Jeopardy: From JoBlo Staff to Potential Contestant

For the last decade, I have tried in vain to make it on to Jeopardy. Ever since I was a nerdy kid, I had a gift for retaining useless trivia that guaranteed no one would play Trivial Pursuit with me. Ask me how to make pancakes without following a recipe, and I am screwed. Ask me a vague question about early 20th century novelists, and I likely have multiple facts to share with you. I constantly read about everything ranging from useless facts to the history of salt. I am a repository of nonsense, and the only place it seems to benefit me is watching new episodes of Jeopardy! Each night, I watch the latest episode of the seminal quiz show, and odds are, I know the answers to most of the questions asked. Sure, I have entire episodes that go by where I would likely have not made it out of Double Jeopardy, but I usually do. I tend to forget to phrase it in the form of a question, but I am working on it.

Since the Jeopardy test was made available online (try it here), I have undertaken the first round of trivia questions time and again. Each time, I have felt confident in my answers, but I have never gotten a follow-up. I have watched contestants like Ken Jennings, and James Holzhauer set records and blow people away with their knowledge. I have also seen so many contestants succumb to nerves or have a bad day and end up on the wrong end of the final round. I have known so many people who have met me and said I should be on the show. Alas, it has never turned out to be anything but a lingering bucket list item.

I took the test earlier this year, primarily out of habit. I sat myself down and answered the dozens of questions and felt good about my answers but never expected it to be any more significant than the dozens of times I play the mobile version of Jeopardy on my phone or watching the show each day. With the passing of Alex Trebek last year, I was sure I would be one of those who would dream of one day being on the show but still be resigned to it never coming to fruition. 

I have been lucky enough to have worked for JoBlo.com and have visited film sets, attended studio events, San Diego Comic-Con, and even interviewed some of my favorite filmmakers. If that was my brush with fame, it was more than enough for me. You have no idea my surprise recently when I received notification that, for the first time, I made it through the first round of Jeopardy‘s contestant search, and I am set for round two! While I am far from a lock to appear on Jeopardy this season, if at all, I am one step closer than I have ever been. Maybe this is finally the year where I get the opportunity to join the select population of people who have made it onto the iconic Jeopardy stage. If I do, you better believe you will hear about it here on JoBlo.com.

I just need to remember to phrase it in the form of a question. 

This person is one step closer to being a Jeopardy contestant. Who is Yours Truly?