‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’ crowns a new champion — but what she did with her $1M prize money will move you
Mina Kimes walked into the ‘Celebrity Jeopardy All-Stars’ finale with momentum on her side. The ESPN personality defeated actor Steven Weber and comedian Ike Barinholtz during the May 15 championship broadcast. The match started at a quick pace, and Kimes wasted no time putting points on the board. After only 15 clues, she had already moved ahead with $1,400. She stayed aggressive on Daily Doubles and made smart wagers that kept extending her advantage round after round. By the time the game wrapped up, Kimes had answered 26 clues correctly while missing just three responses. Even when Barinholtz started gaining traction during portions of the match, Kimes kept responding with another correct answer or another strategic wager. Barinholtz entered the finale as many viewers’ favorite to win.
Before the game aired, projections reportedly gave him nearly a 50% chance of finishing on top. He also performed well in the championship game itself, getting 10 responses correct and handling Daily Doubles effectively. Still, the scoreboard never fully swung in his favor. Heading into Final Jeopardy, Kimes sat comfortably at $12,500. Weber trailed behind with $10,700, while Barinholtz only had $5,100. The final category, ‘Name’s The Same’, challenged contestants to identify a phrase connecting an 1873 novel, a period in American history, and a 2022 television drama. Kimes quickly came up with the correct response: “What is The Gilded Age?” That answer locked in the victory. Her wager of $8,910 was carefully calculated to protect her lead against Weber’s possible total if he answered correctly.
It turned out to be the perfect move. Weber gambled big with an $8,000 bet but missed the clue after responding with “What is Things to Come?” That made her final earnings only $2,700. Barinholtz did answer correctly, though his wager of $5,100 was not enough to leapfrog Kimes in the standings. His total was $10,200. When the final totals appeared, Kimes finished with $21,410 and the tournament crown. The victory capped off an impressive run across the entire ‘Celebrity Jeopardy All-Stars’ competition. Tournament numbers showed just how dominant she had been from start to finish. Over the course of the event, Kimes recorded 155 correct answers compared to only 24 misses. She also converted 10 of her 15 Daily Double opportunities into success. Her speed on the buzzer turned out to be another major advantage.
Statistics from the tournament showed she buzzed in first nearly 36% of the time. She also excelled in rebounds, which happen when contestants answer clues correctly after another player misses. During finals night alone, she converted eight rebound opportunities into points. Outside the competition itself, many viewers also focused on where the prize money is headed. Kimes announced her $1 million winnings would benefit SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition. It’s a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that supports unhoused residents through food distribution, outreach efforts, housing assistance, and other community programs. The donation is expected to help the organization expand several of its services, including meal programs and direct support initiatives. Kimes has supported the organization before and previously competed on behalf of the same nonprofit during earlier ‘Celebrity Jeopardy’ appearances.
