A clearly thrilled Grant DeYoung won his fourth game of Jeopardy! on Monday night (May 20) despite trailing his opponents for the majority of the episode.
The Prescott, Arizona native came into the episode as a three-day champion, having won $67,202 in his previous appearances. However, things got off to a rocky start as five incorrect responses put DeYoung behind his competitors, filmmaker Gregg Meller and student Ivvone Zhou.
Meller continued strongly in the next round, finding both Daily Doubles. Unfortunately, he wagered big on the second, losing a big chunk of his earnings and allowing DeYoung to take a slight lead heading into Final Jeopardy.
DeYoung and Zhou both answered Final Jeopardy correctly, but DeYoung wagered enough to snatch the win by just $1, finishing with $14,001 over Zhou’s $14,000.
It was clearly an emotional victory for DeYoung, who last week shared with viewers how he was in a car crash the moment he found out he was going to be on Jeopardy!
As DeYoung’s streak continues, here are six things you should know about the fan favorite grocery clerk.
Fans Love That He’s Emotional & Fun to Watch
DeYoung is not afraid to show his emotions on national television. Every time he wins, he pumps his fists and almost tears up. Viewers have come to appreciate this openness and down-to-earth relatability.
“Grant is awesome. Love how emotional each win makes him; he seems like a genuine dude,” wrote one fan on the Jeopardy! Reddit forum.
“I am really happy for Grant. His mannerisms remind me of me (my parents noticed it too). Hope he keeps his run going!” said another.
He Gets a Record-Breaking Number of Questions Wrong
DeYoung might only be four wins into his streak, but he’s already making history. As noted by TheJeopardyFan.com, after Monday’s episode, DeYoung is the first known player to win a game with 11 incorrect responses since Jack Lechner on December 1, 1988, and the first known player to win a game with at least 11 incorrect over the first two rounds since Steve Rogitz on March 26, 1985
Rogitz currently holds the record for winning with the most incorrect responses, with 13 (12 in the main game and a miss in Final Jeopardy). Will DeYoung break the record?
He Is the Spitting Image of Weird Al Jankovic
On the latest episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, producer Sarah Whitcomb Foss and former Tournament of Champions winner Buzzy Cohen spoke about DeYoung and his uncanny resemblance to a celebrity.
“Grant’s got some humor,” Foss said, to which Cohen replied, “He doesn’t just look like Weird Al.”
Fans agreed that DeYoung looks like musician and comedian Weird Al Yankovic, with one Reddit user writing, “I thought Celeb Jeopardy was over, but here we are, watching Weird Al.”
“I am enjoying the run Weird Al is having on #jeopardy,” wrote another viewer on X.
Weird Al himself has ties to Jeopardy!, having released the classic tune “I Lost on Jeopardy!” in 1984. Listen to the song below.
He Works as a Grocery Store Clerk
DeYoung has spoken about working as a grocery clerk, recently telling Ken Jennings that being 6 ft 4 means he can help little old ladies get things down from the higher shelves in the store.
According to DeYoung’s LinkedIn page, he’s been working at a King Soopers store in Fort Collins, Colorado. His duties included “team-based grocery store work involving consistent, clean, detail-oriented stocking and ordering.”
He Has His Heart Set on a Career in Computers
DeYoung attended Colorado State University, where he studied Computer Science. He’s now looking to embark on a career in computers and software development.
On his LinkedIn, he wrote that he’s “been working in teams in the retail and charity giving worlds for six years” and is “ready to take that team-first mentality to the world of Software Engineering/Development.”
Jeopardy! Bosses Have Addressed Why He Sits Down
Last week, DeYoung explained why he sits on the show, revealing that he requested a chair because he has back arthritis, which makes standing difficult for long periods.
Producers addressed this on the latest Inside Jeopardy! podcast, where Foss said, “Fans have been noticing that Grant is sitting in a chair during his games. This is something that we always offer to contestants.”
“We don’t ask why; it’s not our business,” she added. “If you want a chair, we’ll give it to you.”
