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Every streak eventually meets its demise. Cal Ripkin Jr. had to ride the pine sooner or later. Susan Lucci needed to be loved at least once. And on Tuesday, angering the whole state of Utah, “Jepopardy!” titan Ken Jennings bit the dust, compliments of giant-killer Nancy Zerg.
Yes, its true. The Joe DiMaggio of the game show circuit finally got unseated from his holy roost after posting a record-setting 74th win – a $2.52 million run. If this news comes as hard to believe, don’t worry, it is. Personally, I became fond of the little trivia pirhanna. It had become comforting to tune into “Jeopardy” to see Jennings horse whipping his oppents. During his Stalin-esque run, Jennings made opponents look like third-graders struggling to learn cursive for the first time. To put Jennings’ run into perspective, let’s look at the dethroned champ’s statitsics.
The Mormon version of Bobby Fischer compiled $2,520,700 in earnings, answering 160 Daily Double answers and 75 Final Jeopardy answers. What’s even more Einstein-like is that Jennings managed to answer 2,881 questions correctly for an average daily winnings of $34,064.
However, maybe the most enlightening aspect of all the streak was how little Kenny’s run highlighted America’s obsession with streaks. So why as a society do we have this constant hunger for record runs? Is it healthy or unhealthy? Lastly, and maybe most importantly, why does USA Today feel the need to inform us that Tom Hanks has had 10 straight movies exceed $100 million at the box office?
The nation’s hunger for streak-driven headlines isn’t a new phenomenon. Let’s look back on baseball’s finest hour, when Joltin’ Joe sent the nation into an uproar when he successfully hit in 56 consecutive games. DiMaggio’s streak was one of the most publicized runs of all time, and the mere mention of it makes baseball historians fantasize of a time long gone.
For further proof of our streak lusting, let’s fast-forward to modern day where every national publication felt it was our need to know “The Da Vinci Code” had been on the best-seller list as long as Mike Wallace had been on “60 Minutes.” To see the streak worship taken one step further, just observe two weeks in the movie business. If a movie finishes No. 1 in back-to-back weeks, it’s being hailed as the next “Godfather.” Move over, Francis Ford Coppola, here comes John Woo.
Our desire for streaks and more streaks is due to our need to be impressed. We have grown accustomed to being wowed by every aspect of culture. However, we need to stop right now. There is no need to celebrate a cup of Starbucks joe being the best seller for four weeks or the No. 1 cell phone ringtone of the past month. These worthless bits of information seem to taint the more important runs that occur. Comparing DiMaggio’s unearthly streak to that of Maroon 5′s billboard tally is sinful. It’s blurring the line between amazing and average.
The next time you see “Inside Edition” informing you about some new “stellar” streak, pull back and take a breather. Remember: Lucci losing in the Emmys for 17 straight years isn’t that big of a deal, and if you are able to put that into perspective, maybe when the real thing comes along, you will truly be shocked and awed. You will apperciate the event. You won’t have to worry about other worthless streaks clogging the scene because you understand what is impressive. After all, shouldn’t the fellow who made Jeopardy! watchable get a little more limelight than “National Treasure’s” box office run?
Matt Conyers is a sophomore journalism major who is compiling an impressive streak of his own: spending Saturday nights alone, watching “Jeopardy!” reruns.
Bangor Daily News