Brad Rutter

Jeopardy' is an institution, and people know what to expect from it and what the game's about.

I try to be prudent with everything and fortunately I have enough to support me in a nice middle-class lifestyle, while I try to do other things.

I've never been much of a trash-talker, and it probably goes back to playing driveway basketball when I was 12. It's never worked out for me. I've never flexed that muscle! It's not my style.

I'm biased, but I think 'Jeopardy!' is the best game around, and getting more eyeballs on it is great in my book.

I think the reason I've been successful at this point is staying focused on what was in front of me.

You wouldn't think it would make a ton of sense, but I've been on Jeopardy! for over 20 years now, so it's kind of like going home.

Show business people aren't vapid.

Your average sitcom writer is a very intellectual person.

If you bet big on a daily double, you can hurt yourself.

I had no direction. But now I can afford to have no direction.

My dad works for Merrill Lynch so I'm in good hands there.

I would entertain endorsement offers if they came along.

You know, another thing people don't realize is that there's a ton of luck in 'Jeopardy.'

I'm not really a trash-talking sort of guy, so it was fun to explore that.

Human players have their strengths and weaknesses and Watson is the same way. He just has different strengths and weaknesses than most people.

I'm always really confident when I play 'Jeopardy.'

If you want to be really famous you have to go on TV every day.

The first time I thought about buying my own clothes was the first time I had money to do so.

No sense making plans to get a job or finish school at Johns Hopkins, which I just wasn't getting anything out of. Life was waiting to go back on 'Jeopardy!'

Giving autographs is flattering.

I'm not ambitious and I don't need to work for The Man.

My attention span was not great.

If Watson beats me, at least it won't enjoy it. And there is some solace in that.

There's something about when it gives a shockingly incorrect answer with the same chirpy HAL 9000 voice that feels so hopeful. Watson won't get discouraged, it will just try again.

The buzzer timing is so important and when you get into a rhythm like that - to go back to baseball you'll hear hitters on a hot streak say that the ball looks like a beach ball -and when you have the timing on the buzzer and you're just getting in whenever you want, that seems to sort of snowball.