Brandeis administrator makes look on “Jeopardy!”
Fulfilling a life-long dream to compete on America’s premiere recreation present, Abigail Arnold has her day within the limelight.
The reply is… “Jeopardy!” The query, for Abigail Arnold, division administrator for the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Brandeis, was: In case you could possibly be on any recreation present, what wouldn’t it be?
Arnold, who tried for almost a decade to get onto “Jeopardy!” lastly had her probability to reveal what she is aware of about trivia whereas collaborating on her favourite present. The “Jeopardy!” episode during which she seems will air nationally on Wednesday, April 23.
“It was a brilliant enjoyable expertise to be on the present,” mentioned Arnold about her tv debut. “You’re allowed to have three company be a part of you. My dad and mom and my aunt – who’re additionally massive followers – had been capable of journey with me to Los Angeles and be within the viewers whereas I used to be competing.”
“To check out for ‘Jeopardy!,’ you begin by taking an online test; this was once provided solely at set occasions however is now provided all year long,” mentioned Arnold. Hopeful contestants can throw their hat within the ring solely as soon as per 12 months.
Candidates who cross the web check are moved ahead and have interaction in a Zoom audition (previous to the COVID-19 pandemic, this was an in-person audition). Arnold got here shut twice earlier than: the primary time was in 2015, and the second time was a number of years later. Each occasions, she auditioned in individual however in the end was not chosen. The third time was the appeal: after attending a Zoom audition in 2021, she lastly obtained the decision that she’d been chosen in December 2024. She taped in entrance of a reside studio viewers three months later.
One of many hardest issues about this expertise was retaining mum about how she did whereas awaiting the countdown to April 23 when all might be revealed. However, whereas Arnold couldn’t disclose particulars about how she fared on “Jeopardy!,” she was capable of discuss making use of to be a contestant, getting ready for an look on the present, and what it’s prefer to be a contestant.
It takes extra than simply boning up on trivia. She mentioned, “Understanding what to review is a wild card since you by no means know what the classes are going to be prematurely.” On a extra pragmatic stage, she provides, she adopted the advice to observe working with a “buzzer,” a handheld button that contestants push to sign that they’ve a solution. Since that’s not precisely a standard family merchandise, these within the learn about “Jeopardy!” steered a intelligent answer: simply use the spring-loaded bar from a bathroom paper holder as a prop.
Enjoyable Reality: Arnold’s father was a recreation present contestant too. He appeared on “To Inform the Fact” at age 17. His declare to fame was driving all the New York Metropolis subway system on a single token in report time!
Different insider takeaways from Arnold:
- Ken Jennings (the present host) is very nice.
- All contestants get hair and make-up executed the day of the recording.
- Contestants do observe competitions on the studio earlier than the taping begins.
- Contestants stand on risers to make them look to be about the identical peak.
- “Jeopardy!” producers shoot every week’s price of exhibits in someday, so contestants should grow to be totally different outfits for every episode during which they seem.
- After the present airs, “Jeopardy!” posts Q&A movies with the contestants on their web site.
You may catch “Jeopardy!” on WBZ-TV/CBS in Boston at 7:30 p.m. weeknights or discover the itemizing on your market on the “Jeopardy!” website.
