Naperville fundraisers planned for Holzhauer's prime-time 'Jeopardy!' run
Fans of Jeopardy James, it's time to tune in again.
James Holzhauer, the Naperville native recently crowned the winner of the "Jeopardy!" Tournament of Champions, is in the running to be deemed the show's ultimate winner if he prevails in the "Greatest of All Time" challenge against fellow top contestants Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter.
The hourlong specials in the "Greatest of All Time" series will start airing at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday on ABC, with the first contestant to win three matches claiming a $1 million prize and G.O.A.T. bragging rights. Further shows could be scheduled later as needed.
In Holzhauer's childhood hometown, relatives and friends are preparing with watch parties planned for the first two nights of the contest.
Fans can stop by Two Brothers Barrel House for the show Tuesday night and Quigley's Irish Pub for the Wednesday night edition to enjoy "Jeopardy!" madness and raise money for two causes Holzhauer supports. Each event will come with a small cover charge and attendees then can buy their own food and drinks.
"I'm excited to see Naperville coming out to cheer on their native son and happy that the Naperville Holzhauers are showing their support in a philanthropic way," James Holzhauer said Friday.
On Tuesday at the Barrel House, 16 W. Jefferson Ave., donations will be collected to benefit the Lustgarten Foundation for pancreatic cancer research - an important cause in the "Jeopardy!" world since host Alex Trebek announced last March he is battling the lethal disease.
And on Wednesday at Quigley's, 43 E. Jefferson St., donations will go toward DuPage PADS, which fights homelessness.
Holzhauer supported the Lustgarten Foundation before a walk last summer in Naperville by donating $1,109.14 to match the digits of his daughter's birthday. And in Las Vegas, where he now lives and works as a professional sports gambler, Holzhauer and his family have donated to Project 150, which helps homeless high school students. He called the organization "our favorite Las Vegas charity."
So his brother, Ian Holzhauer, chose to stay within those missions when asking watch party attendees to make donations during the upcoming events.
"They're both great events for great causes," he said.
Holzhauer won't be in Naperville when the "Greatest of All Time" shows begin to air; he'll be in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York for events, his brother said.
But Ann Zedkier, who plans the Naperville walk for the Lustgarten Foundation, said she is thrilled for the chance to bring fans of Holzhauer's "Jeopardy!" play together and teach more of them about the devastating effects of pancreatic cancer and the need for more research.
Attendees can pick up a free play-along sheet, which looks like the "Jeopardy!" question board, along with stickers to mark each answer they guess correctly during the show. Zediker said the winner at the Barrel House event will go home with a plush goat symbolizing, of course, the "Greatest of All Time."
"We'll use it as an interactive way to engage the people who are there, let them win prizes, cheer on James and have fun competition," Zediker said.
Players also can choose to contribute to a Lustgarten "Jeopardy!" challenge by donating $1 for every correct answer they guess at https://tinyurl.com/wpttvbp.
Details on additional ways to support DuPage PADS during Wednesday's watch party are still in the works.