ames Holzhauer entered the second season of Jeopardy! Masters with the label “Final Boss of Jeopardy.” However, as of the third episode, this nickname was no longer used. Fans on the Jeopardy! Reddit forum are speculating this change might be due to his unexpected underperformance.
The absence of "occupation" intros from Episode 3 onwards has raised eyebrows. In contrast, Season 1 maintained these intros well into the semi-finals. A Reddit user mentioned, “I can’t help but wonder if this has to do with James being the self-described 'Final Boss' but (so far) turning in a less-than-dominant performance.”
Previously, Holzhauer enjoyed playful nicknames in his intros, like “self-described game show supervillain.” His return this season as the "Final Boss" hasn't lived up to expectations, with some fans suggesting he might have requested the elimination of these intros.
Holzhauer, a big pro-wrestling fan, intended “Final Boss” to reflect The Rock’s villain character in WWE. Currently, he ranks third in the tournament, overshadowed by board leaders in the recent games.
Discussion continues on Reddit about whether the change was Holzhauer's or the producers' decision. Some believe he might be moving away from such dramatic nicknames to avoid having to continually outdo himself.
One Reddit user joked that Holzhauer could instead be introduced as “bon vivant and man about town,” a nod to another contestant's creative title. Others suggested simpler descriptions like “professional gambler.”
The debate extends to the necessity of stating contestants' occupations repeatedly, as they don’t change mid-tournament. Some commenters think the intros might be dropped to avoid repetitive or awkward titles.
Another observation from fans noted a shift in Holzhauer's demeanor from smug and confident last season to dejected this year, indicating a possible strategic shift by the producers from portraying him as a wrestling-style villain.