‘Jeopardy!’: Ken Jennings Teases Champ After Heath Ledger Errors

Meredith Jacobs October 30, 2023, 7:30 pm

Ken Jennings and T.J. Tallie — 'Jeopardy!' — Jeopardy, Inc.

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for the October 30 episode of Jeopardy!]

As Champions Wildcard tournament continued on Jeopardy!, T.J. Tallie, an associate professor of African history from San Diego, California, ran into a bit of trouble with one of the most memorable on-screen Jokers.

T.J. found the Daily Double in the Jeopardy round in the $2000 clue in The Jokers. He made it a True Daily Double (risking $2200). The clue read: “A 2013 Oscar-winning actor; his surname is also the name of Apollo’s mother.” T.J. guessed Heath Ledger (in The Dark Knight), but as host Ken Jennings told him, the correct answer was Jared Leto (Suicide Squad).

Then, for the $400 clue in the same category — “In 1984 he was still known as Leaf when he played Robby in the ABC Afterschool Special ‘Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia” — T.J. once again guessed Heath Ledger but was incorrect. (The right answer was Joaquin Phoenix.)

When the $200 clue showed a photo of Heath Ledger, everyone laughed. The clue read: “His final role was as Tony in ‘The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus’ in 2009.” T.J. rung in and finally was right with “Who is Heath Ledger?” But Jennings couldn’t resist teasing him. “No, I’m sorry. That’s not correct,” the host said. “Yes, it’s Heath Ledger. One out of three ain’t bad.”

'Jeopardy!': Wildcard Champion Remembers Competing in Alex Trebek's Last Episode (VIDEO)

“I will never, ever, ever forget Heath Ledger now,” T.J. wrote on the Jeopardy! subreddit, with a winking face emoji, after the episode. And in response to his comment, ” I’ll be posting or responding periodically today to questions about the episode if you’re interested,” a user wrote, “RIP Heath Ledger.”

T.J. did win the game, beating Jay Foster, an engineer from Rancho Palos Verdes, California, and Sarah Reza, a museum program manager from Hyattsville, Maryland, to advance to the semifinals of Champions Wildcard tournament. (Sarah, however, was the only one to get the Final Jeopardy! correct, though she ended the game in second place with $6,000; Jay had $800.)

Jeopardy!, Weekdays, check local listings