Ken Jennings Praises New Jeopardy! Star Alex DeFrank’s Winning Streak

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA — Ken Jennings, the host of “Jeopardy!” and a game show legend, has expressed admiration for current champion Alex DeFrank following his impressive winning streak. DeFrank, a furniture inventory specialist from Brooklyn, returned to the game after winning a special Sports edition in 2014 and has now emerged as a formidable competitor in Season 41.

On Monday, DeFrank secured his second consecutive victory, amassing winnings of $56,401, which he hopes to increase on Tuesday’s episode. His strong performance during his debut game saw him buzzing in on nearly every clue, yielding an exceptional 72% correct response rate and nearly $40,000 heading into the Final Jeopardy round—an amount significantly higher than most players at that stage.

Fans have quickly taken to DeFrank’s high intellect and composed demeanor, with Jennings noting that he sees a bit of himself in the rising star. “At one point during filming, when the cameras weren’t rolling, Ken said that Alex really impressed him and even mentioned that Alex reminded him of himself,” an insider revealed.

“You can tell Ken was super impressed with him throughout the game,” the insider continued. “Alex seemed extremely moved by the high praise and was a little emotional after his win.”

In Tuesday’s episode, DeFrank continued his winning streak against tough competitors: Lily St. Laurent, a student assistant from Bakersfield, California, and David DeBacker, an architectural designer originally from Ypsilanti, Michigan. DeFrank spent most of the game in second place but utilized a strategic guess on the third Daily Double to boost his total by $6,000, putting him ahead of DeBacker while St. Laurent remained in third.

As the contestants headed into Final Jeopardy!, DeFrank led with $25,200, while DeBacker had $15,600 and St. Laurent trailed with $2,200. However, the final round was a challenge as all three participants missed the Final Jeopardy question. Despite this, DeFrank ended his three-day win total at $75,600 with a final score of $19,199, while DeBacker finished with $4,489 and St. Laurent at just $2.

Viewer reactions on social media were overwhelmingly positive. One fan exclaimed, “Way to go Alex!!! It’s been a blast cheering you on from home.” Others commented on DeFrank’s dynamic presence, with one stating, “Congrats to Alex for breaking the slump of 1-2 game champions this season,” praising him for overcoming the trend of short-lived champions. Another viewer noted, “Alex is so much fun to watch; I hope he continues for a while.”

Many viewers drew comparisons between DeFrank and Jennings, noting similar traits in their gameplay styles. “Does anyone else feel Alex reminds them of Ken as a contestant? Something about him slaying most questions but being so chill about it,” another fan observed.