Chu continues to dominate Jeopardy! (Screen shot from http://youtu.be/LitohHUt42Y)

It was a close one last night for Arthur Chu, the Jeopardy! champion who has been filling up America’s hearts and minds with love and hatred. On the March 11, 2014 airing of the show, Chu appeared a little out of sorts and a bit unlike his usual dominant, unstoppable self. From my anecdotal experience, that guy usually has five figures up on the board before his opponents have three. Last night, he was uncharacteristically in third place through the first 10 minutes of the game. Kristen and Jeremy (I think?) started to think they had a chance. Within minutes, though, he had buzzed his way into the lead, Jeremy had petered away into silence, and Chu pulled ahead to win by about $15,000.

The highlight of the night for me, though, was when Chu answered a question about the play Macbeth with this: “What is The Scottish Play or Macbeth? It’s bad luck to say the name.” In theater legend, uttering “Macbeth” is  is bad luck and “The Scottish Play” serves as a convenient euphemism. Arthur, knowing this and wanting to prove his mental prowess, dared Alex and “The Writers” by first answering “The Scottish Play” and then “Macbeth,” and THEN TELLING them that speaking their desired answer was bad luck. He.Is.A.Boss.

Chu also breaks with the formal traditions of game play (to the chagrin of online haterz) by bouncing around the board (to confuse his opponents), hunting for Daily Doubles (to ensure that the other players don’t get them), staring down his competitors, and hammering the buzzer before the question (or answer, because this is Jeopardy!) is even read.

I feel bad for most of Arthur’s competitors. If I were ever to qualify for Jeopardy! against Chu, I would be sad that my chances for bringing home the cheese were to be dashed to pieces. However, he is fun to watch and he plays the game like a winner. So to Jeremy I say this: It is an honor and a privilege to lose to Arthur Chu. Dulce et decorum est, Jeremy. Dulce et decorum est.

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Laura Creel (@Little_Utopia) is the managing editor of Little Utopia.

Previously from Laura Creel:
♦ Enough With the Pizza Already: Reactions to the 2014 Academy Awards
♦ I Found Love in a Heart-Shaped Place
♦ This is What a Place Like CityChurch Can Do
♦ Eating Larabars in London: A Memory
♦ Viral Video of the Week: In Honor of MLK Day