Listen This is Jeopardy!
Listen to This Is Jeopardy!
Join host Buzzy Cohen as he peels back the curtain on a beloved quiz show that made it cool to be smart.
For the last 60 years, one TV program has kept us coming back for more. How did Jeopardy! first capture the American imagination? Join host Buzzy Cohen as he peels back the curtain on the quintessential quiz show that made it cool to be smart. We'll go behind the scenes with contestants, staffers, and fans to explore the show's history — including longtime host Alex Trebek — relive favorite moments, and uncover the magic behind the big blue gameboard.
From Somethin' Else, Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Pictures TV, This Is Jeopardy! The Story of America's Favorite Quiz Show. Listen & follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Back To The Beginning | Ep. 1
April 26, 2023 – Alex Trebek. SNL parodies. A big blue game board. These are some of the things that probably spring to mind when you think about Jeopardy! But you might not know about a grand jury investigation, a fateful airplane ride, a piano from Marlon Brando, and a little studio inside 30 Rock.
In this episode, we’ll travel back to the 1960s, and learn how one of the biggest television scandals actually led to the creation of America’s favorite quiz show.
Here's Your Host: Alex Trebek | Ep. 2
May 3, 2023 - It was 1979 and Jeopardy! was going off the air… again. Merv Griffin had tried to revive it after the original run was canceled. Art Fleming was still at the helm. But daytime soaps were dominating the airwaves and the fate of the quiz show was uncertain.
In 1984, however, a syndication deal brought Jeopardy! back… for a third time! And things were different. There was a new set, a new synthy-sound, and most importantly, a brand new host.
In this episode, we meet the man behind the lectern at the beginning of his Jeopardy! career, Canada’s answer to Dick Clark, the one and only Alex Trebek. And we learn how he and the Jeopardy! revival found their sea legs together.
Both Sides of the Buzzer | Ep. 3
May 10, 2023 - How did an eight-inch long tube of plastic — Jeopardy!’s famed “signaling device” — become one of the most consequential parts of the game? Some contestants train for the buzzer like they’re training for a marathon. It’s a source of obsession, and sometimes fear — but as Fritz Holznagel says, “The buzzer is your friend.”
In this episode, hear from Holznagel, a former champion who’s studied buzzing timing more than almost anyone, from Matt Amodio, whose buzzer excellence manifested itself in a 38-game streak, and from Michael Harris — the “Enabler” himself, who controls the buzzer from off stage.
The Trebek Effect | Ep. 4
May 17, 2023 - There are game show hosts, and then there's Alex Trebek. In this episode, we revisit the signature stylings of Jeopardy!’s inimitable quizmaster and his transformation from public figure to icon.
A Day in the Life of a Jeopardy! Contestant | Ep. 5
May 24, 2023 - Hair and makeup. Buzzer practice. Lights and cameras. Nerves. Adrenaline. Joy. Disappointment. Follow along in the life of a Jeopardy! contestant as we go behind the scenes on a typical tape day, starting on Stage 10 of the Sony lot.
Ken's Historic Run | Ep. 6
May 31, 2023 - It’s 2004. Up until a year before, Jeopardy! had a rule: contestants could only win five consecutive games. After the fifth win, they had to leave. But now there was no limit, and everyone wanted to know, who would be the first contestant to go the distance? Cue: Ken Jennings, aka “The Professor.” His historic 74-game winning streak, culminating in over $2.5 million dollars in winnings, would permanently change the game by creating a new type of fandom.
The Ken Jennings Roadkill Show | Ep. 7
June 7, 2023 - Ken Jennings has another title — one he doesn’t relish: dasher of dreams.
During his historic 2004 run, Jennings defeated 148 opponents on the Jeopardy! stage.
Many of them faded into obscurity as his star rose. In this episode, we hear directly from among the 148 contestants who battled to best him — the “roadkill” that Ken Jennings left in his wake.
A Computer Called Watson | Ep. 8
June 14, 2023 - In 2011, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter faced off against an unlikely Jeopardy! opponent: the IBM supercomputer known as Watson. The size of 10 refrigerators — Watson was designed to be a “question answering machine” that could take on the likes of Jeopardy!'s fiercest super champs. This week, hear about how Jeopardy! became the next frontier for testing the limits of artificial intelligence. Plus, what our human players remember about that fateful match.
