“Celebrity Jeopardy!” is back.
Beginning Sept. 25, a number of actors, athletes and comedians are competing on a celebrity edition of “Jeopardy!,” hosted by actress Mayim Bialik.
Ahead of the “Celebrity Jeopardy!” premiere, here’s a look at what the late Alex Trebek shared about the classic “Jeopardy!” spinoff in his memoir, and what to expect from the 2022 edition.
‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’ is easier than regular ‘Jeopardy!’
“It’s no great secret that the material for Celebrity ‘Jeopardy!’ is easier than in regular games,” Trebek wrote in his memoir, “The Answer is ... Reflections on My Life.” “Many celebrities who appear on the show are not die-hard fans. I’m often asked if celebrities have to take a test to appear on the show. Yes. They have to be able to spell their name correctly.”
Trebek wrote that it can sometimes be challenging for actors, who are used to portraying other people, to be themselves on the show. Sometimes, he said, the celebrity contestants have a fear that they will embarrass themselves. But the chance to win a significant amount of money to donate to their favorite charity often overrides that fear.
The late host did say there were some celebrity contestants over the years who really held their own and would likely succeed on a regular game of “Jeopardy! That list included:
- Michael McKean.
- Jodie Foster.
- Aaron Rodgers.
- Karem Abdul-Jabbar.
- Anderson Cooper.
- Andy Richter.
- Joshua Malina.
Alex Trebek’s favorite ‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’ moment
In his memoir, Trebek also recalled a “Celebrity Jeopardy!” game in 2004 featuring Bob Woodward, Peggy Noonan and Tucker Carlson. At one point during the game, Noonan buzzed in and answered the following clue: “He’s the shadowy Watergate source.”
After Noonan correctly answered with “Who is Deep Throat?” Trebek turned to Woodward, an investigative journalist who reported on the Watergate scandal, and asked: “We’ve been waiting for over 30 years for this. Who is Deep Throat?”
Woodward’s response? “How much do I get if I answer that?”
Trebek called it one of the funniest moments in all his years of hosting “Jeopardy!”
When does ‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’ 2022 air?
“Celebrity Jeopardy!” returns Sept. 25 and will air at 7 p.m. MT on ABC. Episodes are available for streaming the following day on Hulu.
The premiere “Celebrity Jeopardy!” episode features Richter — who Trebek previously cited as a strong contestant — “Shang-Chi” star Simu Liu, and actress/comedian Ego Nwodim.
The Deseret News reported that other celebrities who will make an appearance include:
- Constance Wu.
- Iliza Shlesinger.
- Ray Romano.
- Aisha Tyler.
- Patton Oswalt.
- Michael Cera.
- B.J. Novak.
- Candace Parker.
How does ‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’ 2022 work?
In total, over the course of the “Celebrity Jeopardy!” tournament, 27 celebrities will face off in nine quarterfinal games. The winners of those episodes will compete in three semifinal games. The top three contestants will compete for $1 million — donated to their charity of choice — in a final showdown, according to USA Today.
Although a regular game of “Jeopardy!” is a half hour, “Celebrity Jeopardy!” episodes will be an hour, allowing more interaction between Bialik and the celebrity contestants, USA Today reported.
The hourlong games include the addition of a Triple Jeopardy round, where clue values are tripled and there are three Daily Doubles.