Talking Jeopardy!, Mental Illness and Living with Loss

Talking Jeopardy, Mental Illness and living with Loss

12pm PST

Exuding nothing but “jovial confidence” as he won game after game on Jeopardy!, no one would have known Buzzy Cohen struggled with lifelong depression. But it was his relationship with Alex Trebek and the courage he demonstrated in sharing his pancreatic diagnosis with the world that inspired Buzzy to share his own truth.

In a candid conversation with Rabbi Sherre Hirsch, Buzzy will talk about how one person can transform you forever.

We encourage everyone to watch the presentation live. It will not be available to view as we are currently working behind the scenes to improve the user experience.

Buzzy Cohen took America by storm during his ten-game run on Jeopardy! in 2016. His distinctive sharp look, broad knowledge base, and irreverent sense of humor captured people's attention like no other contestant had before. This led to coverage on the likes of Buzzfeed and Vanity Fair, as well as appearances on GMA and ET. His run even led to Twitter running a "moment" after his loss, headlined "We are Living in a Post Buzzy Cohen World." Winning the 2017 Tournament of Champions only bolstered his position as a fan favorite - his gutsy bets and playful attitude with Alex Trebek and other contestants made his competition an all-time favorite for many viewers. Jeopardy! even showcased his win as one of the show's highlights in its 35th anniversary book. Cohen returned as one of the six captains for the Season 35 "All-Star Games" where his charm and personality took center stage among such luminaries as Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. Jeopardy! has consistently used Cohen's recognizability and appeal with fans in promotional material, including the in-studio hype-up video for Jeopardy!. He is often cited, by no-less than the NY Times, as a possible replacement host for Alex Trebek.

His combination of knowledge, sense of humor, and determination, as well as continued off-beat personal challenges, such as deciding on a whim and then taking first place in a national powerlifting competition, and learning to tap dance have become fodder for fans. Beyond Jeopardy! Cohen is a music supervisor working in advertising, helming award winning work for brands such as Apple, Facebook, Google, Adidas, Nike, Honda, and Toyota, to name a few. After growing up in New Jersey and attending Columbia University, Cohen eventually moved to Los Angeles where he lives with his wife, two daughters, dog, and his classic cars.

Rabbi Sherre Hirsch is the Chief Innovation Officer for American Jewish University. Rabbi Hirsch made headlines as the first female rabbi at Sinai Temple, the largest Conservative congregation on the west coast. She served as Senior Rabbinic Scholar at Hillel International, where she created and developed Hillelwell, an initiative for Hillels worldwide to become the recognized address for preventative mental health. A thought leader on spirituality and religion, Rabbi Hirsch has appeared on the Today Show, ABC News, Extra, and PBS, among other outlets, and has been a contributor to Time.com, Oprah Magazine, the Jewish Journal, the Hollywood Journal, and more. She is the author of “Thresholds, How to Live Fearlessly and Regret Free” (featured in “Hot Type” in Vanity Fair), and “We Plan, God Laughs, What to do When Life Hits You Over the Head” (recognized on Amazon’s Top 100 List). Rabbi Hirsch was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.