As a third season of “Celebrity Jeopardy!” kicks off Wednesday, with 27 celebrities trying to outsmart each other for a chance to win $1 million for a charity of their choice, at least this much is certain: Comedians are on a roll.
Ike Barinholtz, known for his role in the sitcom “The Mindy Project,” won the inaugural season of the “Jeopardy!” spinoff in 2023 — and made a good run in the Tournament of Champions, becoming the first celebrity to compete alongside players from the regular season, as the Deseret News previously reported.
The following year, “Abbott Elementary” star Lisa Ann Walter won “Celebrity Jeopardy!” — making comedians two for two on victories.
Now, several comedians will appear in Season 3, including Fortune Feimster, who starred alongside Barinholtz in “The Mindy Project”; stand-up comic W. Kamau Bell; “New Girl” star Max Greenfield; “Community” star Yvette Nicole Brown; “Gilmore Girls” star Sean Gunn; and “The Good Place” star D’Arcy Carden.
Season 3 of “Celebrity Jeopardy!” will also feature astrophysicist Neil de Grasse Tyson, “High School Musical” star Corbin Bleu, talk show host Ana Navarro, sports journalist Mina Kimes and entrepreneur David Friedberg.
Here’s a brief overview of what to expect from the season.
When does ‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’ Season 3 premiere? How to watch
The new season of “Celebrity Jeopardy!” premieres Jan. 8 on ABC.
The first quarterfinal game — featuring Greenfield, Bell and “Grey’s Anatomy” star Camilla Luddington — will air at 8 p.m. MST.
In a teaser for the premiere, host Ken Jennings asked Greenfield about his preparations for the game.
“I thought about studying, but then I realized I’d have to study everything. And so I stopped,” Greenfield said in the video clip shared on Instagram. “And now I’m here.”
Neil de Grasse Tyson, Melissa Peterman and Jackie Tohn will compete in the second quarterfinal game that airs Jan. 15, according to a TV listing.
The 27 celebrity contestants will compete over nine quarterfinal games. Nine players will then advance to the semifinals, with the top three players competing in the finale. In addition to winning $1 million for charity, the Season 3 winner will also earn a spot in the Tournament of Champions.
Episodes are available for streaming the following day on Hulu.
Who is competing on ‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’ 2025?
Below are the 27 celebrities competing on this season of “Jeopardy Celebrity”:
- Brian Jordan Alvarez
- Blake Anderson
- W. Kamau Bell
- Rachel Brosnahan
- Yvette Nicole Brown
- Corbin Bleu
- D’Arcy Carden
- Margaret Cho
- Sherry Cola
- Chris Distefano
- Omar J. Dorsey
- Susie Essman
- Fortune Feimster
- David Friedberg
- Seth Green
- Max Greenfield
- Sean Gunn
- Mina Kimes
- Camilla Luddington
- Natalie Morales
- Ana Navarro
- Melissa Peterman
- Phoebe Robinson
- Robin Thede
- Jackie Tohn
- Neil de Grasse Tyson
- Roy Wood Jr.
Is ‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’ easier than ‘Jeopardy!’?
Late “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek shared in his memoir that “Celebrity Jeopardy!” isn’t quite as challenging as regular “Jeopardy!” play.
“It’s no great secret that the material for ‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’ is easier than in regular games,” Trebek wrote, per the Deseret News. “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.”
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!”