‘Jeopardy’ Contestant Baffles Alex Trebek with Shrug Man Answer

If you’re going to lose Jeopardy, you may as well go out in flames. On Wednesday night, contestant Eric Doctor did just that when he answered the “Final Jeopardy” question with a drawing of the Shrug Man emoticon (also known as a shruggie, according to the all-knowing Emojipedia). The gesture left Doctor with a measly $2,001, all but ensuring that he’d lose out to Trisha Eustaquio and Jackie Fuchs, the former bass guitarist for The Runaways.

Doctor went into “Final Jeopardy” dead last with only $4,800 (Eustaquio and Fuchs had $13,400 and $14,400, respectively). While the camera stayed on host Alex Trebek, Doctor probably shook his head when Trebek read the insanely difficult category: “Poets’ Birthplaces.” There are so many poets! And even more birthplaces! “5 Cwmdonkin Drive was the address of the family home where he was born in 1914,” read the clue. When faced with that clue, who wouldn’t opt for the shrug emoji?

After the classic Jeopardy music played, it was time to reveal the answers, and Doctor, in last place, went first. “You were in trouble a lot today, but you wound up with $4,800,” Trebek told him. Trebek stopped speaking mid-sentence when he saw Doctor’s answer, which, admittedly, looked more like a drawing than anything resembling a word. “What did you put — what is… I have no idea what that is, and I won’t ask,” said Trebek, totally stumped by the shruggie. Doctor threw up his arms and became his own Shrug Man, complete with a half-smile. After Doctor’s $2,799 bet was accounted for, he was left with just over $2,000.

Both Eustaquio and Fuchs answered correctly with “Dylan Thomas,” so the winner came down to their bets. But Fuchs, the musician-turned-attorney bet bigger, and she ended up winning with $28,400, bringing her three-day total up to $58, 689. Maybe The Runaways used to practice trivia questions between sets in the 1970s?

Fuchs may have won for the third day straight, but Doctor’s Shrug Man will always be a winner in our eyes. You can watch the entire episode above; “Final Jeopardy” begins at the 17:00 mark.

Where to stream Jeopardy