Walnut Creek: Newsmakers: Lesher Speaker Series – Ken Jennings

Newsmakers: Lesher Speaker Series seeks to nurture a community of enthusiastic conversationalists, inspired to discuss important issues with family, friends, and neighbors.

Greatest Jeopardy! Player of All Time, Jeopardy! Co-Host & Best-Selling Author

When it comes to quiz shows, no one has done it better than Ken Jennings. The former Utah software engineer rose to fame in 2004 when he spent six months as a contestant on Jeopardy! His 75-game streak and $2.52 million in winnings are still Jeopardy! records today. In 2020, he was named the show’s “Greatest of All Time” after winning a prime-time tournament against legendary champs James Holzhauer and Brad Rutter and earned an additional $1 million. In early 2021, he guest-hosted the program for six weeks after the passing of long-time host Alex Trebek, eventually signing on to co-host the show with Mayim Bialik through the entirety of season 38.

Jennings’ success should come as no surprise. A native of Seattle, he spent 15 years in South Korea and Singapore. His father worked as an attorney there. The only lifeline to American pop culture at the time was the Armed Forces Network, where he watched Jeopardy! after school every afternoon. He dreamed of being on the show. But as life got busy, the fantasy faded away. Learn more about Ken Jennings.

Running Time: approx. 90 minutes, with no intermission

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