Jeopardy!’s Drew Goins reveals ‘one rule’ he broke on set that didn’t air as it would’ve ‘cost show a billion dollars’

JEOPARDY! fan-favorite Drew Goins has candidly revealed the ‘one rule’ he accidentally broke on set that never made it to air, as it would’ve cost the show a fortune, in an exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun.

The breakout star of season 41 used his immense trivia knowledge and quick wit to advance all the way to the Tournament of Champions – where he put on an entertaining performance that won over a passionate fanbase.

4

Drew Goins poses with Jeopardy! host Ken JenningsCredit: CBS

4

The journalist first competed on Jeopardy! in September 2024 and advanced to multiple tournamentsCredit: Jeopardy!
The Washington Post journalist first appeared on Jeopardy! in September 2024 and while his initial run was cut short, Drew’s infectious personality and love for the game scored him an invite to the Second Chance Tournament.

He displayed another impressive performance which advanced him to a coveted spot in the Champions Wildcard tournament in January.

It was there that Drew continued to win over fans with vast knowledge of various topics, endearing facial expressions, and hilarious personal stories during the Q&A portion with host Ken Jennings.

Drew continued all the way to the finals of Champions Wildcard and came in second place – seemingly just missing out on a spot in the coveted Tournament of Champions.

However, due to a loophole in the rules, Drew was able to compete in the ToC after Celebrity Jeopardy! winner Lisa Ann Walter was unable to participate due to filming schedule conflicts with Abbott Elementary.

He continued to show off his quick wit until his Jeopardy! run came to a halt, for now, in a February game against Survivor alum Drew Basile and Neilesh Vinjamuri – who went on to win the tournament.

Fans praised Drew as being the “most entertaining”, “sincere” and “fun” contestant the show has cast in years – in addition to having the smarts to keep up with other top players.

In an interview with The U.S. Sun, Drew opened up about being himself in front of the cameras – which ultimately led to him breaking the one rule producers warned him about.

“The only prompting that producers tell you is ‘just be yourself.’” Drew said, before adding: “Oh, wait, actually, they do give you one other prompt, which is not to sing anything.

“Somehow, because of licensing concerns, if you sing an answer, whatever, it cost them a lot of money because they have to go out and buy the licensing.

“They gave me one rule, and I managed to break even that,” he confessed with a laugh.

Drew explained how the rule-breaking move came after the January episode that went viral where he thanked music icon Celine Dion in the interview portion of the show – only to fail to answer a clue about her moments later.

Jeopardy!’s Drew Goins suffers devastating loss- but loophole allows fan-favorite to continue to Tournament of Champions
He buzzed into the clue which read: “Sharing its title with an earlier more upbeat Huey Lewis hit, it was number 1 for Celine Dion in 1994.”

After he was unable to come up with The Power of Love, Drew walked off stage in defeat – an unexpected moment that left viewers in hysterics.

“After the Céline Dion game, I did sing a little bit of Céline Dion on stage during the postgame, which, thankfully, never saw the light of day,” he said of the after-game videos they film to post online.

“I was like, ‘Oh, God. It must’ve cost a million bajillion dollars.’

“Ken actually came up to me after it and he was like, ‘Oh, my God, that was incredible. No one’s ever going to see it because it’s too expensive, but I’m going to hold that here.’”

Those wanting to hear Drew’s vocal range may still be in luck, as he quipped that if he’s ever brought back to the Jeopardy! stage, he will “sing every answer.”

Jeopardy! Set Secrets

Jeopardy! fans don’t see everything behind the scenes from watching on TV. These hidden set features make the show run smoothly:

Each podium has a hidden riser so that all contestants appear to be the same height.
After each clue is read, signal lights go off around the game board, indicating players can buzz in and respond.
Buzz in too early, and you’re locked out for .25 seconds.
The podiums have a small white light in the lower left corner, which tells Ken Jennings who goes next.
Contrary to popular belief, the player with control doesn’t have a buzzer advantage on the next clue.
To the game board’s left is a scoreboard so the players can see their opponents’ scores.
All contestants must bring three outfits to the studio, but only the host and returning champion change for the next episode.
There are wardrobe rules, including restrictions on busy patterns, solid white, purple (like the background), and logos.
Five episodes are taped in a single day, and sometimes more.
The categories, players (aside from the returning champion), and Final Jeopardy! for a tape day are all drawn randomly to ensure fairness.
Female contestants are asked not to wear makeup, which is applied backstage, and don’t wear mascara because of sweat.
Contestants fill out a questionnaire, and producers select five Q&A topics for the host.
Host Ken isn’t allowed to interact with the contestants until after the game.
Players can request to sit in a chair while competing without question.

Drew, who has recently relocated from Honolulu, Hawaii to Washington D.C., expressed his gratitude and surprise after breaking out as one of the biggest stars of recent Jeopardy! seasons.

“I mean, I was so taken aback by the response I think when you’re up on the stage, you just feel like you’re playing trivia with a bunch of friends that you made who are all nerdy and dorky… and you’re just as nerdy and dorky as they are.

“I did not consciously think I was making a whole big show because I was just being myself up there after I had lost initially in the episode that aired in September, my original game.

“I came back, I was so stressed for that first game. Anything else now, this whole second chance thing is just going to be all about having fun.

“I was able to go up not put too much pressure on myself and just let Drew be Drew, I guess. As I watched it back, I was like, ‘Oh, God. I sure was pretty silly up there.’”

Drew made it clear his passion for Jeopardy! is more alive than ever now and he is hoping to return to the famous trivia stage and welcomes “anything that brings more Jeopardy!” into his life.

In the meantime, he will continue writing his op-ed column for the Washington Post, as well as co-host the outlet’s Impromptu podcast which drops weekly.

4

Drew Goins competes on Jeopardy!’s Second Chance TournamentCredit: ABC

4

Drew advanced all the way to the Tournament of ChampionsCredit: Jeopardy!