A retired pension administrator, a human resources data analyst, and a returning champion walked into a Jeopardy! studio. It sounds like the setup for a particularly dry joke, but this was the reality for Herb Jeong, Megan Riddell, and Laura Faddah, respectively. Faddah, already a six-day champion with a hefty $79,400 in winnings, faced off against Jeong, from San Francisco, and Riddell, hailing from Linthicum, Maryland. Would the newcomers unseat the reigning champ, or would Faddah continue her winning streak?
The game started with a typical Jeopardy! mix of categories, ranging from “Starts & Ends with ‘O'” to “This Side of Parodies,” proving yet again that this show’s writers have a fondness for wordplay bordering on the torturous. While Riddell briefly took the lead after the first Daily Double, Faddah held a respectable $3,400 going into Double Jeopardy!, followed by Riddell at $1,800 and Jeong trailing at $400.
Double Jeopardy! offered a slightly more academic bent with “Science,” “Minor League Baseball Team Geography,” and the ominously titled “The Dreaded Lesser-Known Opera Category.” A Daily Double on “Science” cost Faddah dearly, knocking her back down the leaderboard. Jeong also took a gamble on a Daily Double, but his wager backfired, sending him into the negative. Despite these setbacks, Faddah managed to rally in the final stages of the round, securing a commanding lead with $10,000 going into Final Jeopardy!. Jeong and Riddell trailed with $3,200 and $1,400, respectively.
The Final Jeopardy! category, “Fictional Characters,” presented a seemingly straightforward clue: “In his very first appearance by name, this character comes downstairs ‘bump-bump-bump on the back of his head.'” Only Riddell correctly identified Winnie-the-Pooh, while Faddah incorrectly wagered $2,000. Despite the misstep, Faddah’s lead was insurmountable, and she emerged victorious with $8,000, bringing her seven-day total to an impressive $87,400.
A “post-season” hiatus means viewers will have to wait to see if Faddah can continue her reign of dominance.
Jeopardy! airs weekdays in syndication. Check local listings.
