[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for the July 11 episode of Jeopardy!]
Isaac Hirsch has notched a seventh win into his Jeopardy! belt. The returning champ trounced his competitors in the Thursday, July 11 episode, but no matter how his current streak ends, he’s already qualified for the Tournament of Champions. He joins recent champs Adriana Harmeyer and Survivor alum Drew Basile as ToC qualifiers from the current Jeopardy season.
Hirsch is a customer support team lead from Burbank, California who began this game with a six-day total winnings of $141,388. He added $18,400 to his total on July 11, bringing his new total up to $159,788. Competing against Hirsch were Liz McKenna, a school administrator from South Plainfield, New Jersey, and Robert Voyles, a public librarian originally from Lindenhurst, New York. Hirsch was in the lead for the entire game, leading by $3,800 by the first break and over $5,000 by the second.
Hirsch successfully found one Daily Double and answered correctly, and by the final round he led by over $12,000. The Final Jeopardy clue was a triple stumper, but Hirsch didn’t bet anything. The final scores were Hirsch with $18,400, Voyles with $5,800, and McKenna with $1,200.
With his next appearance guaranteed, here are some fun facts about this talented player.
Hirsch Has a Special Family Connection to Jeopardy
Jeopardy, Inc.
Hirsch’s father, Steven Hirsch, competed on Jeopardy Season 2 in 1985 and lost.
“My dad was on Jeopardy! in the ’80s and one of the first years Alex [Trebek] hosted, and he lost. I used to tease him about it as a kid. Like Weird Al’s ‘I Lost On Jeopardy!,” being like, ‘It’s about you, Dad!’” Hirsch said during one of his first episodes. “So today we get to find out how real karma is.”
Steven also wants a second chance to redeem himself. “If Ken Jennings is going to keep mentioning that I lost on Jeopardy, I want another chance! Bring me back for another shot at winning!” he commented on a Jeopardy Instagram post on July 5.
He Went Into Jeopardy With “Pretty Low Confidence”
Hirsch revealed in a July 5 Instagram post that his self-confidence was low as he anxiously awaited his first chance to play the game on the Alex Trebek Stage. That waiting process involved watching seven episodes be filmed, mind you. Being an alternate means you only get to play if a scheduled player suddenly drops out.
“I went into this with actually pretty low confidence — as a local alternate, I watched seven games get filmed before I taped, and found myself doing terribly in the green room and having trouble with the buzzer in rehearsal,” he shared on Instagram. “But at this point I have kind of figured the buzzer out and they’re asking about things I’ve heard of, which is very nice of them.”
In a July 10 post, Hirsch said he’s still a little nervous about being on TV after qualifying for ToC.
“I’m just trying to enjoy the whole experience of this while I can. I appreciate everyone’s kind words — just putting yourself out there to be perceived by the world can be a nerve-wracking thing, so I’m really glad folks have been very nice for the most part,” he said.
He Doesn’t Care if Viewers Don’t Like His Fashion
In the same Instagram post from July 5, Hirsch poked some fun at himself and the critics of 1970s-inpsired fashion style.
“The Internet is divided on my love of 70s menswear. good news for the haters: I am almost out of vintage shirts approved by wardrobe, so if I keep winning, the fits are going to get a lot more subdued,” he joked. I should also mention my last two shirts were gifts from my stylist/girlfriend.”
His Car Made a Cameo in Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Hirsch’s Instagram also included a screenshot of his 2002 Buick LeSabre as it appeared in the background of a scene of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The late Andre Braugher is seen walking in the foreground of the frame as Hirsch’s car drives behind him (see the second slide in the carousel above).
“You’re now a familiar face on TV, Isaac, but I understand your car was famous before you were,” Jennings said during an episode interview. As Hirsch replied, “I was not booked to appear. I don’t appear on the sitcom at all but you can see my car very clearly and people from my hometown messaged me, ‘We saw your car!’ So I’m basically famous.”
He Grew Up in Maryland
While Hirsch is currently from Burbank, he grew up in Maryland and went to college in his home state.
Hirsch grew up in Ashton, Maryland and attended the University of Maryland for college, graduating in 2014, and he moved to Los Angeles in 2016. A local news outlet from Maryland, The MoCoShow, detailed Hirsch’s hometown history in a story that Hirsch shared on his X (formerly known as Twitter) account.
Hirsch Previously Competed on The Chase
And beat Jeopardy champ Buzzy Cohen on it! Hirsch competed on the fast-paced trivia game show in 2023 with Cohen, John Lance, and Allison Johnson. He won $46,667 of a $140,000 total.
He Also Competed on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
Before Jeopardy and The Chase, Hirsch experienced a disappointing loss on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in 2017. He left with $5,000 after seven rounds of questions and was eliminated after trusting the wrong side of answers in the Ask the Audience lifeline poll. His pokes fun at his loss in his funny cover photo on X.
Are you enjoying Hirsch’s winning streak? Let us know your thoughts on the player in the comments section below.
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