Grapevine Jeopardy
2012 - Biffled
Props:
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Players:
3 category posters (Sharing, Grapevine History, Personalities before Principles)
5 value posters ($200, $400, $600, $800, $1,000)
3 hand bells
1 table with 3 chairs
3 chairs for category holders, 5 chairs for value holders, 2 chairs for commercial announcers,
more chairs for cheerleaders. At least 10 total in the stage area.
1 podium
Applause poster
2 parting gifts
1 winner’s prize
1 audience prize
Programs (with Grapevine information sheets)
Monopoly money
6 sheets of paper or small dry erase boards for the contestants in Final Jeopardy
3 markers for Final Jeopardy
6 scripts – Host, contestants, and commercial presenters
Anywhere from 5 to 16 volunteers, with unlimited cheerleaders available
o 1 Host (Alex Trebeck)
o 1 Hostess (Vanna White)
o 3 Contestants
 # 1- Mr. Always Right – not practicing Rule 62
 # 2 - Goofy Newcomer – all about Rule 62 and just happy to be here!
 # 3 - Sean Connery –A disenchanted GrapeNUT that takes your inventory more than his
own, and lets that be his focus instead of the game/program
o 2 Commercial announcers
o 3 Volunteers to hold up category posters
o 5 Volunteers to hold up value posters (these can also be held by the category poster holders or
Vanna)
o Treasurer with Monopoly money
o Cheerleaders
Stage:
o The contestants are sitting next to each other on the stage with the host at a podium to their side.
Set up volunteers with category and value posters in front of the stage or on the other side of the
host as the contestants where the audience can see their posters. Vanna needs to be able to walk
behind them to tap them when their category is selected.
o Each contestant has a hand bell, the Q&A’s, paper, and markers on the table in front of them.
o Commercial announcers are nearby to easily come to the podium or in front of the stage to
present.
o Cheerleaders are to the side of the stage and ready to jump and cheer when the correct answer is
given.
o Treasurer is sitting near the contestants holding Monopoly money, ready to throw it in the air
near the contestants when the correct answer is given, or reluctantly hand it to the contestant if
she’s feeling stingy.
Game in Play:
 Host reads an answer for the category selected by contestant and the game proceeds from there similar
to TV game show “Jeopardy!”
 Contestants use the hand bells to signal that they have the answer for the category questions as they are
read by the host.
 Contestants’ characters during the game make this very humorous! Contestants dance around and get
really excited when they get the right answer and they begin to compete to ring the bell first even when
they don’t know the right answer. Contestants choose whether to give the correct response or make
something up. If the incorrect answer is given, another contestant can ring in and try. Whoever answers
correctly gets to pick the next category and value.
 Host interacts with contestants during game time with comments such as “you’re right,” “that’s not quite
the answer we were looking for,” we’ll have to ask our judges,” “your answer needs to be in the form of
a question,” etc. The host will occasionally announce the contestants’ scores, at times just mumbling,
other times obviously giving a ridiculous score like -$5,000.
 Host determines breaking points for the commercials. One will be about halfway through the game, and
the other will be before Final Jeopardy.
Script
Game Opening:
Stagehand:
::::::::::::Hold up applause poster anytime to get the audience involved!!::::::::
Host:
Welcome everyone to “Grapevine Jeopardy!” sponsored by your Area 64 Grapevine Committee.
I’m Alex Trebek…. Oh…. but for anonymity purposes you can call me Kate…. and I’ll be your
host this evening. This is my beautiful assistant.
Vanna:
Hello :::::::::greet audience with a big ‘ole “Hollywood” smile & wave and show off the
outfit::::::::
Host:
Vanna’s gone through some changes recently and certainly is more modern, isn’t she?!!!
Welcome and thank you to our studio guests. In your hands you should have tonight’s program.
We hope this will help you play at home, and who knows… It might just come in handy during
today’s game…. Now to introduce today’s contestants on “Grapevine Jeopardy!” Please
welcome contestant # 1.
Tell us a little bit about yourself… Where are you from?
Contestant # 1 My name is Don D. (introduce self & briefly give some true or false general info)
Host:
Thank you! Now please welcome contestant # 2. Tell us a little bit about yourself…
Contestant # 2 My name is Alan J. (introduce self and briefly give some true or false general info). I’m just
happy to be here!
Host:
Keep coming back! Now please welcome contestant # 3. Tell us a little bit about yourself…
Contestant # 3 My name is Don A. (or Sean C). (introduce self and briefly give some true or false general info).
I sure do hope you don’t mess this up TOO bad. In MY day we never would have let a woman
host a game show, let alone a youngster like you.
