Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
To be clear, Jeopardy is always worth watching. But every now and again, the show produces a moment or a contestant who makes us really sit up and pay attention. Right now, that contestant is Austin Rogers, the current defending champion on Jeopardy. As of his victory on Wednesday’s show, Austin is a 7-day champion, having amassed $278,300 in prize money. (And it would’ve been more if he’d have gotten that Final Jeopardy answer on Our Town right. Not that I’m bragging that I knew it. Even though I did. Like, right away.)
It’s not just that Austin is winning; he’s winning with panache. The bartender from New York City sports a shaggy tangle of graying hair, an Al-from-Home-Improvement beard, and a tendency towards goofiness that is pretty irresistible on a show that’s far better known for its contestants’ smarts than for their value as entertainers.
But Austin’s got the smarts too. As Alex Trebek has put it, “He’s got hair, he’s got chutzpah, and broad-based knowledge.” If only we could all be so blessed.
Austin’s currently blowing up Twitter for his style points: doing little dances at the podium, blurting out answers like a hyperactive leprechaun, and even getting into a little controversy, after he was dinged for pronouncing “sherbet” incorrectly. Americans Who Pronounce It “Sherbert”: a protected minority.
Austin is also getting major props for his gutsy betting, like this particularly ballsy Final Jeopardy wager that gave him his 6th win in a row:
That “OH!” from the audience at the size of Austin’s wager is the stuff Jeopardy fans live for. Let’s see how long he can keep this going!
