The streak has ended. For 182 days and 75 episodes, Ken "FedEx" Jennings was on top of the "Jeopardy!" mountain.
But, just like common decency in Detroit, it has ended.
Jennings, however, did leave his mark behind on the game show world by pummeling many records, giving them a wedgie and taking their lunch money.
Some of these records include: most consecutive appearances on a syndicated game show (75), highest total winnings on a game show ($2,522,700) and highest total winnings in one day on "Jeopardy!" ($75,000).
There is no argument that this was an amazing feat, but is it the biggest in game show history?
No.
That title is ever-reserved for Michael-Paul Larson.
Who is Michael-Paul Larson you ask?
His game-show story begins in the simpler time of 1984, when "Ghost Busters" were sucking up ghouls on the big screen, Michael Jackson was setting the music world and himself on fire, and Mr. Larson was concocting a plan out of his Lebanon, Ohio home for dominance on the greatest game show ever, "Press Your Luck."
Just in case anyone isn't familiar with "Press Your Luck," here's a quick refresher: a panel of three players would answer trivia questions to obtain spins on a board which had a light bouncing around from square to square. The contestant would then use a spin and hit their button, hoping that the light would stop on a prize or cash.
Also on the board were whammies, a cute, brown, not-so-lovable cartoon character, that if landed on, animated across the screen and "took" away a contestants money in the most adorable way possible.
Previously thought to be random locations, Larson speculated that whammies were appearing in certain locations on the board, meaning that anyone could avoid the critters.
Over the next few weeks, Larson taped the show, watching it carefully to see if his theory proved correct.
Indeed it did. Larson discovered that the board only used a six-pattern, 18-number sequence, which was easy enough for even George W. Bush to memorize.
For the next six weeks, Larson learned the sequence, then flew to Los Angeles for a tryout with borrowed money and a 65-cent dress shirt on his back.
"Press Your Luck" Executive Producer of Bill Carruthers was impressed with Larson's enthusiasm during the tryout and wanted him on the show, whereas Contestant Coordinator Bob Edwards didn't because he found something suspicious about him. Larson made the show, and all of Edwards suspicions would be realized on May 19, 1984.
The show began, and without any money to lose, Larson sneakily landed on a whammy during his first spin to throw any possible suspicions to the wayside. Now it was time for the money to roll in.
Gaining control of the board after his first "mistake," Larson took up the remainder of the 30-minute show on one spin to rack up $36,851. It doesn't stop there.
Another 30-minute show had to air because Larson kept winning on one spin. Host Peter Tomarken pleaded with Larson, telling him to end it now unless he wanted to lose it all on one whammy. Larson didn't listen, and by the end of the second show, Larson's winnings totaled $110,237, prizes included.
Executives for the show realized what he had done, and had the board changed to 32 patterns instead of the previous six.
Though he earned no where near the money Jennings did, Larson's "NO WHAMMIES, NO WHAMMIES," feat stands as the greatest a game show has ever seen.
Write to Ryan at
rjsmith@bsu.edu
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