LI Native Remains As 2-Day Champion On Jeopardy!

WEST ISLIP, NY — A Long Island native is gaining national attention on the big screen as a successful contestant on television show, Jeopardy!, but stirring up mixed emotions in his hometown.

Sean McShane, who was raised in West Islip, currently has a two-day winning streak on the beloved trivia program, and gained earnings of $53,200.

On Monday, his first day competing, host Ken Jennings asked the Boston resident what he did last summer.

McShane responded that he took off from work and rode his bike "the entire length of New York State, from the Canadian border all the way down to Battery Park in Manhattan."

Jennings then asked why he did not also bike through Long Island.

"Eh, I'm not missing much," McShane replied, chuckling.

Jennings then laughed, saying "A harsh judgement for our viewers from Lawn Guyland."

While Most Long Islanders Have A Nice 🤣 Laugh 🤣 Over This, Some Took 😡Umbrage.😡
Sean McShane From West Islip, Said This On 'Jeopardy'.
Being Geographically Accurate, If Riding Across NYS, It Should End At Montauk Point, The Easternmost Point Of Long Island. pic.twitter.com/vcbSIhuSDI
— 1969 Miracle Mets 🏆 (@JamesPiccoli) December 14, 2022

The West Islip native went on to earn $20, 600 in cash winnings in the competition.

However, several Long Islanders watching at home took offense to McShane's hometown diss.

"Being a lifelong #LongIsland resident Sean, on #Jeopardy can shove his snide remarks up his [expletive]," one person wrote on Twitter. "BTW he missed out on the ' best “part of New York! Good luck to the other two players!"

Another person wrote: "Note to contestants = dissing specific parts of the US is not how you use your little story time with Ken. #jeopardy"

McShane attended St. Anthony's High School in South Huntington before graduating from Boston College in 2019.

However, McShane isn't the only person in his family to comete on Jeopardy. His cousin, Dan McShane, who also grew up in West Islip, won $64,001 on a five-episode "Jeopardy!"run in 2012 and competed in the Tournament of Champions the following year.

The cousins aren't the only Long Islanders to grace the Jeopardy! stage.

Alfred Guy, of Babylon, competed on the show this spring, and East Islip teacher, Patsy Lester, competed in January.

McShane will compete again on Wednesday's show, airing 7 p.m. EST.

Patch has reached out to Jeopardy! for comment.