Though it initially seemed as if the WGA writers strike would perhaps justifiably cause Jeopardy! to stall production on future episodes, which has been the case for most TV series that rely on staffed Guild members, the latest installment of the Inside Jeopardy podcast revealed that won’t be the case at all. Rather, Season 40 will indeed be moving forward, albeit on a different path than originally planned, and the G.O.A.T.-hunting past champ James Holzhauer delivered some of his signature snark in response to the news.
On Monday, August 7, Jeopardy! executive producer Michael Davies broke the news that the upcoming season will bring about some big changes, including the mixed usage of both new and past clues, with the caveat being that no brand new contestants will be used. After the news broke, James Holzhauer hit up X with the following breakdown:
If you don’t have time to listen, here’s the executive summary of today’s announcement: 1:00-2:00: Jeopardy’s writers are invaluable and we couldn’t produce the show without them 2:00-15:00: Here is how we will produce the upcoming season without them
I feel like even Davies and Inside Jeopardy’s host Sarah Foss would have to chuckle in retrospect at Holzhauer’s observation, even though nothing that’s stated is inherently jokey in terms of being exaggerated or falsified. He just very clearly pointed out that the show’s ringleader spent a limited amount of time raining praise down on the striking writers, and then a far longer stretch detailing exactly how the new episodes will come together without any of those writers being involved.
Would it have been weird if Michael Davies spent 14 minutes speaking to the writers’ strengths, and then only 1 minute going over the show’s changes? Yes, perhaps, but still not unwelcomed. I suppose one could look at the situation like this: “Using older, previously seen clues is actually honoring the wit and intelligence of current and past writers, and it’s a testament to just how many clues have been crafted over the past 29 years.” But I’m guessing Holzhauer and some/many of the writers may have different views.
While he’s apparently good for parenting advice in a pinch, James Holzhauer has embraced his role as the closest thing Jeopardy! has to a shit-talking troll, though his potshots at the game show are usually free from malice and outright spite. His relationship with the show’s crew and Ken Jennings is, by all accounts, quite amicable, so it’s not like he’s biting the hand that feeds with comments like this. It’s more like he’s ribbing the hand that is willing to feed him whenever his schedule allows for it. Not a bad place to be.
Speaking of good-natured ribbing, Holzhauer also posted recently about a chance encounter with a fan who didn’t need any help in unwittingly roasting fellow Jeopardy! mega-champ Matt Amodio, who has notably competed in games hosted by seven different people, though that viewer apparently missed all of them.
Fan: Can I get a selfie? We watch every Jeopardy!Me: Sure. Do you also want one with my friend here?Fan, turning to @AmodioMatt: Oh, have you been on the show as well?August 7, 2023
Audiences can catch James Holzhauer continuing to show off his immense trivia knowledge on ABC’s The Chase, which airs new episodes every Thursday at 9:00 p.m. ET, and is available to stream the next day with a Hulu subscription.
