‘Jeopardy!’ Notebook: On Day 36, Dayton native wins again with motivation from Eminem

Amy Schneider, an Oakland, California engineering manager with roots in Dayton, is the reigning “Jeopardy!” champion.

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Amy Schneider, an Oakland, California engineering manager with roots in Dayton, is the reigning “Jeopardy!” champion.

Dayton native Amy Schneider continued her “Jeopardy!” winning streak Jan. 19 earning a 36-day total of $1,181,800.

“As a 35-day champion, Amy Schneider has been with us for four different federal holidays,” said host Ken Jennings at the outset. “She was here for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day and Martin Luther King Day. Next up – Washington’s birthday. Can she last until February 21st?”

During the interview portion, Jennings asked the Chaminade-Julienne graduate about her pre-game warm-up.

“Right before the taping starts when they’re doing the countdown, I will get the song ‘Lose Yourself’ by Eminem going in my head,” she said. “It’s just a reminder that this is my one shot at ‘Jeopardy!’ and that it’s staying in the moment and there’s no excuse for thinking about anything else. This is the only thing I need to think about right now.”

“Well, it appears to be working out,” Jennings replied. “If you’re going to be on ‘Jeopardy!,’ think about mom’s spaghetti and you may win 35 times in a row.”

At the end of Double Jeopardy!, Schneider, in another runaway performance, led with $32,800, a $26,000 advantage over her nearest competitor.

In Final Jeopardy!, the clue in the category of Films of the 2000s: “One of the screenwriters of this 2001 film described it as “‘Clueless’ meets ‘The Paper Chase.’” The correct response was “Legally Blonde,” but Schneider answered, “Never Been Kissed.” She wagered big again with $15,000, leaving her with $17,800 for the episode.

“The streak continues whether she gets Final Jeopardy! correct or not,” Jennings reminded.

Schneider can be seen on “Jeopardy!” weeknights at 7:30 p.m. on WDTN Channel 2.

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