‘Jeopardy!’: Ken Jennings Shares Surprising Location He Stayed During 75-Game Run
Despite winning more than $2 million on Jeopardy!, Ken Jennings did not stay somewhere luxurious during his incredible run as a competitor on the game show. The host shared that the location is now shut down and reminisced about the time he stayed there.
“When I was first on Jeopardy! in 2004, we had a new baby and not a ton of money,” says Jennings, who now has two grownup kids with wife Mindy. “Then as now, the show only pays contestant accommodations for tournaments and the like,” he wrote on Instagram on December 9. “So when I came to Culver City to tape my first games, I was on the lookout for someplace close to the studio and CHEAP.”
“That’s when I saw the googie-style signage of Deano’s Motel glittering on the horizon, promising COLOR TV and TELEPHONES. Color TV *and* telephones? In this economy?!? I was sold.”
“Out of a mix of routine and superstition, I ended up staying there for all 75 games, even though every room smelled like an ashtray and, at some point, I really could have afforded someplace a little nicer,” he continued.
“Sometime in the 2010s, the COLOR TV sign became CABLE TV, keeping abreast of state-of-the-art technology, and in 2022 the city purchased the motel. The 1940s-style motor court is closed off now and being remodeled into public housing. Goodbye Deano’s. You were five minutes from Sony, and I never got murdered there. 🫡,” Jennings ended.
View this post on Instagram
Ken Jennings shared a photo of his current-day self outside the now-closed motel sign, pointing to it. The building had a big gate around it.
The Deano’s Motel opened in 1940 when an “auto motel and bungalow court opened on Sepulveda Boulevard in Culver City CA,” according to the Instagram page, Big Sign Hunter. When it first opened it went by the name Slater’s and had long and short accommodations available.
It was bought out in 1959 and changed to Deano’s with 26 new moderately-priced units. The motel was met with a lot of crime in the 1980s and is now closed. Google lists the hotel as “Permanently Closed” despite the renovations.
One fan in the comments shared that they have tried to book the “Ken Jennings suite” multiple times but have been unsuccessful. “Black light included!” Jennings jokingly replied.
“I can’t believe this is where you stayed during your Jeopardy! run!!” another fan wrote.
“I love nothing more than a great origin story, and this is fantastic. Thank you, Ken, for sharing,” said a follower.
“That walk back at night after filming a full day of episodes must have been a doozy!! 😳,” a fan said.
Many others told him that he should be able to keep the sign.
Jeopardy!, weekdays, check local listings, stream next day on Hulu and Peacock
This… Is… Jeopardy!
Get absolutely everything about Jeopardy! in your inbox!
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services