JEOPARDY: Excellence eroded

In the June 11 issue of the Coeur d’Alene Press is an article about The TV quiz show “Jeopardy.” Now, it may seem to be a Trivial Pursuit (pun intended) for me to write a note about a TV show, but what has happened to “Jeopardy” is emblematic of what is happening to the entire country, and that is the war on American excellence.

When “Jeopardy” only had “hard” categories like: Classical music and literature, history, science, geography, math, etc., most of the contestants and winners were middle aged, white men, like Ken Jennings. However, the sponsors (we all know who runs TV) demanded that they “broaden” (this is dog whistle speak for dumbing it down) the show’s appeal.

So now we have categories like rap music, characters on TV sit-coms, romance novel authors, and Hollywood award show winners. Whenever none of the players can answer the clue on topics like these, I applaud. No educated person should know about crap like this. If Alex Trebeck had had any integrity, he would have resigned in protest long ago.

Unfortunately, this dumbing down goes way beyond TV quiz shows. School boards all over the country are dropping AP (Advanced Placement) classes from their offering because they make mediocre students feel, well, mediocre. Fortunately, this area has the Coeur d’Alene Charter School, which lets the best and brightest students rise to their fullest potential. I think Alex would have applauded that.

DOUGLAS L. WEIR

Hayden