![]() ![]() Of course, wait too long, and they’ll beat you anyway. It doesn’t seem like much, but everyone is so smart, that will almost always allow one of the other players to get in. However, if you hit it too early, you get locked out for a quarter of a second. A light which runs around the entire game board flicks on, although the camera shot is framed in a way so that you can’t see it at home. As soon as Alex reads the question, a production assistant flips a switch. It’s a little thicker than I had imagined, about the length of a pen. They actually never refer to it as the buzzer because, duh, it doesn’t buzz. But the most important part of the set-up you’re shown is the buzzer. What? Yes, each podium has a little elevator behind it that can lift up shorter people so that everyone looks the same height. That includes how to write your name, how to put in your bid and answer for Final Jeopardy (there’s a piece of paper and a marker just in case the screen fails during the show), and the elevator. Everyone then gathers around the podiums while the floor manager explains the set-up. Before we get a chance to play, pictures need to be taken and each player does a little video called the “hometown howdy”, which will be sent to you to post on social media. What struck me was how big the board looks when it’s in front of you, which it needs to be because the clues have to be big enough to read. We’ve all seen it a million times on television, but there’s still something magical about seeing it in person. ![]() Everyone is probably checking out the competition, although they were all nice- seemingly no gamesmanship.Īt this point everyone is paraded out to the set. During this whole time, some contestants are mingling a bit, others are silent. Each contestant also goes through makeup. She also spills some great behind the scenes stories- it’s a pretty amazing performance, which I got to hear twice because I had previously been an alternate. She walks you through the process, explains how everything works, and answers whatever questions you might have. Legendary Jeopardy! producer Maggie Speak then does orientation, which lasts an hour. The coordinators put three stories on a card and Alex chooses which to ask about. She also goes over your interview with Alex. One of the contestant coordinators goes to each person to make sure they know how your name is pronounced. All 16-17 contestants (15 who will appear on the show that day and one or two alternates in case someone gets sick or doesn’t show) sit at tables or on sofas to fill out paperwork. Once you arrive at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, you’re ushered into the green room. That’s why Sony started ponying up for the champ’s travel expenses. You don’t get your prize money until 120 days after the show and he was going broke flying himself from Utah to Los Angeles every few weeks during his unprecedented run. The producers call this the Ken Jennings rule. The only one who gets expenses paid is the defending champion. By the way, contestants pay for the hotel. The day begins when a shuttle bus arrives at the hotel to pick you up at 7 AM. So when Alex is wishing you a Merry Christmas, it isn’t even Halloween yet (not that that’s stopped Costco from putting out their holiday decorations for sale). Usually the episodes shoot about two months before they air. They do this two days a week during only two weeks each month. They do five episodes in a day, the Monday through Friday show all in just a few hours. The show itself goes by in a blur, but the shooting day is a long one. Which, some could say, also applied to my appearance on Jeopardy! Although at least the $1 I finished with on the show is more than what Ken is paying me to do this.īeing on Jeopardy! is an intense experience. I feel really honored that Ken asked me to write a guest blog about my experience as a contestant on Jeopardy! When I think of the incredible list of guest bloggers Ken has had over the years, I really feel like I don’t belong. certainly an all-time JEOPARDY champion on this blog. ![]() I'm an avid JEOPARDY! watcher and I've attended the taping of JEOPARDY! episodes and there were still a lot of things in Jeff's piece that I didn't know. So I'm presenting this as a two-parter part 1 today and part 2 tomorrow. Jeff said yes and did such a great job that I don't want to edit a word. I asked if he'd graciously agree to be a guest blogger and recount his experience. It's so cool to have a friend actually be a contestant on JEOPARDY! A few weeks ago a San Diego buddy, Jeff Lasky was on the show. ![]()
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