'producer' Barry Gordy was a final Jeopardy answer

[Jimi LaLumia]

most people who know who Berry Gordy Jr. is do not think of him as a producer; he is known for being the founder/ CEO of the earliest,most successful black owned label in America.. it should be thrown out as factually incorrect.. yes, one person wrote "Barry" and was disqualified; the question should have been disqualified because most who know him know him as CEO/ label czar, not as a producer

[johnjeb]

I agree. I was watching the program and my answer was Smokey Robinson, although I wasn't aware that he might have retired. My partner answered Berry Gordy [[even though he didn't know BG's first name). I replied that he is more known for his ownership of the company rather than his producing, except for the early days.

I think the woman who answered "Barry Gordy" should not have been penalized. It's not like she said Bob or Brian or even Fuller or Hazel. Had she said "Gordy" without using his first name I think she would have been correct, judging from answers I've heard in the past during regular play. I mean how many famous Gordys are there? ONE!

During regular play last names only are accepted unless there are others who have the same or similar name like George H. W. Bush and George Bush, or someone from the Fonda acting family, for example. Not sure what the rules about specificity is for the Final Jeopardy.

[midnightman]

What was the original question?

[daviddesper]

My partner also guessed Smokey because he was thrown by the producer reference. As for the lady being counted wrong for Barry, I will try to explain that as I understand it. Their rule is that they don't penalize for spelling. So for example if there were ever a question about Luther Vandross and someone spelled it Vandros, they would accept it.

But if you have an answer that changes the essence of the word and makes it sound like a different name altogether, then they do not accept it. So I guess to them Barry and Berry were two different first names and therefore they ruled against that lady.

In the case of my Vandross example, if someone were to say Vandoss, that might even be enough of a difference to be counted wrong. They do get picky sometimes....

I also think johnjeb is correct that if the lady had simply said Gordy, she would have been OK. Any way you slice it, it was good publicity for Motown!

[johnjeb]

Here is the whole show from September 15, 2020. The Final Jeopardy Question is at 17:52

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6wZg1EB4GM

In 2019, at a 60th Anniversary event in Detroit, this producer announced his retirement saying he had "come full circle"

I often notice that during regular play the more strategic players give only a last name unless asked to be more specific. That is hard to do in the Final Jeopardy since the answers are written and locked-in.

In the past, I have heard Alex say that they don't penalize for spelling during Final Jeopardy. I had hoped that "Barry" would have squeaked through. But I guess Barry is a legitimate name the same as if she had answered "Benny Gordy".

[nabob]

I am probably grossly over-reacting, buy my skin cringes whenever someone identifies Mr Gordy as "Barry Gordy". This is as much an affront to me as as the garbage peddled daily by that lying sack of orange poop [[shit) in DC. The internet is too valuable a tool and too easy to use when one needs to clarify facts. I don't always have "facts" correctly formed, but they are verified before posting.

[johnjeb]

I am probably grossly over-reacting, buy my skin cringes whenever someone identifies Mr Gordy as "Barry Gordy". This is as much an affront to me as as the garbage peddled daily by that lying sack of orange poop [[shit) in DC. The internet is too valuable a tool and too easy to use when one needs to clarify facts. I don't always have "facts" correctly formed, but they are verified before posting.

Seeing "Barry Gordy" in print or spoken by a TV host or reporter is annoying. It means they didn't take the time to get all the facts for their story, despite how insignificant some may seem to them.

It doesn't bother me much when the average person in the street misstates his name.

Be thankful she didn't write "Berry Gordy" only to be told "Sorry, it's Berry Gordy Jr.!"

[jobucats]

I am probably grossly over-reacting, buy my skin cringes whenever someone identifies Mr Gordy as "Barry Gordy". This is as much an affront to me as as the garbage peddled daily by that lying sack of orange poop [[shit) in DC. The internet is too valuable a tool and too easy to use when one needs to clarify facts. I don't always have "facts" correctly formed, but they are verified before posting.

I am more appalled when, in the YouTube comments, a self-proclaimed/know-it-all Motown 'expert' uses "Barry" when he/she is attempting to tear down another member of the Motown family with a nasty statement like, "Well that hateful Barry Gordy was wrong when he treated 'so & so' the way he did."

