How ‘Jeopardy!’s “Stay-at-Home Son” Went Viral and Became Gen Z’s Soft-Spoken Rebel
Over the years, many types of professionals have appeared on the iconic Jeopardy! game show, but a “stay-at-home son” has won the hearts of many American viewers. In the 50-plus years Jeopardy! has been on air, it has seen people from many different walks of life who have left viewers with long-lasting and memorable impressions. For instance, Buzzy Cohen (aka, Mr. Personality) appeared in 2016 and was known for his cocky humor and hipster style. He was also known for teasing the host Alex Trebek in the Final Jeopardy round.
Another interesting character to appear on Jeopardy! was Austin Rogers, who became known as The Bartender Philosopher. He made quirky jokes, showcased wild hairstyles, and had an equally energetic personality to match. Now there’s a new contestant who is shocking and winning over viewers: Brendan Liaw. He might not be as ostentatious Mr. Personality or The Bartender Philosopher, but his soft-spoken nature and gentle demeanor has fans calling him their honorary son.
Brendan Liaw Is a Three-Time ‘Jeopardy!’ Champion
Last month, the Canadian star appeared on Jeopardy! for four games. He earned a total of $61,398 but lost the last game after making a small but atrocious Daily Double mistake. However, he’s not only memorable for his three-time championship run. Upon request, each time Brenden was introduced, Ken Jennings referred to him as a “recent graduate and stay-at-home son.” Instantly, his cheeky self-description earned mixed reactions from fans. However, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, LIaw revealed he was looking for a comical euphemism for his current employment status. Since he’s unemployed and lives at home with his parents, he figured “stay-at-home son” had a nice ring to it.
In the interview, he explained, “It’s tongue-in-cheek, and it sounds better than ‘unemployed.’ It’s tough times right now, so let’s try and get some laughter out there.” Liaw continued, “I figured even if I lost my first game, at least I could make people laugh.” He certainly accomplished his goal of making viewrs laugh. However, Liaw doesn’t anticipate being a “stay-at-home son” for much longer, as he was considering law school before he joined the show and has bigger plans beyond Jeopardy!. In the interview, he shared, “I don’t know what’s going to happen with all this Jeopardy! stuff and newfound publicity.” He continued, “If something better comes along, I’m not opposed to shelving law school for a bit. In the long run, government work or politics… Working in the Senate as a staffer would be my dream job, basically.”
‘Jeopardy!’ Fans Are Impressed
Liaw wasn’t only hoping to leave a funny impression on Jeopardy! fans. He also hoped to indirectly tackle an important issue; he claimed his description would challenge the hustle culture trend. He went on to explain, “I think that is more typical of my age cohort. My career doesn’t really define me, and it should just be a thing where I’m okay with what I do and make enough to pay the bills.” Overall, he hoped to inspire others not to give up.
In the interview, Liaw also shared, “It can get a little dark at times when you’re just, like, what am I doing? I’m just here at home. I would tell people to keep the faith, hang in there. Maybe study for Jeopardy!” While “stay-at-home son” isn’t the most popular career, Liaw made quite an impression on fans, and they turned to Reddit to share their support for the three-time champion. “We are so proud of you fellow full time stay at home offspring!!!” exclaimed one commenter. Another chimed in to say, “You’ve become the stay-at-home son of all Vancouverites’ hearts. Proud of you, kid.”
In the end, Brendan Liaw is a perfect example of a Jeopardy! contestant who’s involved for all the right reasons. He wasn’t on Jeopardy! to make a name for himself or to earn clout, which is starting to be seen more and more in the game show industry. Instead, he appeared to enjoy the experience and showcase his trivia knowledge, while also trying to make the world a better place. While contestants like Mr. Personality or The Bartender Philosopher are known for their gaudy appearances and personalities, Liaw stands out for his down-to-earth persona (which is rarely seen on TV these days), and the fans’ love him for it.