Host:
::::cuts off contestant:::: Now for today’s categories:
:::::as host says the name, the volunteer with the poster for the category holds it up::::::::
Sharing
Grapevine History
Personalities before Principles… Wait, that can’t be right…. Oh, well.
Contestant #3: Now THAT’S what I’m talking about!
Host:
Let’s begin with a category selection by 1st contestant
Contestant #1: :::::Selects a category::::::: Example: “Grapevine History for $200”
Vanna:
:::::::Walks to each category poster when it is selected and uses hand movements to point them
out to the audience.:::::
Commercial segue:
Host:
And now we will take a pause for a word from our sponsors.
::::Commercial presenter takes over:::
Host:
Welcome back to our studio guest and friends at home. Let’s get back to this exciting game of
“Grapevine Jeopardy!” Contestant # 3 is in the lead at this point. So let’s choose a category to
resume this game of “Grapevine Jeopardy!”
Contestant #3: What was THAT all about? There is no promotion in here!!! It’s ATTRACTION, not promotion!
Contestant #2: Well YOU certainly aren’t ATTRACTING anyone, now are you?
Contestant #1: You are forgetting that the Grapevine is a part of AA, and we are all members here today. We
need to be INFORMED of what WE have to offer. That’s all we’re doing, just in an enjoyable
and passionate way. You can’t tell me you don’t encourage your home group members to
purchase Big Books! It’s the same with the Grapevine!!!
Contestant #3: :::::moves on and selects a category and value:::::
Final Jeopardy:
Host:
::::::When all answers and questions have been given, the host breaks for another commercial
after announcing the Final Jeopardy category and instructs the contestants to write their
wager.::::::
It is now time for Final Jeopardy. Our contestants will write their wager, knowing only the
category. Today’s category is….. Grapevine Products! Contestants, please write your wagers.
Final Jeopardy will continue right after these messages!
:::::::::Other commercial presenter takes over as the contestants write their wagers largely on a sheet or board in
front of them::::::::::::
Host:
And we’re back. Contestants, have you all written your wager? Good. You will have 30 seconds
to write your response after I read the clue. You may not look at another contestant’s answer, and
audience, please don’t help them. Alright:
Clue: How many Grapevine books are available for sale right now from AA Grapevine?
:::::::host, Vanna, commercial presenters, cheerleaders, and poster holders all hum the Jeopardy music
loudly:::::::contestants violently write answers, possibly crossing answers out and re-writing them. One of them
probably tries to cheat and look at the other answers. A small fight may ensue….
Host:
OK, time is up. Markers down. Let’s see what we have. Contestant # 1, let’s see what you
wagered…
Contestant #1: ::::::::::contestant holds up the sheet with the amount::::::::::
Host:
And it looks like you wagered the exact amount that you have, so if you get this wrong, you’ll
lose everything… Alright, now let’s see how you answered. You said….
:::::::::::::contestant holds up their answer and host reads it for the audience ---NOTE that all contestants will
have the WRONG answer, so the host can ask the audience at the end:::::::
Host:
Well, that is incorrect. Let’s move on… Contestant #2, you wagered….
::::::::::contestant holds up the sheet with the amount::::::::::
Host:
Alright, now let’s see how you answered. You said….
:::::::::::::contestant holds up their answer and host reads it for the audience::::::::::
Host:
Again, not the answer we are looking for. Contestant # 3…. You claim to be what they call a
“GrapeNUT.” Let’s see if you were able to get this right. You wagered:
::::::::::contestant holds up the sheet with the amount::::::::::
Host:
Alright, now let’s see how you answered. You said….
:::::::::::::contestant holds up their answer, “TOO MANY” and host reads it for the audience::::::::::
Not impressive at all….We were looking for a NUMBER, not an opinion. Well, at times here on
Jeopardy we like to give the audience a chance to win a prize for knowing more than the
contestants. So, you all know the clue – how many Grapevine books are available for sale right
now from AA Grapevine? Please put your response in the form of a question. Raise your hand if
you think you know the answer.
:::::Host calls on someone with their hand up. If there is trouble getting the right answer from the audience, hint
that they may hold the answer in their HANDS….. Or they may have READ it recently…. The answer will be
in their programs. Once a member answers “what is 22,” present them with a prize – given by Vanna.:::::
Host:
::::::Meanwhile the Treasurer is collecting the monopoly money back from the contestants….. Dramatic
reactions from the contestants are possible….:::::::
Host:
OK, so all of our contestants just lost a LOT of money, of course making our Treasurer quite
happy…. When we consider everything, it looks like contestant # __ is our winner with
$1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now that (winning contestant) is our champion for today – Vanna, please tell him
what he has won.
