PEOPLE
NEW YORK — A case can be made that “Jeopardy!” savant James Holzhauer is one of the year's biggest TV stars, although a short-lived one.
An estimated 14.5 million people watched him on June 3, when the professional gambler from Las Vegas lost for the first time after 32 consecutive wins and $2,464,216 in prize money, the Nielsen company said. He left with the 16 highest one-day scores in the show's history.
The television ratings also put him in good company. In fact, no television series this season (football excluded) averaged more viewers per episode on the first night they aired. Not “The Big Bang Theory,” not “NCIS,” not even “Game of Thrones,” although all those shows gain more viewers when time-shifting is figured in.
In fact, the initial airing of the “Game of Thrones” series finale on HBO, considered the biggest event of the year in television, reached 13.6 million people, Nielsen said.
The first four games of the NBA Finals between Toronto and Golden State all had fewer viewers in the U.S. than Chicago librarian Emma Boettcher's take-down of Holzhauer.
Close “Jeopardy!” watchers had a hint that June 3 was Holzhauer's last show because news of his defeat leaked on the Internet before the show aired. “Jeopardy!” is taped well in advance, and show producers knew for weeks when Holzhauer's defeat would air but kept it secret until the day before.
It's hard to argue, however, that the leak significantly increased the show's viewership. Holzhauer was nearing the show's all-time record for winnings, and two of the episodes that aired the week before his defeat gathered more than 13 million viewers, Nielsen said.
“Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek punted when asked at Wednesday's “NHL Awards” in Las Vegas who would win in a match between Holzhauer and all-time money winner Ken Jennings. He noted that another “Jeopardy!” champ, Brad Rutter, had never lost to another human being (Rutter was topped in a competition with an IBM computer).
Four of Holzhauer's episodes ranked among the 10 most-watched entertainment programs of the year, a list topped by the 18.5 million who tuned in to the series finale of “The Big Bang Theory.”
NEW YORK — Universal Music unveiled a previously unheard and unreleased song by the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.The record label announced the track, “Time Waits for No One,” on Thursday. It was originally recorded in 1986 for the concept album of the musical “Time” with musician Dave Clark.A video to accompany the song was also released and includes unseen performance footage of Mercury. It was recorded in April 1986 at London's Dominion Theatre.Mercury died of AIDS-related pneumonia in 1991 at 45. He was the subject of the uber-successful film “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which won actor Rami Malek an Academy Award.The film also won Oscars for best sound editing, best sound mixing and best film editing.
LONDON — Ralph Lauren has collected an accolade from Prince Charles and it's a doozy: Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for Services to Fashion.The designer was presented with the insignia, bestowed by Queen Elizabeth II, in a private ceremony Wednesday at Buckingham Palace.A company statement says Lauren is the first American designer to be recognized with an honorary knighthood. Ralph Lauren Corp. has donated to a breast cancer research center in London and plans to financially support a second center as well.Lauren said via email he's always been inspired by the history, traditions and culture of the U.K. and considers the knighthood a “very special moment” as he celebrates 50 years in fashion.By Associated Press
