Champ Amy Schneider Reveals Ken Jenning’s Top ‘Jeopardy!’ Tips

Current “Jeopardy!” champion Amy Schneider is smashing records left and right.

Schneider – the show’s first openly trans contestant to make it to the Tournament of Champions – has scored an impressive 15-day winning streak and has accumulated more than $600,000 dollars in winnings.

Although fans can’t wait to see where she goes from here, Schneider has previously revealed that she credits her privilege of growing up perceived as a white male to some of her success. She also took the time to answer the age-old question: “How are you so smart?”

Now, in a recent interview, Schneider is weighing in on the Mike Richards hosting controversy.

In an interview with The Daily Beast, Schneider said that she is hoping that her run will help people forget about Mike Richards once and for all.

Mike Richards, the former executive producer of “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune,” was named as the next permanent host of “Jeopardy!” with Mayim Bialik only filling in for special tournaments. However, many fans complained that his selection wasn’t exactly fair, and he quickly stepped down once insensitive comments about women and minorities surfaced on his podcast.

He was fired from both shows shortly thereafter, and EP Michael Davies has been beloved by fans ever since stepping into his new role.

Schneider, who has never worked with Richards directly, said “I hope that this can get the bad taste of ‘Jeopardy!’s last year out of everyone’s mouth and get them more into what ‘Jeopardy!’ has always been about.”

Schneider was also glad that her run was pushed back due to the pandemic, so she never had to deal with the scandal directly.

“I’m glad that they pushed me back a year and I didn’t have to be directly involved with any of it,” she stated. “I’m glad that the old guy is gone and there’s no point in my talking too much about it because it’s all kind of done at this point.”

She added, “But I think that it’s disappointing to see an institution be a little bit tarnished. It was not fun to witness. But I do feel like it’s getting back on its feet. I think Ken [Jennings has] been a great host.”

Although Schneider had previously backed “The Reading Rainbow” host LeVar Burton to become the next host of “Jeopardy!”, she has loved working with Jennings behind the scenes.

“He gives us all the same general tips at the beginning of every show, which is ‘Relax, have fun, and have a good time.’ The hard part is over; you’re here. You get to be on the show. It’s really cool, and it’s over really fast. So enjoy it.”

Ken Jennings has proven to be so popular with fans that they were calling for his return even when he took a two-week hiatus to let Bialik host the show’s first-ever Professor’s Tournament, which was won by an associate professor of operations research at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, Sam Buttrey.

Although Ken Jennings has not been selected as the permanent host of “Jeopardy!”, Sony announced earlier this month that both he and Bialik will be splitting hosting duties throughout 2022. As for now, it looks like Jennings will be hosting the show’s regular gameplay and Bialik will step in to host the show’s special tournaments, starting with the National College Championship in February 2022.