This 40-time Jeopardy! champion holds the show's second-longest winning streak and is set to make a comeback. And the question is: who is Amy Schneider?
Earlier this year, the Oakland-based engineer and trans woman became a game show millionaire and our favorite trivia nerd during her history-making run on the beloved television game show. Now, Schneider is set to return to TV this fall for the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions, as well as a special episode in honor of Alex Trebek, the legendary host who passed away in 2020.
Although the tournament begins on October 31, Schneider's epic run has automatically earned her a spot in the semifinals with fellow formidable opponents Matt Amodio and Mattea Roach. On the August 15 episode of the Inside Jeopardy podcast, executive producer Michael Davies explained that Schneider and Co. are "so far ahead of the curve" that placing them in the lower bracket wouldn't be fair.
But the November 8 episode, a special non-tournament tribute to Trebek that Davies says will "break the Internet," could see Schneider return sooner than we expected. As some fans have speculated, an exhibition match between the three tournament titans would be a fitting and thrilling way to pay homage to the show's iconic host. It wouldn't necessarily be a surprise to Schneider herself, who told Them earlier this year she strongly suspected the producers would find a non-tournament excuse to invite her back.
Until such time as she chooses to grace our screens once more, Schneider is off living her best life. This week she was spotted at the U.S. Open, where she took in a Serena Williams match and hung out with tennis legend Billie Jean King (!) before heading back to Oakland to raise $2500 for the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center as halftime trivia host. Padma Lakshmi was right: Amy Schneider is still the moment.
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