“This is Jeopardy!” has been heard in homes across America every week day since 1984. This summer, I had the opportunity to audition for Jeopardy!\u00a0 It was a great experience and in addition to having a ton of fun, I learned some fun facts about the show when auditioning for Jeopardy! <\/a><\/p>\n

First, host Alex Trebek does not attend the auditions, though he does tape a video shown to those auditioning. Jimmy from the Clue Crew was there and it was great to meet him. He couldn’t have been more gracious. He’s been on the Clue Crew for 14 years, and he shared the scoop on the show and his experience on it.<\/p>\n

How Jeopardy is Taped<\/strong><\/p>\n

– Jeopardy! tapes 5 shows in one day. They film three episodes in the morning, take a lunch break, and then do two more matches. That’s a week’s worth of shows in a day.<\/p>\n

– Jeopardy! tapes just 46 days per year. Yes, Alex works just 46 days. As if hosting Jeopardy! didn’t already seem like an awesome job, right?<\/p>\n

– When they tape, there are approximately 200 people in the audience, including friends and family of the contestants.<\/p>\n

– There are approximately 15 writers and researchers on the Jeopardy! who come up with the clues.<\/p>\n

– Jeopardy! is filmed on the Sony lot and Jimmy shared stories of walking to lunch and seeing Spiderman in a golf cart or a hundred actors dressed as cardinals while filming the movie Angels and Demons<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Clue Crew<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

– The Clue Crew has literally been all over the world. Jimmy said that collectively they have been to all 50 states, 300 cities and 40 countries.<\/p>\n

– When I asked Jimmy what his favorite destination was, he said Rome would be at the top of his list. He also said a trip to Israel was particularly memorable. Alex usually doesn’t accompany them but he did meet up with Jimmy and Sarah in Israel.<\/p>\n

Auditions<\/strong><\/p>\n

– The audition process starts with an online test. It is typically administered once per year, usually at the start of the year. You can register to take the online test here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

– As many as 100,000 people take the online test. That was the record number a few years ago. In 2015, approximately 70,000 people took the online test.<\/p>\n

– The show invites the 2,500 – 3,000 people who scored highest on the online test to move on to the next step in the process, which is an in person audition. I was in that group of people.<\/p>\n

– 400 contestants ultimately appear on the show.<\/p>\n

Only about 15% of those who audition in person will make it on to the show.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Those are some slim odds and sadly, it isn’t likely that you’ll see me chatting with Alex in the near future. I realize my chances aren’t good, but if you keep some good thoughts for me, I’d be most grateful! (And on the slim chance that Maggie or another contest coordinator is reading, and as Carly Rae Jepsen asked, call me, maybe?)<\/p>\n

– Auditions are held in several different cities around the country, and those cities vary from year to year. Kansas City was closest to Chicago this year.<\/p>\n

– This was my first audition, but many people in the room had auditioned before, and the coordinators encouraged people to keep trying, noting that several of the shows best contestants were not chosen the first time around.<\/p>\n

– The audition consists of taking another 50-question test, playing a mock game and a brief interview. All together, it took around two and a half hours.<\/p>\n

Contestants<\/strong><\/p>\n

– Contestants are told to bring a few different outfits should they win. And if you’re taping three shows in the morning, you know there isn’t a lot of time for changing and certainly not time to go shopping, although there is a mall nearby that some contestants have had to visit during the lunch break before filming the two shows in the afternoon.<\/p>\n

– Ken Jennings needed a lot of clothes, because he holds the record for the longest run on the show, winning 74 times in a row. He lost on his 75th appearance.<\/p>\n

– Brad Rutter has won more than $4 million on Jeopardy! He appeared when contestants could appear only a maximum of 5 times on the regular tapings, but he’s done ridiculously well in numerous tournaments following his initial appearance, amassing the most winnings of all who have appeared. Though the computer Watson beat him, he’s never lost to a human.<\/p>\n

– One former contestant, Bob Harris, shared his experiences and advice in the book Prisoner of Trebekistan<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

\n

You may also like: <\/strong>11 fun facts about the 4th of July<\/a><\/p>\n

Prior post: <\/strong>8 reasons to love tea in the winter<\/a><\/p>\n

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