We spoke to more than 10 unlucky — but good-humored — contestants about competing against Holzhauer, who has made history with $1.2 million in 16 games.
By Emily Yahr Emily Yahr Style reporter covering pop culture and entertainment Email Bio Follow April 26 at 6:00 AM Just picture it: You’ve always dreamed of being on “Jeopardy!” You take the online test. You impress producers at the in-person audition. You beat out thousands of other hopefuls. You travel to Los Angeles. You step onstage under the bright lights of the TV set. You see Alex Trebek. This is your moment to shine.
Mike Dindoffer, game 7: [When Holzhauer won $110,914 in his fourth game.] You could hear the audible gasp from the audience. . . it was like the sound of the soul escaping the body. Hannah Pierson-Compeau, game 10: I kept thinking, “Come on, somebody beat him, somebody beat this guy so I can play somebody else!”
Samantha Merwin, game 11: For my game, it feels different watching it back — it didn’t feel as dramatic as it looks. The Double Jeopardy round was when it was like, “This is crazy.” Amster-Burton: At the end of single “Jeopardy!” I thought maybe I could win. But soon as he got the first Daily Double in Double Jeopardy, he bet a lot, and I was like, “Okay, this is over.”
Kevin Donohue, game 14: My dad emailed me, “On an ordinary show, you would have been up there.” Obviously, with James, ordinary no longer applies to “Jeopardy!”
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