THIS is Jeopardy! and THIS is Wasabi!

There are times in the growth of a startup when you know you know you’ve truly arrived. When the corporate and cultural zeitgeist collide to bring your organization’s brand awareness (not to mention coolness factor) to a whole new level. These moments are milestones that are unforgettable and dramatic; the business equivalent of crossing the Rubicon. Wasabi’s big moment came earlier this week. The episode happened to be the season 38 premiere of “Jeopardy!” which aired Monday night on NBC. But we’ll get to that…

“Jeopardy!” is a classic game show — with a twist. The answers are given first, and the contestants supply the questions. Three contestants, including the previous show's champion, compete in six categories and in three rounds (with each round's “answers” being worth more prize money). With over 8,000 episodes aired, the daily syndicated version of Jeopardy! has won a record 39 Daytime Emmy Awards as well as a Peabody Award. In 2013, the program was ranked No. 45 on TV Guide‘s list of the 60 greatest shows in American television history. It’s not a stretch to call the show, iconic. 

It’s been a turbulent year for “Jeopardy!” which lost its beloved host Alex Trebeck to cancer after a valiant fight, in 2020. Trebek’s potential replacement has become a topic of national debate so perhaps there were more eyes than usual on the season 38 premiere. 

This brings us back to the excitement of Monday night. When interim host Mike Richards unveiled the categories for this episode, one, in particular, stood out: “Tasty Business.” And then, IT HAPPENED. Contestant Gabbie Kim, a 29-year-old Pittsburg, PA resident, doula, and mother of two buzzed in and chose: “Tasty Business for 800.” The answer? 

“Named for a green sushi condiment, this company calls itself ‘The World’s Hottest Cloud Storage’. 

Gabbie buzzed and answered with the question: “What is Wasabi?” Word of the question and Gabbie’s answer tore its way through the digital grapevine Monday night as Wasabi employees received the improbable news from those who watched it live on television. Within minutes of airing, the majority of the company was online searching for video of the moment. It didn’t take long for people to hunt it down. Watch below.  

Though Gabbie would go on to be another victim of serial contestant Matt Amodio’s 19-game winning streak, she acquitted herself well and will go down in the storied tales of Wasabi lore. Thank you to the researchers at “Jeopardy!” for including us in the pantheon of great answers, and kudos to Gabbie for coming up with what’s quickly becoming a household name in the technology industry: Wasabi, the world’s hottest cloud storage!  I’m thinking Wasabi might be a natural fit for “The Price is Right” next. Stay tuned…