‘Jeopardy!’ Winner Explains Why Players Make a ‘Wow’ Face When They Win
Throughout the years, Jeopardy! has had no shortage of contestants competing for a cash prize. Given that there have been 39 seasons of the game show, there have been plenty of winners over the years. But while winners have come from all over and often have wildly different backgrounds, they seem to have at least one thing in common. In addition to their penchant for knowing obscure facts, many past champions make a specific face when they win. Fans of the hit gameshow have come to know this as the “wow” face. But why is this specific facial expression the norm? A past Jeopardy! winner explained the common expression.
‘Jeopardy!’ Winner, Stephen Webb, recently did a Reddit Ask Me Anything
Recently, Stephen Webb did an Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Reddit. Jeopardy! viewers will recall that the data scientist shined in the most recent season of the show. Hailing from Longmont, Colorado, Webb had an impressive eight-game winning streak which finally concluded on March 17. But even though Webb’s streak came to an end, Jeopardy! fans shouldn’t count the Coloradan out. Webb is guaranteed a spot in the next Tournament of Champions. Until then, the winner seems content to share his expertise with others.
“Hi all, now that my run is done, I’m happy to answer any questions y’all might have about my experience on Jeopardy, thoughts on strategy, or anything else related to the World’s Greatest Game Show,” Webb penned on Reddit before making a humorous quip. “I’ll be here on Tuesday, March 21, at 7 PM Eastern, 5 PM Mountain, 4 PM Pacific to answer all your questions, probably not in the form of a question.”
Webb explained why ‘Jeopardy!’ winners make a ‘wow’ face when they win
Naturally, Webb’s Reddit AMA generated a lot of interest, with dozens of people writing in with their queries. However, one person was more concerned about the face that the winners often make when their winnings are announced. “Do they tell everyone to make a ‘wow’ face when they announce your winnings tally?” one Reddit user posed. Webb was quick to set the record straight about exactly what Jeopardy! winners are asked to do, and what accounts for the “wow” face.
“They tell you to look right at the camera and smile, but (1) it’s hard to hold a smile for forty seconds while they go over your winnings and (2) it’s hard to not make a ‘wow’ face when you’re still getting used to winning more than you make in a year when the announcer reminds everyone that you did, indeed, win more than you make in a year,” Webb replied.
How much did Webb win during his eight-game streak as a champion?
Considering how much money Webb took home from the show, we can see why he found it difficult to control his expression. When it was all said and done, the Jeopardy! winner took home a whopping $184,881. We’d imagine that anyone who pocketed that amount of cash in such a short amount of time would have a hard time controlling their expression. We expect that fans of the show will see a lot more “wow” faces as “America’s favorite quiz show” continues.
