Jeopardy! is one of the best TV game shows of all time for blending intellect and suspense, seeing geniuses compete against one another. With Season 41 playing out on the 2025 TV schedule just ahead of Jeopardy! Masters' newest season, audiences were introduced to 20-year-old University of Chicago student Liam Starnes, currently a four-time Jeopardy! champion who just so happens to resemble another young genius, Sheldon Cooper. You better believe that The Big Bang Theory fan in me can’t unsee that now.
Liam Starnes, who’s pursuing a B.A. in Data Science and Statistics, is a four-time reigning champion on Jeopardy! His quick recall and strategic gameplay have brought his four-day total to $81,801, with tonight’s episode having him compete against two new contestants vying for a five-game streak.
However, viewers were quick to take to social media that Starnes looks just like a young genius we all love- Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory! As a huge fan of the long-running TV series, now I can’t unsee it when I put the two faces together:
I really do see the resemblance. Sheldon and Liam Starnes both have a slightly reserved personality. Their shared subtle expressions and hair swoop to the side are very Sheldon-esque. Now, all Starnes has to do is say the theoretical physicist’s classic TV catchphrase, “Bazinga,” and we’re sold. Social media users are all seeing the similarities, such as @SchmanthonyP:
Watching JEOPARDY, the champion is twenty years old and is almost literally doing a Sheldon from Big Bang Theory cosplay.
It’s like we’re watching a real-life Sheldon Cooper right before our eyes. Just like Liam Starnes, we learned in the spinoff series Young Sheldon that Sheldon Cooper accomplished a lot academically at a young age. The Texas native started college at the age of 11 and graduated at 14.
Starnes is already accomplishing plenty at 20, showing the world his intellect all while pursuing his Bachelor's degree. @dfwheat is thinking the same thing we all are:
Liam looks like a real life Sheldon Cooper #jeopardy
Yes, you would think that Liam Starnes came straight out of the CBS series. Now, this is making me wonder what Sheldon Cooper would have been like competing on Jeopardy! Then again, if it were like the time when Sheldon was way too controlling competing in The Physics Bowl, he’d probably try to buzz in before host Ken Jennings finishes reading the card. @UCNote is certainly feeling the Sheldon vibes from this year’s game show contestant:
Big time Sheldon Cooper vibes from Liam #jeopardy
You know it! The pure genius of Liam Starnes delivering each answer with earnest seriousness shows his confidence in the depth of his knowledge without being cocky. However, one thing about Starnes that’s unlike Sheldon is the awestruck nodding he does whenever he wins a game. Sheldon would probably mutter “of course” and then calculate the probability of his future success. @RealLBMJ still felt like they saw a “teenage Sheldon” take the stage:
I never doubted teenage Sheldon for a minute! Congrats Liam #jeopardy
The way that Liam Starnes calmly tackles questions like he’s solving a Rubik’s Cube in his sleep is totally Sheldon. I can’t wait to see how far he goes.
Jeopardy! Actually Featured A Clue About Sheldon Cooper
With viewers constantly commenting on Liam Starnes looking so much like Sheldon Cooper, something ironic happened in last night’s episode. There was actually a Big Bang Theory question that turned out to be a triple stumper under the category of "Difficult But Funny TV Characters." The clue was stated:
Speaking To Grad Students, He Says He Was One At 14, & Had Already Done More Than Most Could Have Hoped To 'Despite My 9 O'Clock Bedtime'
The answer, as any Big Bang Theory fan like myself knows, was Sheldon Cooper. However, everyone was stumped on that question, including the Sheldon Cooper lookalike contestant! Fellow player Eric Cordova guessed, “Who is Doogie Howser?” who, yes, was also kid genius prodigy played by Neil Patrick Harris. But, I don’t think he had a strict nine o’clock bedtime like a young Sheldon did.
It proves that someone can look like Sheldon, but it doesn’t mean they know everything about our favorite sarcastic TV character. @heatherreneef thought that Liam Starnes, of all people, would have gotten that question right:
Wait Liam didn’t get the Sheldon answer right on #Jeopardy like how ??? And how was it even a question while he was there 😂
Truly ironic, right? Maybe the creators of the televised game show saw what we saw in the four-time champ and placed that answer-question there for curiosity’s sake.
The resemblance between Liam Starnes and Sheldon Cooper really is uncanny. As a Big Bang Theory fan, now I probably won’t be able to watch tonight’s episode without thinking I’m seeing the CalTech physicist competing. We can all wish Starnes the best of luck tonight watching Jeopardy!’s newest episodes on weeknights.
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