‘Jeopardy!’ Contestant Erin Buker Speaks Out After Getting Second Worst Score Ever
Erin Buker made history when she appeared on Jeopardy! on Monday night (June 24), just not how she would have wanted, as she walked away with the second-lowest score in the game show’s history.
For those that missed the episode, Buker, a stay-at-home mom from San Pedro, California, faced off against reigning champion and Survivor alum Drew Basile and lighting designer Graham Hicks. Throughout the game, Buker consistently buzzed in too early and ended up shut out of Final Jeopardy due to her score of -$7,200.
As many fans pointed out, this was the second-lowest score in Jeopardy! history, just behind Patrick Pearce, who ended the July 26, 2021 game with -$7,400.
Now, Buker is addressing just exactly what went wrong, referring to herself as “my own worst enemy.”
“It was a day to forget for Erin indeed! Unfortunately, they taped what little I was able to forget about it,” Buker joked in a post on the Jeopardy! Reddit forum on Tuesday (June 25).
She continued, “When it came to the buzzer, I was my own worst enemy, frequently buzzing in midway through the clue as if my thumb had a mind of its own. There’s something uniquely frustrating about knowing answers, but not having the wherewithal to ring in at the appropriate time to answer them. That was my defecit and I own it entirely.”
Despite the way things ended, Buker described her time on Jeopardy! as “a great experience” and praised her fellow contestants with whom she bonded throughout the tapings.
“As the alternate for the week before, I got to know all of the contestants who aired last week really well, and they were truly salt of the earth,” she added. “I especially found an appreciation for the denizens of the capital to our north, from which two contestants (Kelsey and Jonquil) hailed. It was no surprise then that my fellow contestant, Graham, was another shining example of exceptional wit and character from Ottawa. Thanks to my experiences with these three beautiful souls, Ottawa is now officially on my list of places to travel.”
Fans appreciated Buker’s honesty, and many are hoping to see her return for a Second Chance tournament. “If anybody deserves a “second chance” its Erin,” commented one viewer on TheJeopardyFan.com.
Buker isn’t sure about a Second Chance tournament, but she did joke, “All I know is that when the WOAT tournament rolls around, I’m a shoe-in!”
Would you like to see Buker given a second chance? Let us know in the comments below.
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What does ringing in early have to do with giving the wrong answers when she did get the opportunity to answer.
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No. Of course not. She had her chance.
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I would say yes. At least she wasn't making excuses, and owned it! It actually reinforces the honesty of the program! I've seen lots of contestants do the exact same thing. Albeit, not as many times!
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Definitely
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Needs a second chance. By the bye, Drew needs to learn common courtesy. The fist bumps are seriously offensive
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He really rubs me the wrong way but he's basically a child.
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I would rather have her than current arrogant champ with no humility.
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Would love to see her given a second chance she was just too nervous
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Please give her a second chance. MyHusband and I watch every day.
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She seemed very nervous. It would be nice to see her back.
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