A ‘Jeopardy!’ Contestant Just Had The Second Worst Single-Game Score In The Game Show’s Long History

In a season 9 episode of The Simpsons, Marge Simpson goes on Jeopardy! to make money after Bart lies about burning down the family’s Christmas tree and presents. It’s a whole thing. The point is, Marge’s plan backfires when she finishes with the comically low total of negative $5,200.

But that’s still $2,000 better than how a recent contestant did.

On Monday’s episode of Jeopardy!, Erin Buker, a stay-at-home mom from San Pedro, California, competed against Michigan graduate student Drew Basile and Canadian lightning designer Graham Hicks. But really, she was competing against history: according to TV Insider, Buker finished with negative $7,200, which is the second lowest score in the game show’s history. She was only 200 bucks away from the lowest total, set by Patrick Pearce on July 26, 2021.

Once the episode aired, Buker commented on the Jeopardy! subreddit. She’s a good sport. “When it came to the buzzer, I was my own worst enemy, frequently buzzing in midway through the clue as if my thumb had a mind of its own. There’s something uniquely frustrating about knowing answers, but not having the wherewithall to ring in at the appropriate time to answer them. That was my defecit and I own it entirely,” she wrote. Buker added, “All I know is that when the WOAT tournament rolls around, I’m a shoe-in!”

It’s unclear if she had to pay the money back, like Marge did.

(Via TV Insider)