Holzhauer: Who is a ‘Jeopardy’ buzzkill?

I love “Jeopardy.” I watch it almost every night.

Until now.

I just can’t watch James Holzhauer win night after night after night like he’s been doing. He was above $1.2 million as of Friday and, by the time this column comes out today, he’ll probably be $1.5 mil or more and still climbing.

Even if he’s gone by now, it’s been no fun watching him. He’s $20,000 above the other contestants by the end of the first round, so the winner is already decided. There’s no drama. They film five “Jeopardy” shows in a day, and don’t you know the contestants lined up to face him feel like they’re walking into the Roman Colosseum that’s filled with lions.

Yes, Holzhauer’s store of knowledge is vast. He knows the lineage of British royalty going back centuries, for heaven’s sake. Americans ought not know that stuff. It’s unpatriotic.

He knows geology. He knows literature. He knows science. About the only things I’ve seen that he doesn’t quite have a concrete handle on are politics and some music and TV of the 2010s.

But over his entire run, he’s only had 18 wrong answers. 18! He’s right 97% of the time.

As a professional gambler, he’s gutsy, willing to go all in on Daily Double questions, often putting everything he has earned up to that point in the kitty. Since he gets far more questions right than he ever gets wrong, it’s not really a bad bet.

“My approach isn’t complicated,” he told “Wired” magazine. “Get some money, hit the Daily Doubles, bet big and hope I run hot.”

He also has a deft touch on the buzzer, a skill that is key in “Jeopardy.” You must know the precise second to buzz in so you can answer before your opponents.

A few years ago, I auditioned for “Jeopardy” in Atlanta. I’d taken the online test, and luckily its answers included “Shawn” (What is my name); “In Newspapers for More Than 30 Years” (Me); and “Lori” (Who is my wife). My extensive knowledge of myself was a big help.

I didn’t make the final cut after the audition, though. I guess they weren’t impressed by my charming, witty personality. Or at least I got that feeling after one of the “Jeopardy” representatives said, “You think you’re charming and witty. But you’re not.”

While I don’t want to watch Holzhauer on “Jeopardy,” I will certainly take lessons from his technique and strategy in the game. The answer is “Dumb” and the question is: “I’m not that …”

Shawn Ryan