Answer: It was a lot of fun!
Question: What was it like being on Jeopardy!?
So, finally time to write about my trip last week. Sorry it took so long, I got back and had a ton to do right off the bat. Duty calls and all.
Anyway, considering it was something I've wanted to do all my life, I'm glad I wasn't disappointed. It was truly a lot of fun, and I was so excited the whole time. My dad travelled with me so I could have a friendly face in the audience, and we got in pretty early on Monday, so we had time to take the tour of Sony Studios, which used to be Columbia Pictures Studio, which bought the place from MGM. Lots of movie history, and we even got to see some sets from a project the tour guide said he had to keep secret, but the signs posted around the lot pretty quickly indicated was Angels and Demons. No Tom Hanks sightings, though. Oh well. We also got to see Adam Sandler's golf cart, which is made to look like a Cadillac Escalade. Kinda cute, in its way. And, most exciting, I got to get a sneak preview of the Jeopardy! studio, though it wasn't quite ready for prime time yet. No lighting, dust covers still on the podia and screens and so forth. Dad spilled the beans that I was going to be a competitor, so I ended up in the spotlight for a few minutes. Anyway, it was a fun tour and we had a good guide, and not much more I can say about that.
Tuesday was the big day. To be honest, a lot of it I've forgotten. When you've got that much excitement, nerves and energy, it does funny things to your memory. There were a half-dozen other contestants staying at the same hotel, so we all met in the lobby and started chatting that morning before the hotel shuttle brought us to the studio. We got checked in, met some of the staff and got settled in the green room. Obviously it's part of the audition process, but the people they picked were all just great. Very friendly, funny, lively bunch. The staff are a trip, too. Maggie is like a cross between a cheerleader and a Brooklyn cabbie who grew up in Hollywood. I'm not even sure that's an accurate description, but I don't know if I can really come up with a better one. Call her the chief morale officer for the contestants. Tony, with whom I interviewed, was still the same nice guy, and Robert is apparently a master of impressions, which we sadly didn't get to see. In any case, the morning was for filling out forms, getting makeup and rehearsing on stage. We each got to play in a portion of a game that ran under the real rules, with buzzing in, Daily Doubles and all. Then we were back to the green room, the live studio audience were brought in, and we came back out to sit in the seats while the first game kicked off. When we would appear and who our opponents would be were chosen by random drawing. The game itself... well, what can I say? It was tough. I was shaking with excitement. Time goes by so fast I couldn't believe it. I don't even remember all of the categories I saw. You just sort of go on autopilot until Alex tells you to stop. But man, was it a blast to finally get to play.
Incidentally, Trebek himself is kind of a character. I get the impression he's very intelligent and could do well at the game himself, but he's also got a habit of putting on funny voices and accents when the cameras are off. He's also rather sarcastic, but it works for him. Another bit of trivia: my mom heard that the day I was taping was the 50th anniversary of the quiz show scandal. Good little factoid there, for anyone else who might go on Jeopardy! now. ;)
I won't tell you how things came out. If you want to know that, you'll have to watch on October 1st. Don't worry, I'll send plenty of reminders. I can say that I was only needed for one day of taping, so on Wednesday Dad and I drove to San Diego to visit Sea World. Can't see orca in too many other places, after all. We had a good time, but both wound up with sunburns for our effort. California sun is deceptively strong. Ouch.
Thursday Dad went home and I finally got a chance to see unholydove again after several years. We went to Knott's Berry Farm and rode rollercoasters while catching up and talking about our geeky hobbies. I hope I can go back and visit longer next time. Still, it's always great to get back in touch with people.
Friday I flew home, which with time zone differences took almost all day. No celebrity sightings at the airport, sadly. I guess I was at the wrong terminal or something. A mostly uneventful flight. And home again. That's about it, really. Now I'm back, school's started (last year! :D ) and I've got a lot to do. I'm glad I made it on the show, though. One life dream down. Time to get started on another one.
