‘Jeopardy!’: Sam Buttrey Cracks Up Fans With ‘JIT’ Joke
Fan favorite Sam Buttrey is returning for the now-airing Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament and is already making viewers laugh before he’s even stepped foot on the Alex Trebek Stage.
Buttrey first won hearts in 2021 when he triumphed in the Professors Tournament. Fans gravitated to his immense trivia knowledge, good-natured humor, calls of “bring it,” and uncanny resemblance to Steve Martin. He would go on to finish as second runner-up in the 2022 Tournament of Champions and sixth-place in 2023’s Jeopardy! Masters.
The associate professor of operations research from Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, is set to return to the long-running game show on Monday, April 1, where he’ll face off against 2017 College Championship winner Lilly Chin and 2013 Tournament of Champions winner Colby Burnett.
After the official Jeopardy! website revealed the JIT match-ups earlier this week, fans noticed something funny about Buttrey’s listed occupation. Alongside his profile photo and name, Buttrey’s job is described as “Bon Vivant & Man About Town.”
For those unfamiliar, “Bon Vivant” is a French phrase meaning “one fond of good living” or “one who lives well,” while “Man About Town” describes a worldly and socially active man.
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Fans took to social media to express their delight at Buttrey’s bio, with many adding their own playful descriptions.
“Bringer of It,” wrote one commenter on the Jeopardy! Reddit forum, referring to Buttrey’s beloved catchphrase. Another took it a step further, saying, “Bringer of Jit!”
“Professional Steve Martin impersonator,” said another, noting the Jeopardy! star’s resemblance to the Only Murders in the Building actor.
“No matter how many times I see him it always baffles me how much he can look like Steve Martin,” wrote one fan, while another said, “I think Sam Buttrey should have a cameo appearance on Steve Martin’s Only Murders in the Building.”
“In other words, a self-proclaimed gadabout,” said one viewer.
“Fancy way to say retired,” wrote another, while one user added, “Sam Buttrey never disappoints.”
Others noted how Buttrey’s occupation was probably changed due to his episode airing on April Fool’s Day.
“I hope that’s exactly how Johnny introduces him!” said another, referring to legendary Jeopardy! announcer Johnny Gilbert.
The JIT, which kicked off on Wednesday, March 20, features a 27-person field battling it out for a spot in the upcoming Jeopardy! Masters. In addition to Buttrey, the competition includes favorites such as Amy Schneider, Sam Kavanaugh, and Jennifer Quail.
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