Colby Burnett Wins “Jeopardy!” Tournament of Champions
Love him or hate him, Oak Park, Illinois, teacher Colby Burnett proved he is the best of the best this year on Jeopardy!. Last night Colby won the 2013 Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions and captured the $250,000 top prize. Colby previously won the “Teacher’s Tournament” and claimed $100,000 from that, so he’s well over $350,000 in winnings from the Alex Trebek-hosted quiz show since just November. Colby, essentially, locked up the tournament on Monday night’s first of two Finals matches. Colby ended that game with $22,200. His next closest competitor had $4,800, so it would have taken a freak accident for him not to win. The tournament’s second place finisher, Keith Whitener, left with $100,000 while third place Kristin Morgan pocketed $50,000.
Congratulations to Colby. A few videos. First, here’s an interview he took on the set of Jeopardy right after winning. Second, he made a lot of waves for his…interesting facial expressions. Whether you found it cocky or funny, it got people talking. We were just browsing YouTube and here’s a look at some of our favorites. I’m starting to think that it’s just how his face acts to these situations. I don’t imagine people can have that smug look consistently without at least attempting to fix it. It’s especially endearing when you tell people, whether it was accidental or not, to suck it. Regardless of our jokes, though, congratulations to Colby. He’s incredibly bright, a great player, and we’re glad to see him win so much money.
Photo and video courtesy Sony Pictures.
I had the good fortune to scrimmage with Colby when he was a student there and when I got a chance to practice with Northwestern’s quizbowl team. Colby was amiable, funny, a good sport, and (obviously) fast on the buzzer and knew quite a lot. I was rooting for him during his Jeopardy! appearances, and I’m very glad that he has done so well.
Omg if I ever half to watch another episode of jeopardy with a douch bag like colby I will die. Pretty shure of it. he is a cockey asshole who had an advantage with final jeopardy!!! I want to punch him in his fat face and shave his stupid f***ING eye brows off!
Pull it back a little…people are staring.
Naturally, you didn’t provide your name–LAME! Get a real hobby!
wow how do people not get that he’s not being smug, it’s just how his face acts. He said in an interview that he has an expressive face, and that’s all it is. I don’t think he’s smug or cocky at all, he just has a different face, why is that a bad thing?? He comes from a poor background and I think it’s amazing what he was able to accomplish. Enough with the haters.
*Well perhaps not poor, but not exactly priveleged, given that his mom worked 2 or 3 jobs. Go Colby!!!
Guys I found a video made by the students of Fenwick for the Championship round. It includes a interview with Colby:
http://youtu.be/RF6su_NYEVU?hd=1
You GO COLBY!!!! You Off the Chain! Do What You Do!!!! You Beat the Breaks off of THEM ALL!!!!
Smart??? Absolutely!
An egotistical, smug jerk? Even more so.
Whatcha talkin’ ’bout, Alex!? Anyone else reminded of a grown-up Gary Coleman or other ’80′s child sitcom star? Yeah, he was mugging for the camera a lot (his right eyebrow almost into his hairline), but so what? Was he any worse than the crazy stalker lady he played in the earlier rounds who kept saying “Alex Trebek is the devil” in a creepy, come-on sort of way?
I have a big ego. I think with the exception of Ken Jennings and maybe Frank Spangenberg I can take almost anyone I’ve seen on the show, but with Colby I’d rate my chances as only even. His game was subtle, deep, and balanced. Got both final questions during the last 2 games too, which I flubbed. Seems like a good guy, and if he used his on-air time to “brand” himself (endorsements, reality show appearances, whatever) more power to him.
I volunteered in AmeriCorps five years ago with Colby, and there’s nothing smug about him, he’s just a dork! A very fun, intelligent dork with goofy expressions. :) I am so happy for him to have won this. He’s a total “regular guy” with a humble background who won simply because he’s made a commitment to learning a whole lot about just about everything. Now what’s wrong with that?