“I had a sense my time was winding down, regardless that it didn’t look that manner within the scores,” Schneider mentioned after her 40-game “Jeopardy!” win streak was snapped.
LOS ANGELES — “Jeopardy!” champion Amy Schneider’s dazzling streak is over, snapped Wednesday by a Chicago librarian after 40 consecutive wins and practically $1.4 million in prize cash.
Schneider’s success put her within the ranks of Ken Jennings, who’s serving as visitor host, and the quiz present’s different all-time greats. It additionally made Schneider, a trans lady, a visual image of accomplishment for often-marginalized folks.
“It’s nonetheless slightly onerous to consider,” she mentioned of her spectacular run. “It is one thing that I’m going to be remembered for, and that’s fairly nice,”
New champ Rhone Talsma had the proper response to the ultimate “Jeopardy!” clue for a profitable whole of $29,600. Schneider, who discovered herself within the uncommon place of coming into the final spherical wanting a runaway, was second with $19,600.
“I’m nonetheless in shock,” Talsma mentioned in an announcement. “I didn’t count on to be going through a 40-day champion, and I used to be excited to possibly see another person slay the enormous. I simply actually didn’t suppose it was going to be me, so I’m thrilled.”
Schneider informed The Related Press that Talsma performed effectively and did a “nice job of taking the alternatives once they got here up and placing himself place to have the ability to win.”
The reply that stumped Schneider was about nations of the world: The one nation whose identify in English ends in an “h” and which can also be one of many 10 most populous. (Cue the “Jeopardy!” music — and the response is, “What’s Bangladesh?”)
Amongst her instant reactions when the sport and her streak ended: She was unhappy but in addition relieved that “I haven’t got to provide you with anymore anecdotes,” the tales that contestants share throughout sport breaks.
Contestants obtain their winnings after their last sport airs, and Schneider’s spending plans embody garments procuring and, particularly, journey.
An engineering supervisor and Dayton, Ohio, native who lives in Oakland, California, Schneider’s regular-season play made her No. 2 in consecutive video games gained, inserting her between Jennings with 74 video games and Matt Amodio, winner of 38 video games in 2021.
Schneider’s prize whole of $1,382,800 places her in fourth place on the regular-season winnings record, behind Jennings ($2,520,700), James Holzhauer ($2,462,216) and Amodio ($1,518,601).
Schneider, will likely be a part of the present’s “Match of Champions,” and is the primary trans individual to qualify,
She was braced for her streak to finish, she informed AP.
“I had a sense my time was winding down, regardless that it didn’t look that manner within the scores,” Schneider mentioned. The routine of touring to Los Angeles for tapings — 5 exhibits a day, two days every week — was tiring, and that took a toll.
After she surpassed Amodio’s tally of consecutive victories, she added, the prospect of making an attempt to interrupt Jennings’ long-standing report was “onerous to think about.”
Schneider’s depth of data, lightning-fast solutions and gracious however environment friendly method gained her a loyal fan base. Comedy author Louis Virtel, a former “Jeopardy!” contestant, tweeted earlier this month that Schneider was like a “case employee assigned to every episode, and when she’s carried out she picks up her briefcase, nods, and leaves.”
She was additionally admired for her dealing with of anti-trans trolls, with one measured reply prompting a shoutout to her from author and Broadway star Harvey Fierstein.
“The perfect end result of all of this all the time goes to be no matter assist I’ve been capable of provide the trans group,” Schneider mentioned. “I’m right here due to the sacrifices numerous trans folks have made, usually to the extent of risking their lives. To do my half to maneuver that trigger ahead, it’s actually particular.”
Schneider has a message for “Jeopardy!” viewers who will miss making her a part of their day by day routine: “I noticed that I’m actually simply so unhappy for all my followers. … I need to thank them for all their assist, and inform them that is it is OK.”
For the season by way of Jan. 17, “Jeopardy!” ranked because the most-watched syndicated program with a median 9.4 million viewers – a considerable enhance of 563,000 during the last season. The present averaged 11 million viewers for the week of Jan. 10-17, in response to Nielsen.
The streaks by Schneider and Amodio have helped ease “Jeopardy!” previous the mishandled substitute of its admired host, the late Alex Trebek. Government producer Mike Richards was picked by Sony Footage Tv to switch Trebek final yr, however rapidly exited the present after previous podcasts surfaced that included his misogynistic and different demeaning feedback.
A everlasting host has but to be named, with Mayim Bialik, who was named host of prime-time “Jeopardy!” specials, and Jennings buying and selling off this season. Jennings can also be a consulting producer for the present.
