‘Jeopardy!’: Why Ken Jennings & James Holzhauer Is TV’s Best Bromance

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Move over Joey and Chandler, television has a new best bromance, and it’s two Jeopardy! legends with an impressive knack for trivia and a fondness for flirtatious banter.

That’s right, Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings and the game show’s self-declared “supervillain” James Holzhauer have become quite the double act during the currently airing Masters tournament. The pair have been playfully teasing each other throughout the competition, winning over plenty of fans in the process.

Holzhauer kicked things off during the first episode of Masters when he used his Final Jeopardy answer to call out Jennings, who previously beat him in the GOAT tournament. “Stop ducking a rematch, Ken,” Holzhauer wrote, which caused laughter from Jennings and the studio audience.

“You know how much work I had to go to to get all the way over at this lectern and avoid having to play you again, James?” Jennings replied.

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Things took a steamier turn during last Friday’s (May 12) game after a clue in the Authors category that read, “The Detroit Free Press said ‘The Mummy’ was ‘vintage’ this novelist; ‘elegantly erotic & full of enchanting terror.’”

After the three players failed to get the correct answer (Anne Rice), Jennings quipped, “I also refer to James as ‘elegantly erotic but full of enchanting terror.’”

Holzhauer quickly responded, saying, “Keep it in your pants, Ken,” which caused fellow contestant Mattea Roach to cover her mouth while trying to hold in her laughter.

We actually had to pause taping so Ken could take a cold shower. #JeopardyMasters pic.twitter.com/Iwfi2zKXjj

— z – James Holzhauer (@James_Holzhauer) May 13, 2023

Following Friday’s episode, Holzhauer shared a clip of the flirtatious moment, tweeting, “We actually had to pause taping so Ken could take a cold shower.”

This back-and-forth banter is nothing new for the Jeopardy! icons, who can often be found making playful digs at each other on Twitter.

“BREAKING: I have decided to follow @James_Holzhauer on Twitter, since he’s been following me on Jeopardy all week,” Jennings tweeted back in 2020 during the GOAT tournament.

BREAKING: I have decided to follow @James_Holzhauer on Twitter, since he’s been following me on Jeopardy all week.

— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) January 11, 2020

Meanwhile, Holzhauer mocked Jennings’ ‘all-in’ motion, writing, “Ken’s form is terrible. This is like Sheryl Crow covering Sweet Child O’ Mine.”

Ken’s form is terrible. This is like Sheryl Crow covering Sweet Child O’ Mine https://t.co/cU9Zp6VJJm

— z – James Holzhauer (@James_Holzhauer) January 10, 2020

One memorable exchange saw Holzhauer tweet, “My wife is going to make me roleplay as @KenJennings tonight,” to which Jennings retorted, “It’s all about timing on the button.”

It’s all about timing on the button.

— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) January 10, 2020

Alarmingly, I thought yours said “spreading” and not “spending” at first glance.

— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) February 14, 2022

The show bosses are clearly loving the Jennings and Holzhauer bromance, seeing how much air-time is given to their banter. And viewers seem to be enjoying it, too, as things are reaching Benson and Stabler levels of fans shipping the two together.

“This was the best moment of the show so far!!! Loving the banter!” tweeted one fan after Friday’s flirty moment.

“Just LOVE the masters tournament, especially the joking around between James and Ken,” added another.

“‘Keep it in your pants Ken’ could be a T-shirt,” said one viewer, while another agreed, “‘Keep it in your pants, Ken,’ is among the top ten phrases I was not expecting to hear on #JeopardyMasters tonight, and no, I don’t know what the other nine are.”

This was the best moment of the show so far!!! Loving the banter!

— Suzanne ONeill (@muggito) May 15, 2023

just LOVE the masters tournament, especially the joking around between James and Ken.

— Lily Sawyer (@lilysawyer1062) May 17, 2023

“Keep it in your pants, Ken,” is among the top ten phrases I was not expecting to hear on #JeopardyMasters tonight, and no, I don’t know what the other nine are

— cara💜🍉 (@tfifthmarauder) May 13, 2023

“Keep it in your pants Ken” could be a T-shirt

— Jacob aka ShowmanTheBowman (@ShowmanDaBowman) May 13, 2023

When will they kiss … https://t.co/EzXshmVUmE

— rachel (@milksteak6) May 13, 2023

Holzhauer is currently dominating the competition in the Masters tournament, which sees six of Jeopardy‘s elite players facing off for a $500,000 grand prize.

The former champ even brought his 2019 Tournament of Champions belt with him for Monday’s (May 15) game, which he playfully swung at fellow contestant Andrew He after the latter made a funny dig.

“I’ll bet $2,000 plus all of James’ points,” Andrew joked after landing on a Daily Double, to which Jennings replied, “Yeah, I think James’s score is still on there, actually,” referencing Holzhauer’s jibe at Brad Rutter during the GOAT tournament.

Despite this, Holzhauer went on to win the episode and once again used his Final Jeopardy answer to mock Jennings. “If a Ken falls in the forest and no one’s around, does it make a dad joke?” he wrote.

Jennings responded, “Don’t make me come over there. I know you’ve got the belt.”

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Holzhauer continued his winning ways on Tuesday’s (May 16) night, though this time, he didn’t use his Final Jeopardy answer to insult the host. Instead, he quoted the Brad Pitt movie Troy, writing, “Is There No One Else.”

Jeopardy! Masters, Weeknights, 8-9 pm et, ABC