Ike Barinholtz Lives Out Emma Stone’s Dream And Bests Two ‘Jeopardy!’ Champs In The Tournament Of Champions Quarterfinals

By Alex Vena
Published March 5, 2024, 1:48 p.m. ET

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Ike Barinholtz is making Jeopardy! history, and living out Emma Stone‘s aspirations in the meantime.

After his victory on Celebrity Jeopardy against Wil Wheaton and Patton Oswalt, the actor and comedian qualified for the flagship series’ Tournament of Champions, and bested famed Jeopardy! champ Ray Lalonde and Melissa Klapper during Monday night’s (March 4) quarterfinals, per TV Insider.

According to the outlet, Barinholtz officially secured the win after acing the following clue in the “Poets of Ancient Rome” category: “Far from Rome, this first century poet wrote, ‘The leader’s anger done, grant me the right to die in my native country.'”

He correctly guessed “Who is Ovid?,” and ended the game with $28,601 after wagering $13,801, per TODAY.com. The outlet reported that his parents occupied two seats in the audience, applauding him during his triumphant win.

Earlier in the episode, Barinholtz told Ken Jennings that he “feel[s] like a guinea pig a little bit” in terms of becoming the first Celebrity Jeopardy victor to face off in the coveted Tournament of Champions, per TV Insider.

“But I like guinea pigs, they’re adorable, like me,” he added. “But yeah, it’s an honor to be here.”

He also admitted that “people were surprised” by his success, which was certainly apparent on X, where Jeopardy fans reacted to his unconventional win.

“So @ikebarinholtz is smart smart, not just celebrity smart,” one quipped, while another described his appearance as “incredible stuff.” One fan claimed that there are “not enough people talking about Ike Barinholtz winning jeopardy [last] night against a 13-time champion,” referring to Lalonde. Another summed up their thoughts with a simple: “Holy shit Ike Barinholtz.”

Now, Barinholtz will progress in the Tournament of Champions and is set to face off in the semifinals on Thursday (March 7), per the Los Angeles Times.

As for Stone, she revealed on Variety‘s Awards Circuit podcast in January that she applies “every June” to be a contestant on her “favorite show,” a.k.a. “real Jeopardy!,” not its celebrity affiliate.”

Jennings addressed her wish on Live with Kelly and Mark later that month, noting that it’s a “hard show,” but that they “would take her in a heartbeat.”

Jeopardy! airs on weeknights at 7/6c. Check out their website for your local listings.