‘Jeopardy!’ ‘Hot Priest’ Speaks Out After Sending Fans Wild on Show

Father Steve Jakubowski’s time on Jeopardy! might have been brief, but he certainly made a big impact on viewers, many of whom were left swooning over the “hot priest.”

Jakubowski, a Catholic Priest originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, appeared on the September 19 episode of the long-running game show, where, despite holding his own for the majority of the game, he finished the episode on a mere $99.

However, his loss didn’t matter; as one fan on X put it, “He won the hearts of the internet.”

Speaking with the National Catholic Register, Jakubowski said of his Jeopardy! appearance, “I hope some good came out of it. My job is to preach the Gospel. That has nothing to do with Jeopardy!. But it does reach a large audience. So I hope I made a positive impression of a priest.”

In the run-up to his Jeopardy! appearance, Jakubowski was ordained in April at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. He also officiated his sister’s wedding at their home parish just a week before his episode aired.

“It’s been such a joy. It’s such a great parish,” Jakubowski told the Register. “There are a lot of great families here. It’s a real privilege.”

Jakubowski revealed that he’d initially applied for Jeopardy! a decade ago but never heard back. He then took the online quiz a couple of years ago before eventually being invited to play a Zoom version of the game. After more silence, he finally “heard from the void” and was asked to come to Los Angeles for a taping in April.

After getting permission from his superiors in his order and his parish, Jakubowski headed to LA to film his episode. Despite starting off with an early lead, a question about U.K. cities set him back. “I’m good at geography, but I just blanked on Belfast,” he said.

In Final Jeopardy, Jakubowski wagered $5,301 of his $5,400 on a “N.Y. Movies” clue about Frank Sinatra. Unfortunately, he answered incorrectly, finishing the episode on $99.

“But as you know, the last shall be first, so it’s all right,” host Ken Jennings quipped in the episode.

“I’m not sure that’s what Jesus had in mind!” Jakubowski joked with the Register.

Jakubowski, who will donate his $2,000 winnings to his order, also opened up about wearing his clerical garb on the show. He said he wore it during the Zoom game, and nobody objected to him wearing it during the taping.

“I wanted to show who I am in real life,” he stated.