A: This Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) pastor came from behind to win last Wednesday’s episode of Jeopardy!
Q: Who is Kristin Franke of National Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC?
In Wednesday’s episode of the iconic syndicated game show, Franke went into the Final Jeopardy round $1,500 behind two-day defending champion Justin Robbins of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. Neither contestant got the correct response to the final jeopardy clue, but Franke made a modest bet of only $1,400 while Robbins bet $8,801, giving Franke the game with $8,900.
The next morning, Franke said she cannot remember life without Jeopardy! and has been taking the Jeopardy! anytime test, which is the first step to being on the show, since 2012.
Once she got the call to be on the show, Franke took a page from Jeopardy! super champion James Holzhauer’s playbook, reading a lot of children’s non-fiction to bone up on her general knowledge, particularly in areas she said she felt a bit weak, like world history.
Her first episodes were recorded August 26, which was notable because it was the day after music icon Dolly Parton died, and Franke said the “Remembering Dolly Parton” category that appeared in the second half of Wednesday’s episode was written the day of the recording.
Franke was ordained in March at National Presbyterian, where she serves as associate pastor for next generation formation. She was previously the church’s director of youth ministries and has worked in youth ministry for 20 years.
Franke started Wednesday’s game slow, but then rolled up four out of five answers in the Kid Lit category and went into the first break with a modest lead. She entered the Double Jeopardy round well behind Robbins, but came back with correct answers in categories about gems and six-syllable words. A missed Daily Double bet set her back, but she came back again and briefly pulled ahead when Robbins also fumbled a Daily Double. He mounted a comeback setting up a final showdown.
“I'm not a very super confident movie knowledge person,” Franke said of her bet in the Final Jeopardy category, “The movies.” “So I knew that the odds that I would get it right would be low. If you’re in second place and you go all in, the first-place person can always cover you. So, you’re risking a lot to get zero or to get second place either way. So, I decided to bet with the hopes that the person who was in first place would miss.”
Franke said she never would have come up with Thelma & Louise, and she was surprised that Robbins missed.
Despite a strong effort, the returning champion came in second on the October 1 episode to new champion Rian Robertson.
“Everybody who goes on the show is so incredibly smart, so incredibly talented, that it was a huge surprise,” Franke said. “Getting on the show was the goal, and everything else was this cherry on top.”
Clergy are no strangers to Jeopardy. Lately Episcopalians have been making their mark with 2024 three-game-winner Kevin Laskowski of Centreville, Virginia, who went on to the Tournament of Champions, and in 2022, David Sibley of Walla Walla, Washington, won four games and advanced to the TOC.
