Me: the next Ken Jennings?
So awhile ago I wrote about taking the online Jeopardy contestant test and how I always thought it would be super-cool to be on Jeopardy.
What I didn't reveal, so that I wouldn't feel too pressured or jinx myself, was that about a couple months ago I got an e-mail from the Jeopardy people telling me that I had passed! Today I spent the afternoon in a hotel in Portland with 18 other people at a "callback audition."
It was fun, but disappointing because I still don't know whether I actually get to be on the show. The most they could tell us was that if we passed today's test and if the coordinators thought we had a good personality for TV, then we will be put into the active contestant file and we might hear from them sometime in the next year.
Actually they told us that just getting to a callback proves we're both smart and lucky. Apparently 100,000 people took the online test--there were so many passing grades that they had to do a random drawing to determine who got called back. And I was one of them!
I think I have a pretty good chance of getting on. This is despite the fact that though I had grand intentions of studying before the audition (I'm especially weak in geography, art and classical music), this came up right at the end of my pregnancy when my brain was mush, and during the first few weeks with a newborn when I'm insanely sleep-deprived. Studying just didn't happen. I barely even slept last night because Lucy was fussy. But I had two cups of coffee and a Diet Pepsi today so it's all good.
As far as being selected goes, for one thing, I was the youngest person there by at least 10 years. (That's probably because most young people don't watch Jeopardy. I'm just especially nerdy, so I do). Also, there were more men than women. Being part of a demographic other than middle-aged white male certainly can't hurt my chances.
I do think I have a good chance based on my actual knowledge, as well. We had to take a timed, written 50-question test, which I cannot discuss the contents of. The coordinators specifically forbade it. I really doubt that any other wannabe contestants would read my blog and gain an unfair advantage, but far be it from me to risk the wrath of the Jeopardy honchos. I felt that I knew a good percentage of the answers and had guesses on the others (although I just googled one of the answers I wasn't sure about and I got it wrong.)
Then we played a mock version of the game with the buzzers and everything, and then we did a little interview with the coordinators. I felt like I did all right there, too. My years as a newspaper reporter have made me pretty good at making inane small talk with complete strangers.
They really emphasized the personality portion of the audition. "It's a game show!" they kept saying. They also said "Let us see you shine!" and "Pump it up!" It was kind of like being at a pep rally, but in a hotel room with a bunch of strangers in suits and high heels. (They told you to dress for the audition as you would for the actual show).
Actually, the coordinators did their job well--for me, at least, they helped me not to be too nervous and to enjoy myself. Even if I never get called, I'll remember this as a fun experience. If I do get on, maybe I'll win big and we can buy a minivan. Woohoo!
Plus I got to take home this fabulous souvenir:
That makes it all worthwhile.
What I didn't reveal, so that I wouldn't feel too pressured or jinx myself, was that about a couple months ago I got an e-mail from the Jeopardy people telling me that I had passed! Today I spent the afternoon in a hotel in Portland with 18 other people at a "callback audition."
It was fun, but disappointing because I still don't know whether I actually get to be on the show. The most they could tell us was that if we passed today's test and if the coordinators thought we had a good personality for TV, then we will be put into the active contestant file and we might hear from them sometime in the next year.
Actually they told us that just getting to a callback proves we're both smart and lucky. Apparently 100,000 people took the online test--there were so many passing grades that they had to do a random drawing to determine who got called back. And I was one of them!
I think I have a pretty good chance of getting on. This is despite the fact that though I had grand intentions of studying before the audition (I'm especially weak in geography, art and classical music), this came up right at the end of my pregnancy when my brain was mush, and during the first few weeks with a newborn when I'm insanely sleep-deprived. Studying just didn't happen. I barely even slept last night because Lucy was fussy. But I had two cups of coffee and a Diet Pepsi today so it's all good.
As far as being selected goes, for one thing, I was the youngest person there by at least 10 years. (That's probably because most young people don't watch Jeopardy. I'm just especially nerdy, so I do). Also, there were more men than women. Being part of a demographic other than middle-aged white male certainly can't hurt my chances.
I do think I have a good chance based on my actual knowledge, as well. We had to take a timed, written 50-question test, which I cannot discuss the contents of. The coordinators specifically forbade it. I really doubt that any other wannabe contestants would read my blog and gain an unfair advantage, but far be it from me to risk the wrath of the Jeopardy honchos. I felt that I knew a good percentage of the answers and had guesses on the others (although I just googled one of the answers I wasn't sure about and I got it wrong.)
Then we played a mock version of the game with the buzzers and everything, and then we did a little interview with the coordinators. I felt like I did all right there, too. My years as a newspaper reporter have made me pretty good at making inane small talk with complete strangers.
They really emphasized the personality portion of the audition. "It's a game show!" they kept saying. They also said "Let us see you shine!" and "Pump it up!" It was kind of like being at a pep rally, but in a hotel room with a bunch of strangers in suits and high heels. (They told you to dress for the audition as you would for the actual show).
Actually, the coordinators did their job well--for me, at least, they helped me not to be too nervous and to enjoy myself. Even if I never get called, I'll remember this as a fun experience. If I do get on, maybe I'll win big and we can buy a minivan. Woohoo!
Plus I got to take home this fabulous souvenir:
That makes it all worthwhile.
6 comments:
hey Jen, I'm pulling for you. Like you, I had applied to Jeopardy! on line and was shocked a few weeks ago to be invited to their Portland audition. Unfortunately, I am currently in London and had no opportunity to be there.
C'est la vie! For me, fame and fortune will have to wait another day, but here's hoping that another Oregon blogger makes the cut! Do keep us posted...
Good luck, Jen! Did you know that Ken Jennings has a blog? Maybe you can pick up some of his Jeopardy! tips.
I am pulling for that minivan!
Well, isn't that the coolest thing? (both the pen and the audition)
Good luck on getting on the show! Oh, as a random bit of info: Ken Jennings also has an article in a magazine called Mental Floss (called The Six Degrees of Ken Jennings, or something). The magazine is very interesting and you totally feel smarter for having read it :)
Ooo how exciting. We don't have Jeopardy over here in the UK. Is it just general knowlege questions?
Yes, it is general knowledge/trivia type questions. Your basic quiz show stuff. Kind of like "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" (That was a UK show before it got imported to the US, right?)
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