In the world of trivia games, knowing your strengths is crucial. For Jack Goldfisher and Henry Johnson, that strength was film. The 2018 college graduates had built their knowledge base around cinema, thanks to a shared course on masculinity in postwar Hollywood film. However, when they found themselves competing on Pop Culture Jeopardy! they realized their television knowledge was lacking.
Their journey began when a mutual friend, Jack Stovitz, recruited them for the show’s first season. When the team size was reduced for the second season, Goldfisher and Johnson were left to navigate the competition together. Their preparation was a mix of online quizzes, award show results, and flashcards, focusing on modest familiarity rather than mastery.
The AMC B-Listers: A Tale of Two Friends
Goldfisher and Johnson, who would later be known as the AMC B-Listers started their preparation with a simple realization: they didn’t know much about television. Despite Johnson’s experience co-writing a kids’ show for Apple TV, their knowledge was heavily skewed towards film. They began their preparation by identifying their weak areas, such as anime and country music, and worked on gaining a basic understanding of these topics.
Their strategy was not to become experts but to achieve a modest familiarity with a wide range of topics. They reviewed decades of major award shows, created flashcards with band names and members, and spent extra time on content available on Netflix, the streaming platform for the show’s second season. Their goal was to win at least one game before inevitably losing, as Goldfisher put it.
From Nervous Newcomers to Confident Contenders
On the first day of filming, Goldfisher and Johnson arrived early at Sony’s Culver City lot, unsure of when they would compete. They spent their waiting time in the green room with other teams who seemed to know the answers to every question asked by host Colin Jost. Despite their initial jitters, they found their rhythm by the time they were selected for the day’s final taping.
Their breakthrough came when they realized that aggression would play a big part in their success. They dominated categories they didn’t even watch, like The Breakfast Club podcast and Real Housewives Wit and Wisdom. Their near-sweep of the podcast category showed their ability to make educated guesses and take risks. This strategy paid off, earning them a spot in the season’s final tournament.
The Championship: A Story of Comebacks and Friendship
The championship didn’t start well for the AMC B-Listers. After the first part of the two-episode final, they found themselves nearly 30,000 points behind the dominant team, One Baddie After Another. However, they agreed to dial up their aggression, buzzing in on every guess, and risking mistakes to have a chance to win.
Their comeback began with a double on a Daily Double! question about actress Awkwafina. They then nailed a question about Balatro, a game their friends frequently played. With a near 20,000 point deficit, they risked everything on the category Headlining the festival ultimately winning the championship with their knowledge of J. Cole’s performance at the Bonnaroo Music Festival.
Throughout their journey, Goldfisher and Johnson attributed their success to enjoying the game and not burdening themselves with expectations. Their friendship grew stronger as they bonded over their shared excitement and the unique experience of competing on Pop Culture Jeopardy!.
