A controversy has arisen in the Jeopardy! community following Jason Singer’s recent victory on July 1, where he and his wife, Susan McMillan, were celebrated for being the first married couple to both win the iconic game show. However, this assertion has been challenged by former Jeopardy! champion Kristin Sausville, who pointed out that she and her husband achieved the same milestone years earlier.
Sausville, a five-time winner in 2015, expressed her discomfort in a Facebook post about how quickly the media narrative shifted to highlight Singer and McMillan’s accomplishment while overlooking previous winners. She stated that it felt “really surreal honestly kind of sinister” to witness her and her husband’s achievements diminished in real-time. Sausville’s husband, Justin, won Jeopardy! in 2011, making them one of several couples to have both claimed victory on the show.
Additionally, Sausville noted that the recognition of being the first married couple to win Jeopardy! did not belong solely to either pair, as she uncovered that other couples, such as Dan Pawson and Andrea Saenz—who won in 2007 and 2010—had also reached this milestone. She listed more pairs, including Amy Stephenson and Scott Bateman, and David Rigsby and Ryan Alley, who have also experienced the thrill of being champions.
In response to the backlash, Singer expressed regret for the oversight and emphasized his respect for all past winners. He stated that he felt “terribly” about the confusion and would never want to undermine the accomplishments of previous champions. Singer reached out personally to Sausville to apologize and offer his support.
This situation highlights the importance of recognizing historical achievements and the potential for misinformation to spread rapidly in the digital age. Singer’s intention to honor the legacy of former champions demonstrates a commendable approach as he navigates the editing of narratives in competitive spaces.
Jeopardy! continues to air weeknights on ABC, promising more exciting episodes and perhaps further opportunities for couples to make their mark on the show.