Mayim Bialik says she wouldn't compete on “Jeopardy”: 'I would cry'
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What is: 'cracking under pressure?'
Mayim Bialik asks the questions on Jeopardy — but that doesn't mean she thinks she could answer them.
In an interview with Bill Maher on his podcast Club Random, the Blossom and Big Bang Theory actress explained how she thinks she'd fare as a contestant on the game show.
"There's a rhythm that winners get into – there's a huge psychological component," Bialik said. "If you get something wrong, it can be debilitating. I would cry, I think."
Bialik made it clear that she's not the one writing the questions on Jeopardy. "People ask if I know all that stuff, and I'm like, 'no.' No," she said. "Answering things like that under pressure with a timer is not gonna happen for me. It's hard!"
Tyler Golden/ABC via Getty Images Host Mayim Bialik on 'Jeopardy'
The part-time Jeopardy host went on to explain how her selective knowledge of particular topics might not help her much as a contestant. "The knowledge I have is not necessarily Jeopardy knowledge. I'm trained in science, and I am a crossword puzzle person," she said, adding that she also has familiarity with "Hebrew and Jewish studies," but wouldn't fare well with a category like "18th-century British poets."
Bialik has shared Jeopardy hosting duties with former champion Ken Jennings since 2021, though she paused her time on the show in May in solidarity with the WGA strike, which ended in late September. Bialik is also a member of SAG-AFTRA, which has been on strike since July. Bialik's absence also prompted Jennings to take over hosting Celebrity Jeopardy, which premiered its second season last month.
Listen to the full podcast episode below.
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