A 'Jeopardy!' Contestant Just Set the Record for Lowest Score Ever

• History was made on the first Jeopardy! hosted by LeVar Burton.

• Not only was it the debut of the Star Trek actor and Reading Rainbow host behind the host's lectern, but the Jeopardy! record of lowest score ever was set.

• Not really a record anyone wants, but it is what it is, you know?

Whether he winds up getting the Jeopardy! hosting job full-time or not, LeVar Burton's first show as a guest host was certainly a historic one—at least for now. And unfortunately for one of the show's Monday, July 26th, 2021 players, it was historic for a not-so-fun reason, as the modern record for lowest score ever was set.

Patrick Pearce, a product specialist from Fountain Valley, Calif., ended Double Jeopardy with -$7,400, breaking the previous low record of -$6,800, which was set by a contestant named Stephanie Hull back in March 2015.

And while, yes, it may be a little embarrassing, you can't really blame Pearce for his strategy. If you're down deep in the red, the only way you're ever going to climb your way out of that hole is to just keep buzzing in and taking shots at saving yourself. Now, the execution obviously didn't work out—he did end up with the lowest score of all time, after all—but the strategy was sound. It's OK Patrick, no shame here.

Pearce was actually sitting at a fairly modest $200 at the end of Single Jeopardy, but because of his rough Double Jeopardy (where he ended up at -$7,400), Pearce did not get to participate in Final Jeopardy (Matt Amodio, who won his fourth straight show, brought his cash total to $122,400).

Hopefully for Patrick—and for those of us who enjoy the occasional fun Jeopardy! fact—someone else will come around and break this probably unwanted record relatively soon. Fingers crossed.

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