Alex Trebek: The Perfectionist, The Handyman, The Marshmallow | Ep. 9
June 21, 2023 - You knew Alex Trebek as the host of Jeopardy! — poised, polished, professional. But what was he like before a curtain call? What about after? Hear about a typical day in the life of Alex, from some of the people who saw him up close and personal when the cameras weren’t rolling.
The Clue Crew | Ep. 10
June 28, 2023 - This week, we meet the Clue Crew — the intrepid team that brought Jeopardy! viewers to all reaches of the globe. From a nationwide search for talent to secret auditions, learn how four individuals came together, traveled to 300 cities, all 50 states, 45 countries, and seven continents, in the hopes of finding more eye-catching clues for the big blue game board.
The Hardest Quiz Night in the Country, aka O'Brien's | Ep. 11
July 5, 2023 - What happens when Jeopardy! champions host their own trivia night? Since the early aughts, former Jeopardy! contestants — including some of the greatest champions — have gathered weekly at O’Brien’s. It's an unassuming, wood-paneled bar in Santa Monica, six miles from the Sony lot.
Join host Buzzy Cohen on a typical Wednesday night at O’Brien’s, meet some of its regulars — from Jeopardy! alumni to hopefuls — and see what it's like to be a member of one of the most elite alumni networks in the world.
Being Seen on Jeopardy! | Ep. 12
July 12, 2023 - Every Jeopardy! contestant faces the same moment of vulnerability — once your game airs, suddenly you're in front of the whole world, at least for a little while. And all that attention? It might not be what you imagined before you went on the show.
Being catapulted into the public eye can bring on the highest of highs...and some harder moments, too. Dive into the complex aftermath of being on Jeopardy! with three contestants, including host Buzzy Cohen.
Jeopardy!'s On | Ep. 13
July 19, 2023 - For millions of people, watching Jeopardy! is a beloved routine — something to look forward to, a reason to gather with family and friends, and even, a way to cheer on a friend? This week, we celebrate the ways that people watch — and love — America's favorite quiz show.
Jeopardy! Love Stories, On and Off Stage 10 | Ep. 14
July 26, 2023 - You might not think Jeopardy! creates the ideal conditions for romance, but several contestants would tell you otherwise. Stories of love, on and off Stage 10.
So Long, Everybody! | Ep. 15
August 2, 2023 - On March 6, 2019, Alex Trebek shared a public message, explaining that he was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. His announcement shocked and saddened people across the world.
In this episode, we hear from those who were closest to Alex about how he approached the next 20 months. What did those final weeks feel like…and how did Alex and the Jeopardy! team maneuver them together? How did the show, and its loyal viewers, prepare for the next chapter of Jeopardy!?
You Got "The Call"...Now What?! | Ep. 16
August 9, 2023 - Over the years, thousands of contestants have competed on Stage 10. That’s a lot of people…and a lot of different paths to Jeopardy! But the thing is, when you ask contestants how they prepared for their big shot, the stories are more varied — and more unexpected — than you might think.
The Making of a Jeopardy! Champion | Ep. 17
August 16, 2023 - You’ve watched them play night after night. You’ve followed their unbelievable streaks and stats. In the last few years, a growing number of Jeopardy! champions have captured the public’s attention for their lengthy runs and aggressive strategies.
What allowed them to rise? What tactics do they use? And what does their success signal about the future of America’s favorite quiz show?
Live from New York...It's Jeopardy! | Ep. 18
August 23, 2023 - Alex Trebek once said that he didn’t mind the SNL parodies of Jeopardy! — in fact, he loved them because they meant he, and the show, had “arrived.”
The SNL sketches — Celebrity Jeopardy! and Black Jeopardy! — might be some of the most well-known parodies of the show. How did they reflect Jeopardy!’s popularity and cement its enduring cultural appeal?
Stars…They’re Just Like Us (Jeopardy! Contestants)| Ep. 19
August 30, 2023 - Since 1992, celebrities — from actors and comedians to news anchors and politicians — have duked it out on Stage 10 to become Jeopardy! champions and win millions of dollars for charity. Hear stars like Regis Philbin and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar take their place behind the podiums, and follow Michael McKean’s journey to dominating Celebrity Jeopardy!