Jeopardy!’s Amy Schneider defends being chosen for Masters despite ‘justifiable criticism’ as star struggles in special

AMY Schneider has shared a brutally candid social media statement addressing being the Producer’s Pick for Jeopardy! Masters.

The 40-time champ—currently in last place in the special—was added back into Masters by producers instead of officially qualifying.

5

5

Jeopardy! Masters Season 2 is upon us, now airing every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday across May.

Ken Jennings hosts the six-champion special, which determines the best Jeopardy! contestant in any given year.

The prize is $500,000, an Alex Trebek Trophy, and the ultimate bragging rights.

The contestants are Amy, reigning champ James Holzhauer, Matt Amodio, Mattea Roach, and newcomers Victoria Groce and Yogesh Raut.

Unlike Masters Season 1 in 2023, this year’s lineup is based on the winners of previous events – except for the last spot.

James, Matt, and Mattea were guaranteed slots by placing top three in Masters Season 1.

Victoria qualified by winning the recent JIT (over Amy) and Yogesh the 2024 Tournament of Champions.

But Amy was put back in as the Producer’s Pick, which caused mixed reactions from fans, as she didn’t “earn her way back.”

Amy placed fifth in Masters Season 1 and also decisively lost the Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament to Groce, only for both to move forward to Masters either way.

The decision to go with Amy over a third new player for Masters 2024 did not sit well with all fans.

And that was before Masters began, and two episodes, in, she has zero match points and is in sixth place.

‘MY THOUGHTS’

Amy wrote on X on Monday, “I wanted to start by sharing my thoughts on being the “producer’s pick.”

“Look, I’m not naive. I am aware that the producers at Jeopardy see me as marketable, and that they think (rightly or wrongly) that it’s good for business to have me on their show.

“And I’m not ashamed of that in itself; I worked hard to show that a trans person could be marketable, and I’m proud to have had some success at that.

“But that said, I certainly don’t want my marketability to undercut the meritocratic spirit of Jeopardy.

“If I had been the Producer’s Pick without being clearly qualified for it, it would have felt wrong, disrespectful to the game I love.

“Thankfully, however, that situation did not arise. I don’t say that I’m the only person who was clearly qualified to be the Producer’s Pick.”

Amy went on to name-check some other deserving candidates, “Brad Rutter, Ben Chan, and Troy Meyer immediately spring to mind, and a case could be made for a few others.”

Amy went on to argue that placing second in the JIT to Victoria justified her spot.

“But that said: The JIT was arguably (only arguably!) the toughest tournament played in the last year, and I came in second in it (and while I’m not a neutral observer, I think it was a deserved second).

“So I feel I was perfectly qualified to be in consideration.

“At that point, did marketability concerns give me the edge over other worthy options? Maybe! I wouldn’t be surprised if it did.

“But we all knew the paths to auto-qualify.

“If I didn’t want to feel like my choice was dictated by marketability, then I should have just won the JIT, and I didn’t (This, by the way, is entirely normal in individual competition.

“However, while I didn’t feel fraudulent, I did feel like I had to prove that I belonged.

“I knew that my choice would face some justifiable criticism, and the only way for me to answer it was “on the court,” if you will – comparing her selection to pro tennis.

“Which would be tough, but my confidence was riding high after JIT.

“I was ready to go down there and test myself against the best in the world, and I intended to show everyone that “the best in the world” included Amy Schneider!”

‘REALISTIC TAKE’

Fans appreciated her honest take on the situation and reacted with their support.

“A thoughtful and realistic take on the real world,” one user replied.

“You do rock I had never even thought about your marketability as a reason why you would be a Producer’s Pick, I assumed it was cause you’re one of the best!” wrote another.

A third critic said, “You keep mentioning it because you know you don’t deserve to be there. You lost the Jit.”

FAN BACKLASH TO ‘AMY PICK’

Amy was announced as the last contestant in Masters Season 2 at a live event attended by The U.S. Sun.

Both at the event and on social media afterward, the choice got a tepid reaction from fans.

“How do you have a tournament that eliminates people from masters but still pick them…” one fan reacted to the news.

“So then what was the point of the JIT,” asked another.

“For the record, as a big Amy fan… I’m not a massive fan of this pick. it’s kind of a predictable choice and I just don’t know if her gameplay will hold up against the other five,” wrote a third.

“So then what was the point of the JIT,” wrote another.

“What’s the point of producer’s pick. Everyone else earned their way back,” wrote one more.

Amy also agreed that last accusation was true during episode one of Masters, “It gives me a little bit something more to prove, that I didn’t earn my way back in the same way that the other contestants did.”

‘RATINGS’

Executive Producer Michael Davies discussed the choice at the Inside Jeopardy Live! at Hudson Yards in New York City, where he first revealed Amy as the Producers Pick.

“I have to prepare myself for the Redditors,” Davies quipped to the live audience, as The U.S. Sun exclusively revealed. “So firstly, it’s a Producer Pick, but it’s not just me. It’s all the producers.”

“We have to acknowledge there were several worthy people. But one person stood above everybody else,” he added.

“I’ve got to believe they can go on that stage in Masters and beat everybody. Secondly, we’re a TV program. We depend on ratings.”

MASTERS NIGHT 2

Jeopardy! Masters Season 2 aired its second episode of two quarterfinal matches on ABC last night.

In Game 1, Mattea faced Matt and “self-proclaimed final boss” reigning champ James (a rematch of last year’s Masters finale).

James – who lost episode 1 to Yogesh- finished Double Jeopardy with 45200, the highest score of Masters history.

In Game 2, Amy faced last week’s winners Victoria and Yogesh.

Victoria found the last Daily Double and aced it as “Hoover” bringing her to 33600 and a runaway.

By the end of Double Jeopardy Victoria had a stunning 41000 runaway, Yogesh 11800 and Amy 10200- which meant Amy once again finished last place.

“We knew Victoria would be good but WOW,” one fan wrote.

Another lamented, “Amy’s confidence is so shot. 40 games and second-place finishes in JIT are sooooo commendable chin up babes!”

An additional fan wrote, “Imagine if the Producer’s Pick ends up in 6th place lol,” referring to Amy.

One more wrote, “She most likely will. Amy is super smart and likable and one of my favorite players but she just isn’t on the same level as the others.”

“I feel horrible for Amy,” wrote yet another and “Yeah, she’s having a rough tournament.”

Jeopardy! Masters continues on Wednesday, May 8, with Games 5 and 6 on ABC at 8 p.m. ET. and on Hulu.

5

5

5