Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory remains one of the most beloved childhood films of the past several decades, so it's understandable that the now-adult children who made the movie so unforgettable are still recognized by fans. Alex Trebek and the Jeopardy! staff recently welcomed Paris Themmen, who played the television-loving Mike Teevee (or Teavee, if you're a fan of the original novel) in the film, to the show this week, although with zero mention of his chocolate factory past! Those in the know were quick to react to the game show's glaring omission:
Paris Themmen managed to sneak into Jeopardy! entirely incognito to the audience, as apparently Alex Trebek and the rest of the staff glossed over his acting fame. It really makes one wonder what producer would miss a shot to pepper in a joke about how the kid from Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory whose dream was to be on television was actually on television? 58-year-old Themmen told TMZ he added his acting credit to his profile before going on the show but noted that Trebek must've found his other two facts more entertaining. Trebek instead opted to spend his Themmen interview portion in awe the contestant had traveled to 61 countries.
Jeopardy!'s apathy is somewhat shocking considering how interesting of a fact that would be to mention, but also forgivable given Paris Themmen's current celebrity. Themmen has spent a bulk of the time since his breakout role out of the limelight and really has only emerged from the private sector to appear on an episode of Star Trek: Voyager or to be a guest judge on a Food Network show. Even the majority of Twitter, despite all the comments its users had from the moment he appeared on the screen and the series didn't acknowledge it, didn't realize the celebrity would be on the show prior to his being on their television screens. If only those folks had been one of Themmen's 500+ Twitter followers, they would've already known:
Paris Themmen's time on Jeopardy! was short lived as People reported he came in second place with only $6,800 in winnings. Of course, now that he's successfully made it on the series to be a contestant, the game show wouldn't have to vet him for a future episode of Celebrity Jeopardy! if he wanted to return for another shot at winning!
Jeopardy! airs on NBC weekdays and those wishing to watch should check their local listings for airtimes. For a look at other shows coming to television in the near future, head on over to our midseason premiere guide and our 2018 Netflix premiere schedule. For more odd Jeopardy! moments, check out a rare event that happened on the show not that long ago.
