Rock fans who watched the October 15 episode of Jeopardy got, dare we say, a once-in-a-lifetime treat, as the four members of Talking Heads made a guest appearance on the popular game show to take part in a category focusing on the influential band.
Frontman David Byrne, drummer Chris Frantz, bassist Tina Weymouth, and guitarist/keyboardist Jerry Harrison all were featured in pre-taped segments reading clues related to Talking Heads’ history and the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers’ acclaimed 1984 concert movie Stop Making Sense.
[RELATED: Talking Heads Releasing Deluxe Reissue of Debut Album, Talking Heads: 77, Featuring Rarities and an Unheard CBGB Performance]
The band members initially appeared together, to introduce their category, which was part of the episode’s Double Jeopardy round.
“Among other things, we’re the stars of Stop Making Sense,” Byrne said. Franz then piped in, “Acclaimed as the greatest concert film of all time.” Weymouth added, “Now that it’s getting a 40th anniversary re-release…,” before Harrison concluded, “…we’ll have clues about the movie and our music.”
The contestants on the show were the returning champion, Eamonn Campbell, a lawyer originally from Manchester, Vermont; Rishabh Wuppalapati, an undergraduate student at the University of Pennsylvania who’s originally from Vernon Hills, Illinois; and
Zoe Grobman, a therapist from Philadelphia.
Each category in a Jeopardy round features five separate clues that in Double Jeopardy are valued at, respectively, $400, $800, $1,200, $1,600, and $2000. Each member of the band read one clue, with the exception of Byrne, who read two.
Talking Heads Members Read the Clues
Grobman started off the round and immediately chose the Talking Heads category. Zoe noted, “I love them and I love the movie,” then picked the $1,600 clue.
Weymouth read the clue: “Talking Heads was still a trio in 1975 when we played our first show, opening for the Ramones at the legendary New York punk club known by this four-letter name.”
Campbell buzzed in with the correct response, “What is CBGB?”
Later in the round, Wuppalapati chose the Talking Heads clue for $800.
Franz read that clue: “Stop Making Sense has been widely praised for its no-nonsense focus on the band’s performance by this Oscar-winning director of The Silence of the Lambs and Philadelphia.
Grobman answered correctly, “Who is [Jonathan] Demme?”
Zoe then picked the $1,200 Talking Heads clue, which was read by Byrne.
“The first song we wrote for Talking Heads, this signature track, features an iconic pulsing bassline and the twisted thoughts of a homicidal narrator,” the singer hinted. “Better run, run, run, run, run away.”
Zoe buzzed in with the right answer, “What is ‘Psycho Killer’?” and then asked for the $2,000 Talking Heads clue.
Harrison read that clue: “Ranked number 28 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, this polyrhythmic track about letting the days go by was crafted in collaboration with super producer Brian Eno.
Grobman again had the correct response, “What’s ‘Once in a Lifetime’?”
The last clue of the round was also the final Talking Heads-themed clue, which was read by Byre.
“Talking Heads biggest hit was this 1983 song about fighting fire with fire,” he said. “The title came from an enthusiastic chant heard at a Parliament-Funkadelic concert.”
Zoe once again knew the answer, “What is ‘Burning Down the House’?”
Who Won the Game
Despite Grobman’s Talking Heads expertise, it was Wuppalapati who was crowned the new Jeopardy champion, dethroning Campbell.
More About Talking Heads
Talking Heads’ members recently have been making a variety of appearances together to promote the rerelease of Stop Making Sense. A restored version of the movie has been screening in select theaters, and also has been released on Blu-ray and digital formats.
Meanwhile, Talking Heads recently announced that an expanded version of the group’s 1977 debut album, Talking Heads: 77, will be released on November 8.
The Super Deluxe Edition of the reissue includes a collection of rarities and a previously unreleased recording of the band’s final performance at CBGB, which took place in October 1977.
The reissue can be pre-ordered now.
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