So, finally time to write about my trip last week. Sorry it took so long, I got back and had a ton to do right off the bat. Duty calls and all.
Anyway, considering it was something I've wanted to do all my life, I'm glad I wasn't disappointed. It was truly a lot of fun, and I was so excited the whole time. My dad travelled with me so I could have a friendly face in the audience, and we got in pretty early on Monday, so we had time to take the tour of Sony Studios, which used to be Columbia Pictures Studio, which bought the place from MGM. Lots of movie history, and we even got to see some sets from a project the tour guide said he had to keep secret, but the signs posted around the lot pretty quickly indicated was Angels and Demons. No Tom Hanks sightings, though. Oh well. We also got to see Adam Sandler's golf cart, which is made to look like a Cadillac Escalade. Kinda cute, in its way. And, most exciting, I got to get a sneak preview of the Jeopardy! studio, though it wasn't quite ready for prime time yet. No lighting, dust covers still on the podia and screens and so forth. Dad spilled the beans that I was going to be a competitor, so I ended up in the spotlight for a few minutes. Anyway, it was a fun tour and we had a good guide, and not much more I can say about that.
Tuesday was the big day. To be honest, a lot of it I've forgotten. When you've got that much excitement, nerves and energy, it does funny things to your memory. There were a half-dozen other contestants staying at the same hotel, so we all met in the lobby and started chatting that morning before the hotel shuttle brought us to the studio. We got checked in, met some of the staff and got settled in the green room. Obviously it's part of the audition process, but the people they picked were all just great. Very friendly, funny, lively bunch. The staff are a trip, too. Maggie is like a cross between a cheerleader and a Brooklyn cabbie who grew up in Hollywood. I'm not even sure that's an accurate description, but I don't know if I can really come up with a better one. Call her the chief morale officer for the contestants. Tony, with whom I interviewed, was still the same nice guy, and Robert is apparently a master of impressions, which we sadly didn't get to see. In any case, the morning was for filling out forms, getting makeup and rehearsing on stage. We each got to play in a portion of a game that ran under the real rules, with buzzing in, Daily Doubles and all. Then we were back to the green room, the live studio audience were brought in, and we came back out to sit in the seats while the first game kicked off. When we would appear and who our opponents would be were chosen by random drawing. The game itself... well, what can I say? It was tough. I was shaking with excitement. Time goes by so fast I couldn't believe it. I don't even remember all of the categories I saw. You just sort of go on autopilot until Alex tells you to stop. But man, was it a blast to finally get to play.
Incidentally, Trebek himself is kind of a character. I get the impression he's very intelligent and could do well at the game himself, but he's also got a habit of putting on funny voices and accents when the cameras are off. He's also rather sarcastic, but it works for him. Another bit of trivia: my mom heard that the day I was taping was the 50th anniversary of the quiz show scandal. Good little factoid there, for anyone else who might go on Jeopardy! now. ;)
I won't tell you how things came out. If you want to know that, you'll have to watch on October 1st. Don't worry, I'll send plenty of reminders. I can say that I was only needed for one day of taping, so on Wednesday Dad and I drove to San Diego to visit Sea World. Can't see orca in too many other places, after all. We had a good time, but both wound up with sunburns for our effort. California sun is deceptively strong. Ouch.
Thursday Dad went home and I finally got a chance to see unholydove again after several years. We went to Knott's Berry Farm and rode rollercoasters while catching up and talking about our geeky hobbies. I hope I can go back and visit longer next time. Still, it's always great to get back in touch with people.
Friday I flew home, which with time zone differences took almost all day. No celebrity sightings at the airport, sadly. I guess I was at the wrong terminal or something. A mostly uneventful flight. And home again. That's about it, really. Now I'm back, school's started (last year! :D ) and I've got a lot to do. I'm glad I made it on the show, though. One life dream down. Time to get started on another one.