‘The Descendants’ and ‘Jeopardy!’: A match made in stool softener heaven

Since my early childhood I’ve always been the type of person who puts way too much importance in the trivia-related pursuits. I’m the obnoxious one who stunts free flowing conversations about the 2012 election with unprompted random tidbits about the production of “Caddyshack.”

Growing up I was obsessed with the idea of making my way on to the “Jeopardy!” stage. I even knew how I’d proudly and self-deprecatingly mention to Alex Trebek how I won my grammar school’s geography bee two times in a row. Since I’ve started working from home, I’ve had time to re-connect with television’s greatest trivia show.

My favorite television moment of 2011 was watching Roger Craig answer back-to-back true daily doubles during the Tournament of Champions Final, increasing his total from $9,000 to $36,000 within two questions. My New Year’s resolution was to read the Almanac more often, and practice intermediate math. I’m determined to someday crack the “Jeopardy!” code and make it on stage in Burbank, CA, answering in the form of a question, even if that means adjusting my birth certificate to make me eligible for the Teen Tournament.

Over the course of the last few months watching the show — and its commercials — I’ve come to realize that I’m most definitely not Jeopardy’s target audience. I’ve never worked in an environment where I could have been exposed to Asbestos and therefore need to consult the attorneys at Jacoby and Meyers. I could probably afford to get in better shape, but Jenny Craig probably isn’t the method a 24-year-old male would seek to shave off a couple pounds. I don’t take Alka-Seltzer and I don’t need Crestor, Aspercreme, Lipo-Flavonoid or any kind of stool softener.

Only people over the age of 50 could possibly need all, or any, of the products and services advertised during a typical episode of “Jeopardy!” The commercial breaks seem to focus solely on card-carrying members of the AARP. So when commercials for “The Descendents” started running frequently during the New York-area feed, it shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise. The majority of Oscar voters are over 50 years in age, and therefore huge “Jeopardy!” fans. However, for some reason, George Clooney in a Hawaiian shirt seemed incongruous when sandwiched between ads for stool softener and Crestor.

Pretty soon I was thinking more about the purpose of “The Descendants” commercials than Double Jeopardy questions, and the more I thought about it, the more it made complete sense. Who do middle-aged women swoon after more than a mustached-Alex Trebek? George Clooney. Who do middle-aged men want to be more than a mustached-Alex Trebek? George Clooney. The strange TV spots that have been running for “The Descendents” appear to solely focus on Clooney and his emotional range in the film. The “Jeopardy!“ ad even shows him vulnerable and crying.

So although it seems as though “The Artist” has the Best Picture trophy in their back pocket, the producers of “The Descendants” are actively seeking direct channels to woo potential Oscar voters. And who could better woo them than an emotionally wounded George Clooney?

While most studios spend their money on magazine, website and newspaper “For Your Consideration” advertisements, in an effort to reach out to members of The Academy, it appears “The Descendants” is taking more of a calculated gamble. This late campaign by Fox Searchlight has focused on the emotion and family aspects of the film, and considering many families eat dinner around the TV while watching “Jeopardy!,” this angle could be a bit of marketing genius.

With The Academy Awards less than two weeks away, “The Artist” appears to have a clear led, but truthfully, who really knows? It is not unimaginable to hear the film’s name called on Oscar Sunday, bigger upsets have occurred in the past. However if “The Descendants” does somehow pull off the victory, the producers really should thank “Jeopardy!” viewers from the month of February, and the makers of Aspercreme.

[NY Times]