"I've got a good buzzer thumb. I think that's the secret to my success - my thumb"
 -Andy Richter

CULVER CITY, CA (September 17, 2009) - Actor/Comedian Andy Richter of "The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien" triumphed in the quarterfinals of the Jeopardy! Million Dollar Celebrity Invitational Tournament.  Richter is the first celebrity in the invitational to advance to the semifinals and will return this spring one step closer to the $1 million grand prize. 

When asked about his impressive victory, Richter said, "I'm so thrilled to get past the first round.  I'll have to do this all over again and the stakes will be higher, but I'll think about that later. For now, I'll be riding on a cloud for the rest of the day!"

As a result of his win today, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will receive $68,000 and Richter will remain in the tournament. "The hospital is constantly upgrading and pushing the boundaries of research," said Richter.  "It's not just for the hospital, but for kids stricken with cancer everywhere who will benefit from any amount of money I can make." 

The secret to his success on Jeopardy!?  "I've got a good buzzer thumb. I think that's the secret to my success - my thumb," said Richter.

Actress Dana Delany ("Desperate Housewives") walked away winning $25,000 on behalf of Scleroderma Research Foundation.  Host/Journalist Wolf Blitzer ("CNN's The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer") won $25,000 on behalf of his chosen charity the American Cancer Society.

The next individual quarterfinal episode is scheduled to be broadcast on Thursday, October 15, 2009 and will feature NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; actor Michael McKean and CNN host Soledad O'Brien.

The Jeopardy! Million Dollar Celebrity Invitational will play host to 27 popular TV stars, newsmakers and pop culture icons competing in a series of nine quarterfinal games. These special episodes will be broadcast on the third Thursday of every month through May 2010, with a guaranteed cash prize of $1 million going to the winning star's favorite charity. A total of over $2.5 million will be donated throughout the season.

Jeopardy!, the winner of 28 Emmy awards since its debut in 1984, was inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records for the most awards won by a TV Game Show. The series is the #1-rated quiz show in syndication with nearly 9 million daily viewers. Jeopardy! is produced by Sony Pictures Television, a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company. It is distributed domestically by CBS Television Distribution and internationally by CBS Television International, both units of CBS Corp. 

###