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These secrets brought to you by Terri Pous, a two-time champ and winner of about $39k. Before taxes.
#14. The show doesn’t pay for your flight, hotel, or hair.
Even though second and third place contestants get a stipend that could cover most expenses, Sony doesn’t bankroll everyone’s trips.
They do pay for makeup but not for hair or wardrobe, so those are all things you’ll need to consider.
#13. It can be exhausting.
Terri says that the nerves conspired to make it hard to sleep or eat a good breakfast, which can lead to physical and mental exhaustion. The first episode, then, was her freshest – but as her adrenaline wore off and her nerves emerged, the second and third episodes were full of mistakes that wouldn’t have been made earlier in the day.
#12. You’ll beat yourself up afterward, no matter how many answers you got right.
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Like most things in life, you’ll remember the two things you did wrong and forget the 100 things you did right.
#11. You’re putting yourself out there, for better and for worse.
Terri is younger than the majority of contestants but even so, she wasn’t prepared for the creepers she would encounter online after the show aired.
“I was amused at first, but then I sort of wanted to scream. I worked my butt off to compete on one of the nerdiest TV shows that exists, and all you can focus on is what’s under my (high-necked, billowy) shirt? What does it take to rise above virtual catcalls? It didn’t taint the experience, by any means, but it was a side effect of putting myself on national TV that I didn’t expect.”
#10. There’s a 2-step audition process.
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You have to take an online test (it’s only available once a year) and answer 50 questions in 15 minutes. They never reveal your score, but if you land above a certain percentage (people think 80-85%) you’re put into a pool. Names are drawn from the pool to complete the second step, which is an in-person audition.
#9. The show is all taped in one day.
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Jeopardy! tapes 5 episodes in a day two days in a row, then takes a two-week break. Contestants spend the early morning filling out paperwork, getting your makeup done, and practicing your “fun facts” while casing the other contestants and doing practice rounds.
If you win the first episode you’re on, you have about 10 minutes to change your clothes and touch up your makeup before taping episode number two.
So yes, you need to pack more than one outfit.
#8. Studying how to wager will go a long way.
You’ll want to brush up on more than your category answers – it’s important to think about your wagering strategy as well.
Terri’s wager on this Double Jeopardy haunts her still (the video is below), so she recommends checking out a site like The Final Wager beforehand to avoid making mistakes that have been made.
https://youtu.be/kSlnrxqX4sU
#7. You don’t get much one-on-one time with Alex Trebek.
Image Credit: Terri Pous
Terri says he is “the benevolent, all-knowing sage you want him to be” but that her interactions with him her quite limited.
#6. It’s as fun as you think it is.
Image Credit: Terri Pous
If you’re thinking about taking the online test just to see, Terri says go ahead!
“I stepped out of my box, got to share a special life event with my parents, and went home with a sick Jeopardy! baseball cap. …It was a thrilling rollercoaster that, in some ways, I still feel like I’m riding.”
#5. You out yourself with your own “fun facts.”
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Contestants fill out a huge form asking for personal information – vacation stories, how you met your significant other, etc and then producers probe deeper in search of the gem that might make you stand out.
“I felt like my stories were pretty mundane. During the audition, I remember people talking about owning pig farms, meeting spouses on airplanes, and having bizarre landscaping fails (Alex Trebek loves home improvement stories) and feeling thoroughly unimpressive in comparison.”
#4. You don’t know the questions or categories in advance.
Image Credit: Wikipedia
There’s a false rumor that contestants are told in the greenroom what categories to expect, but Terri says that’s not true.
“Those babies are under lock and key – writers create six sets of questions for each week of shows, and then an outside company comes in to choose a question set at random before each episode airs.”
#3. It’s totally harder to play in person than at home on your couch.
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The nerves make a lot of difference, and being on set doesn’t compare to answering every question right in your living room without an audience or Alex Trebek staring you down.
“You’re supposed to buzz in during the sweet spot after Alex Trebek finishes reading a clue, but before lights on the side of the game board flash. But actively trying to do that while thinking of the correct answer and remembering to phrase it as a question is a tricky little game in itself. Add in the glare of the studio lights and the invisible pressure of your family in the audience? Forget about it.”
#2. You’ll be amazed at the facts lodged in your brain.
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Terri didn’t revisit topics she felt confident about while prepping, choosing instead to “learn about operas, ancient gods, and poets” but in the moment, none of the unfamiliar topics came up.
“In the heat of the moment, what you actually remember is random shit you’ve unconsciously had stored away for years.”
#1. You don’t want to forget to file your taxes.
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You’ll need to file taxes in two states after winning (unless you live in California) which is time-consuming and frustrating (unless it’s your field of expertise). And, winning costs you.
“I got my winnings check three months after my episode aired, and that was already missing the 7% state of California withholding. Federal taxes took another 30% of the winnings. Again, not complaining, but it’s worth knowing if you think winning a million dollars means you can accurately call yourself a millionaire.”
I’d still take my chances for some extra cash – how about you?
