Ex-Rival Slams Jeopardy! Guy James Holzhauer: Wasn’t ‘Respectful’ to Me, the Other Players, or Show Staff!

He’s the 22-time Jeopardy! winner who has — according to one ex-rival — alienated other contestants and show staff while captivating the nation with his remarkable streak.

Who is James Holzhauer?

Appearing on CNN’s New Day Monday, Robin Falco — who took on Holzauer in his 16th game — slammed the game show phenom for taking the joy out of the experience.

“He turned it into his job,” Falco said. “He took a year off from his job — that’s what he told me — to just focus on and perfect this. This is a game! This is a fun experience! And when it comes to dealing with him, it was not.”

CNN’s John Berman asked Falco to elaborate on Holzhauer’s not making the game fun.

“I made no secret of the fact that James and I did not get on backstage,” she said. “I did not feel he was respectful to me. He wasn’t respectful to a lot of the other people, to the staff, I felt. And he doesn’t have the respect for the game. It wasn’t what we were expecting. It’s not what we prepared for.”

So Holzhauer, in Falco’s view, is more Drago than Rocky as Jeopardy! champ. Indeed, the 35-year-old sports gambler from Las Vegas has been breaking his opponents (and the bank) for 22-straight nights. He returns to the show after a two-week hiatus Monday evening.

Watch above, via CNN.