‘Jeopardy!’ Super-Champ Ray Lalonde Reveals Ken Jennings Secret, Slams Amy Schneider Trolls
Jeopardy!‘s latest super-champ, Ray Lalonde, who recently won 13 games in a row and $386,000, is not letting last Tuesday’s (January 2) loss bring him down, as he opens up about his experience on the show, meeting Ken Jennings, and dealing with Twitter trolls.
The scenic artist from Toronto, Canada, spoke with Toronto Life about his Jeopardy! journey, where he revealed he was “having too much fun taking it one game at a time” to be heartbroken by his loss. He also said buzzer management is what cost him the game more so than the difficulty of the questions.
“I think everybody on stage knows the answers to most of the questions, so it is really an issue of how quickly you can come up with them and hit the buzzer,” Lalonde explained. “They actually coach you on the buzzer during the practice round. There is a light beside the board that turns on when the question is finished. If you buzz before it goes on, you’re locked out for a half-second, which can make all the difference.”
As for the questions themselves, Lalonde said he felt he had a bit of an advantage due to being a “little older” and having “more lived experience”.
He also shared what it’s like being in the presence of host Ken Jennings, admitting that the Jeopardy! G.O.A.T. isn’t around the contestants as much as fans might think.
“You don’t actually get to see Ken a lot,” Lalonde stated. “There are a lot of systems in place to make sure that the game can’t be rigged in any way, and one of them is that the host isn’t around the contestants. They have a game show cop on set who draws the names for who’s going to play and what the categories… It’s very randomized.”
Lalonde earned plenty of fans during his time on the show; one woman even referred to him as Canada’s Fred Rogers. “That’s very kind. I do try to be a nice guy,” Lalonde said. He also won over some famous fans, including fellow super-champ Matt Amodio and Glass Onion director Rian Johnson.
“I saw that Jeopardy! champ Matt Amodio said some nice things, and Rian Johnson, who was a category on the show, said he was a fan. I’m a fan of his, so that was cool,” he said.
Yeah yeah #GlassOnion yeah yeah yeah HOLY SHIT I’M ON @JEOPARDY!!!!! And all the contestants had to say my name! Including Ray who is a current household favorite. Am I allowed to say this was the most exciting thing on TV for me tonight? pic.twitter.com/RQjQxhzdtZ
— Rian Johnson (@rianjohnson) December 24, 2022
One person he isn’t sure watched is The Handmaid’s Tale author Margaret Atwood; Lalonde worked in the art department for the TV adaptation. “I’ve seen her and said hello at the wrap parties,” he shared before saying that he’s had lot “a lot of emails from people who I work with.”
However, there were also Twitter trolls who criticized Lalonde for his habit of swaying behind the podium. “I was a little annoyed because I have an issue with my spine and back,” Lalonde said. “It’s called radicular neuropathy. I’ve lost some of the use of my left hand, and my legs don’t work like they used to.”
Lalonde isn’t the first Jeopardy! contestant to receive trollish comments. Fellow Canadian super-champ Mattea Roach received hateful remarks about her hand gestures and teeth, while Tournament of Champions winner Amy Schneider had to deal with transphobic comments.
“The things people said about Amy Schneider were just horrible,” Lalonde told the publication.
Lalonde will return to the podium for the next Tournament of Champions.
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Conversation18 Comments
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Comments are closed on this story.
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P
I think people need to STOP being so critical of other human beings. Please, just like it was said so long ago after the LA Riots…”Can’t we all just get along!” Why do people have to be so cruel to each other.
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E
I really liked Ray. He was very smart, but also had such an easy, tranquil vibe. Mr. Rogers does seem like a good comparison.
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A
"super-champ Mattea Roach received hateful remarks about her hand gestures and teeth"
WTF, people?
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R
I love Jeopardy, but I'm beginning to dislike a lot of the so called Jeopardy fans. I don't think they even consider how they'd feel if they were on the receiving in of some of the silly, or worse, mean comments they make.
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J
Agreed. Jeopardy is a show you watch for the questions, and to test your own knowledge. Getting nitpicky about someone's teeth or hand gestures is just... nitpicky. Carping about this or that isn't helpful, and is just annoying. Maybe more people should do what I do: just listen to Jeopardy, and don't watch. (I'm usually eating dinner while the show airs, so I have it on in the other room so I can hear it.) Believe me, nobody's teeth, or swaying, or hand gestures bother you if you can't see them.
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C
Ray also has a wonderful speaking voice. Wonder if he has done voice-over work.
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C
I can't believe this level of disrespect! Amy identifies as female and has made a full transition. Her pronouns are she/her. I have nothing but the greatest admiration for Amy and am so happy for her in her recent marriage.
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O
I appreciate all the return contestants on Jeopardy, but Ray is especially fun to watch with his relaxed, friendly style! GO RAY!!
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R
I think Jennings is best host since Alex. Want him fulltime. Contestants are so intelligent. People speak out against others often cruelly....our society is not always kind.
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R
Wish people like you go somewhere, Now
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C
Sheesh Grow up everybody! These comments are so “high school” and juvenile! I don’t like her hands his twisting is distracting I don’t like her face etc etc whine whine whine. People will complain about anything!
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C
People … please.. enough with the rude comments 🤦🏼♀️
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G
Ray was very polite you do not hear please very often on the show which he used ever time he chose a question
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G
Quick heads up to the writer of this article that Mattea Roach uses they/them pronouns, not she/her.
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L
Thank you for noting! On Mattea's Instagram, she's listed both they and she as their pronouns. Thanks for checking!
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B
Ray was very intelligent and enjoyable to watch. However, that swaying was very distracting. He says it’s due to a spine condition. I have a similar condition. Its just odd how the only time he’s “sways” is during his answers. Kind of distracting. Seems more like a nervous habit to me. Good luck to him and his mega bucks
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P
Glad he’s gone! All that twisting around was just obnoxious.
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O
You need to get a life. Once you’re perfect, you can throw the first stone🤦🏽♀️
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