Dark Secrets ‘Jeopardy!’ Contestants Didn’t Want Viewers Knowing

Jeopardy! is typically a family-friendly show. It features some of the brightest people in the country. However, there is a surprising dark side to the game show. Some of the contestants have a side to themselves that they don’t want to share with the viewers.

Each week, fans get to learn about each of the players who want a piece of the pie. They get to share wholesome and humorous stories during the Q&A segment. Some players are brainiacs and are unsurprisingly nerdy at heart. But, some of the most scandalous contestants include a university hacker and sexual predator.

Jeopardy! has a secret dark side

Some Jeopardy! contestants don’t want all the details of their lives to come to light. There are a wide variety of scandals, which range from college hacking to child sexual assault. Former contestant Stephanie Jass appeared on the show in 2012 where she won seven games. She won a total of $147,570 when the late Alex Trebek hosted the show.

At the time, it was the most games that a female player won. Stephanie even took part in the 2013 Tournament of Champions, where she ended up as a semifinalist. Then she ended up in the 2014 Battle of the Decades. However, Stephanie wasn’t able to attend the 30th anniversary of Jeopardy!

Stephanie found herself at odds with the law. When she taught history at Adrian College in southern Michigan, she was accused of hacking into an unauthorized computer, per MLive. In 2018, she pleaded guilty at Lenawee Circuit Court. Stephanie was fired from her job and sentenced to probation.

Jerome Slowik was another contestant who tried out for Jeopardy! In 2012, he won $121,800 after his five-day streak. Two years later, police charged him with second-degree sexual assault on a child, according to Wisconsin court records, per The Chicago Tribune. Jerome allegedly met a 15-year-old girl at the mall where he worked as a security guard.

After the two met, Jerome and the 15-year-old were caught “topless in the backseat of a Hummer parked on a cul-de-sac near Lake Geneva in Wisconsin.” Jerome arranged to meet with the minor. His punishment remains unclear to this day. However, Jerome was not invited to play in the Tournament of Champions.

Mike Richards’ past came back to haunt him

The most recent controversy involved former executive producer Mike Richards. The new permanent position for Jeopardy! is still undecided. Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik are picked for the coveted host podium. Mike almost earned the position, but his past came back to haunt him.

Per The Ringer, Mike made misogynistic comments on his podcast with co-host Beth Triffon. He called her a “booth ho” and “boothstitute.” He also made a remark about one of the models on the other game show, The Price is Right. Per Newsweek, Mike allegedly said, “Go figure, I fire five models. What are the odds one of the ones that I keep get pregnant?”

He stepped down from his position as a result of his controversies. What are your thoughts on some of the biggest scandals in Jeopardy! history? Can you think of another? Sound off below in the comment section.

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