Jeopardy! champion Drew Basile has been dethroned. After out-buzzing more than a dozen opponents on the Alex Trebek stage, Basile’s impressive seven-game winning streak has come to an end. Not only did his smarts win him $129,601 in prize money, but also a guaranteed spot in Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions. And while Basile’s prowess has rightfully earned him the title of champion, some fans argue his bragging has gone too far. However, the Survivor alumn is no stranger to backlash—nor does he have any problem confronting his critics head on.
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After surviving more than 20 days on just water and rice in the remote islands of Fiji, Basile said it would take a lot more than harsh comments from Jeopardy! fans to slow him down.
“It was kind of a little bit muted compared to some of the hate you get from Survivor,” Basile admitted to former Survivor players Rob Cestermino and Stephen Fishback on Rob Has a Podcast.
Basile then offered an example, pointing out that most of the online Jeopardy! hate he receives consists of “incoherent messages” from those he believes aren’t well-versed in social media.
“The negative people…they’re retired, they’re a little bit older, you know? They’re still grappling with technology. They haven’t figured out about spellcheck,” he quipped.
On the flip side, Basile understands why many Jeopardy! viewers saw him as “kind of a polarizing figure.”
“I think [because I have] a little bit more personality maybe than your average winning contestant, [it] could have been a little unnerving for [some] viewers,” he explained.
It could also have something to do with the fact that most Jeopardy! contestants have backgrounds in education and higher learning, added Basile. “They have so much poise, and they’re all dressed up to encourage those best qualities of politeness and rectitude, and people don’t really showboat,” he continued.
Meanwhile, Basile noted, “I had no issue with either of those things; I love showboating.”
That said, Basile also thinks his hot streak made him an easy target on Jeopardy! “Everyone loves to root against. You love to root against the winner…you don’t want the winner to be some kind person who you would invite into your home—that’s boring,” he said on Rob Has a Podcast.
Be that as it may, Basile has no problem playing the role of pop quiz villain.
“I’ll gladly take being the heel,” he remarked. “I’ll lean into it.”