[jobucats]

most people who know who Berry Gordy Jr. is do not think of him as a producer; he is known for being the founder/ CEO of the earliest,most successful black owned label in America.. it should be thrown out as factually incorrect.. yes, one person wrote "Barry" and was disqualified; the question should have been disqualified because most who know him know him as CEO/ label czar, not as a producer

Usually in the final Jeopardy segment, if the first contestant who reveals his/her answer is wrong, Alex just says that the answer is incorrect [[without revealing the correct answer) and moves on to the next contestant. This time, he not only stated that the answer was incorrect, but gave the correct answer before moving on. In a way, I understand why he went against the usual routine [[due to the misspelling); however, it threw me for a moment [[being that I was even sure if Berry Gordy was correct since I didn't think of him in terms of being a producer).

[daviddesper]

This comment will take us slightly off topic, but since Ken Jennings was featured delivering some clues a couple of days ago and Alex mentioned that he would be featured regularly this season, do you think that means we are being groomed for Ken taking Alex's job when he is unable to continue? If so, I think he could handle it.

[SatansBlues]

Any idea what the last song Berry Gordy either wrote or produced?

[johnjeb]

Any idea what the last song Berry Gordy either wrote or produced?

Here's some info from Wikipedia. I'm sure there are other music sites that may have more comprehensive information.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_written_by_Berry_Gordy

[SatansBlues]

Here's some info from Wikipedia. I'm sure there are other music sites that may have more comprehensive information.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_written_by_Berry_Gordy
Thanks for this.

[robb_k]

I am probably grossly over-reacting, buy my skin cringes whenever someone identifies Mr Gordy as "Barry Gordy". This is as much an affront to me as as the garbage peddled daily by that lying sack of orange poop [[shit) in DC. The internet is too valuable a tool and too easy to use when one needs to clarify facts. I don't always have "facts" correctly formed, but they are verified before posting.
18102
Well, Berry, Jr. also went by the first name "Barry", when at the head of his orchestra [["The Barry Gordy Orchestra", as advertised on his own brother's Carlton Record release!
So, we should refer to him as "Berry Gordy, Jr. [[AKA 'Barry Gordy')"!!! Maybe that contestant was a Bob Kayli fan??? ;););););)

[midnightman]

I am probably grossly over-reacting, buy my skin cringes whenever someone identifies Mr Gordy as "Barry Gordy". This is as much an affront to me as as the garbage peddled daily by that lying sack of orange poop [[shit) in DC. The internet is too valuable a tool and too easy to use when one needs to clarify facts. I don't always have "facts" correctly formed, but they are verified before posting.

It's much better than Barry Gordon lol

Even though Berry is nowadays known for being the CEO and founder of Motown, he was also a prolific producer [[and songwriter) while in the company too. So the question doesn't bother me at all.

[StuBass1]

They should have given credit for the "Barry" Gordy answer IMO...Barry is a common spelling of that name and his name is commonly misspelled except for the Motown-a-files among us here...If a contestant spelled the state where Boston is located as Masachusetts ...would that be disqualifier???...I was once a contestant on Jeopardy's sister show, The Jokers Wild, but I don't know the specific rules for Jeopardy... As for referring to Gordy as a "producer"...That's actually accurate...He started his company as a Producer and produced many tracks, and produced films as well... He was of course ALSO CEO, Publisher, songwriter, etc...but from sources who have worked with him...he always considered himself a songwriter and producer first and that's how he started his company...

[daviddesper]

Although I was not surprised when they ruled against the lady, for the reason I stated above, I also would not have been surprised if they had gone the other way and accepted it. As you know, they will sometimes reverse course during commercials and change scores. But since this was a Final Jeopardy question, the only thing that could ever happen would be to bring her back for another show. They have done that before also but in general they do not explain the reasons why, so unless someone remembered her, it could happen and we viewers might not make the connection.

[mysterysinger]

Berry Gordy a producer? Absolutely and a very fine songwriter as well. He doesn't receive enough credit for either.

He's also credited many times as "Executive Producer" but I'm unsure what level of involvement he would have had in those cases.

Some examples:
Mind, Heart & Soul 1995 [[Exec),
Harem 1995 [[Exec),
Teena Marie [[Accoustic Demo Sessions [[Producer),
Jose Feliciano [[1981) Producer and Exec,
Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers [[1968) Producer.

He has 714 production credits and 2687 writing and arrangements credits on Discogs. That will include multiples of the same track but clearly won't cover everything.

[144man]

Over the years I have seen photos in newspapers where he's been misidentified as "Gordy Berry" and as "Berry Gordon".

[kenneth]

I thought the lady was robbed of a right answer. They let people misspell things all the time. I don’t see how that can be considered two different names if it’s pronounced exactly the same. Pretty petty, in my humble opinion…

[daviddesper]

At the time I understood why they ruled against her but at the same time, they should have been so impressed that she even knew him that they should have given it to her for that reason.