Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Governor gives 'Jeopardy' contestant a 2nd chance at clue

In this image from video provided by the New York Office of the Governor, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks with 'Jeopardy'contestant Ben Walthall, a resident of the Brooklyn borough of New York, Friday Dec. 31, 2021, who failed to buzz in on a clue about Hochul in a recent episode of the television program. (New York Office of the Governor via AP) In this image from video provided by the New York Office of the Governor, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks with 'Jeopardy'contestant Ben Walthall, a resident of the Brooklyn borough of New York, Friday Dec. 31, 2021, who failed to buzz in on a clue about Hochul in a recent episode of the television program. (New York Office of the Governor via AP)
Share

A New York resident who was stumped by a "Jeopardy" question about his state's governor got a do-over Friday, joining Gov. Kathy Hochul's virtual COVID-19 briefing to tell her he knows who she is now.

"Here in New York we actually believe in second chances," Hochul said before introducing Ben Walthall, the Brooklyn resident who failed to buzz in on the clue, "In 2021, she became the first female governor of New York state."

The clue was read again Friday by a Hochul staff member who at first said "first female president" and then corrected himself to "governor of New York state." Walthall correctly responded, "Who is Kathy Hochul?"

None of the contestants in the episode that aired Wednesday answered the question about Hochul, even Amy Schneider, the "Jeopardy" juggernaut who had won 22 consecutive games as of Thursday's broadcast.

Walthall told Hochul that his episode was filmed "a couple months ago, right when you took office, so that's part of the reason why I may have sat out on that question."

Hochul, the former lieutenant governor, took over as governor in August when fellow Democrat Andrew Cuomo resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations. A "Jeopardy" spokesperson said Wednesday's episode was filmed Oct. 12.

Walthall said he grew up in Massachusetts but has lived in New York for 11 years. He said his girlfriend is a New York City public school teacher, and he thanked Hochul for her efforts to promote COVID-19 vaccinations among eligible children. "It's really important to keep both teachers and kids safe," Walthall said, "so I definitely appreciate all you're doing there."

Hochul told Walthall there are no hard feelings.

"I don't have a long memory," she said, "so we're good."

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus was among approximately 120 people who gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil near the scene of a vicious attack against a 16-year-old in Cobalt.

A Brampton woman says she is devastated after she lost more than $200,000 — her life's savings — to a romance scam.

As Toronto readies for Taylor Swift’s arrival this week, some crowd management and planning experts say additional safety precautions should be taken when tens of thousands of fans fill the city's downtown core on show nights.

Local Spotlight

For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.

A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.