'Jeopardy' champion called out for the way he presses the buzzer despite being a fan favorite
He might have dethroned Scott Riccardi last season but fans still have a lot of complaints.
Sept. 20 2025, Published 11:45 a.m. ET
Contestants on "Jeopardy!" have come under fire from fans for several reasons, such as sexist comments and their gameplay. But Jonathan Hugendubler, a popular contestant on the show who returned for another season, is facing flak for something entirely different. It turns out that he has been receiving harsh criticism for his buzzer technique.
Fans do not like the way Hugendubler presses his buzzer before answering questions on the show. Unlike most other contestants, he uses both his hands to grip the buzzer and presses down hard. In fact, he presses down on it so hard sometimes that his arms shake, as per a TV Insider report. Several fans found this annoying, and they made their feelings known in the comments section of a post on Facebook.
The post was made in a group called ‘Jeopardy Fan Group’, and it read, “Was it wrong to hope for one and done for the giant killer?” It referred to Hugendubler, who had beaten super champion Scott Riccardi the season before. “Probably the absolute worst buzzer jerker of all time!” one fan commented. “He’s gonna have a stroke on set,” quipped another. “I am not a fan. He's too hyper,” one more user wrote.
“If he knows the answers, he earns and deserves the win, but his buzzer technique is quite annoying!!!” another fan opined. “I think he’s hitting the buzzer so quickly and repeatedly that it’s not connecting!” they added. However, no matter how one may feel about Hugendubler’s buzzer technique, there is no doubt that his win in the season before was one that was loved by most fans.
The Final Jeopardy, which made him champion, was also the last round of season 41. The category was called ‘20th century names.’ The clue read, “According to one obituary, in 1935 he owned 13 magazines, 8 radio stations, 2 movie companies, and $56 million in real estate.” A contestant named Charlotte Cooper, who had $7,800 in the bank, revealed her answer first.
She had written, “Who is Hearst?” That was the correct answer. The contestant had bet all her money and was able to double it to $15,600. Hugendubler was next, and he, too, answered correctly. He had $14,000 in the bank and bet $9,601. As a result, his purse now contained $23,601. This was only a dollar more than what Riccardi had. The then-super champion answered incorrectly, and that gave the win to Hugendubler.
The contestant was overwhelmed with emotion after realizing that he was a “Jeopardy!” champion, and the first thing he did was go over and hug Riccardi. It showed the immense respect he had for his competitor, which is always a great thing to see.
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