Vanna:
(Winning contestant’s name), your winnings for today include _______prize_______ and a
Happy, Joyous, and Free journey with us as we trudge the road of happy destiny.
Host:
We also have parting gifts for our other contestants. Once again thank you very much for
watching and playing today. Play our home version often and get YOUR OWN
SUBSCRIPTION today!
:::::::::If additional time is remaining ask the audience if they have any questions for the GV committee.:::::::::::
EXAMPLE COMMERCIALS:
Note that Stephen and Quoc are VERY encouraged to update these or write completely new ones. We may want
to have one focus on the magazine and the other focus on the website.
1:
Are you sick & tired of being sick & tired? Are you irritable, restless, and discontent? Well, I’m (name) and I
was really amazed when I tried this simple program mirrored in the AA Grapevine. My life changed because I
began trying to follow a few simple rules disguised as suggestions. This meeting in print is highly
recommended by recovering people everywhere. Side effects may include: serenity, joy, peace of mind, loss of
the fear of financial insecurity and faith in a higher power who takes care of all my needs… When I let go. And
a stabilized liver!
2:
Do you wake up in a strange place with a stranger person? Doing the same things over and over, expecting
different results? Want to get away? Fly the Grapevine Airways! We will fly you to places where things might
not get better real fast BUT they will be different! You will read articles written by people just like you,
experience products designed just for you. The ONLY requirement is a desire to stop drinking! Subscribe to the
Grapevine Airways and fly to places where things are different!
Questions & Answers
Category: Sharing
$200
Answer: Poems, prayers, song lyrics, tributes to individuals, plays, previously
published material, anything unrelated to AA or that violates the principles of AA.
Question: What the Grapevine does not publish?
$400
Answer: [email protected] or http://www.aagrapevine.org/share or
Grapevine Editorial Department. 475 Riverside Drive Suite 1040 New York, NY 10115.
Question: Where to submit articles?
$600
Answer: Snappy one liners and one paragraph anecdotes to five or six typed pages,
double spaced, or 300 to 1500 words if clearly hand written.
Question: What is reasonable length and format?
$800
The internet forum at AAGrapevine.org where members can respond to an article
or share about anything AA related.
Question: What is I-Say?
$1000
The list of upcoming “meeting topics” for the Grapevine magazine, available at
AAGrapevine.org, in your current issue, and from your Grapevine Representative.
Question: What is the editorial calendar?
Category: GV History
$200
Answer: June 1944
Question: What was the date of the first Grapevine issue?
$400
Though they have existed at the group level since the early fifties, by 1977 286
existed, and the General Service Conference recommended that the delegates be
responsible for establishing area Grapevine committees, using the area and district
structure to achieve the goal of having one in EVERY group. They inform their group of
what is in the current magazine, what is coming up, what is available from AA Grapevine
other than the magazine, any updates to AAGrapevine.org and any new products. They
also encourage members to submit their stories, jokes, and artwork to the Grapevine.
Question: What is a Grapevine representative?
$600
Answer: The year of this General Service Conference Advisory Action: “Since
each issue of the Grapevine cannot go through the Conference-approval process, the
Conference recognizes the AA Grapevine as the international journal of Alcoholics
Anonymous.”
Question: What is 1986? :::::::::::::good time for the contestants to debate over
conference approval and whether to use the magazines in meetings::::::::::::
$800
Answer: The first official issue of this came out in 1996 following a Conference
Advisory action in 1995 to create it, allowing Spanish speaking members access to our
meeting in print and to share in their own language.
Question: What is La Viña?
$1000
Created in 2004, this service on AAGrapevine.org gives us access to every article
ever published in the Grapevine, now available for just $26.97 a year, or even less when
purchased with other products like the magazine in print.
Question: What is the Story Archive, also known as the Digital Archive?
Category: Personalities before Principles
$200
He used the Grapevine to publish “Twelve Points of Tradition” in 1946. He also
described the Grapevine as a “sort of magic carpet on which all of us can travel from one
distant A.A. outpost to another.”
Question: Who is……. Bill W.!!!!
$400
Answer: Bill W. called them “ink stained wretches,” which included the first
female member of Alcoholics Anonymous, Marty M.
Question: Who are the creators of the Grapevine.
$600
Answer: Throughout the years he has stood before the saloon, looking longingly
past its swinging doors, but every time his Higher Power has intervened and kept him
from drinking.
Question: Who is Victor E.
$800
Answer: The first Grapevine editor and author of the A.A. Preamble in 1947.
Question: Who is Tom Y.
$1000
Answer: The Executive Editor/Publisher of AA Grapevine, appointed in 2010.
Question: Who is Ami B.