m. I will definitely be in the living room to see if Harrison moves on again. I'll get my daughter and son-in-law (Matthew maybe; he's only two however) in there to watch was well. The other half of the family is absent due to stomach bugs. More leftovers for me.
With the ability to time shift shows through DVR recordings, and the holiday, the Jeopardy audience anticipation won't be anything like the beginning of the 1994 movie Quiz Show years ago. The Robert Redford directed and produced movie was about the game show scandal that took over the hugely popular show Twenty-One in the 1950s. I distinctly remember the start of the movie showing people emerging from the subway, seemingly in an evening rush to get home in time to watch the show. Definitely true.
That was how TV once was. It was watched simultaneously by millions, who at the office or other places of work the next morning, might discuss the show (any show) with their co-workers. "Did you see last night's..."
That won't be what happens tonight as Jeopardy airs. There's football to compete with the show, and following a game show is not the entertainment it once was, despite what I'm sure are Jeopardy's high ratings. It's on in my house.
The New YorkTimes in the weekday Arts section always has what the evening's Final Jeopardy clue will be. I always check it, somethings acing it, other times drawing a complete blank, like today's clue:
"The title of an absurdist play from 1957, it's also the title of Marvel's highest grossing film."
Are they kdiding? Or course Harrison and the other contestants have to place their wagers before the details of th clue are revealed. But if Harrison needs to, he should all in on this one. (The show has been taped weeks before its showing; the outcome is already in the can.)
I'll bet the doctorate in Film and Screen Studies knows this one.
Harrison, good luck old boy.
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