Paige Hermansen, Ph.D., assistant professor of English, was featured on the iconic television trivia game show Jeopardy! earlier this month.
Hermansen recently described what it was like to be on the show and the experience leading up it.
“I’ve always wanted to be on the show because I’m such a huge Jeopardy! fan,” said Hermansen. “I’ve been watching it since I was a kid, and I love everything about it – the format, the contestants, host Alex Trebek, of course, and how clever the question writers are.”
Hermansen explained that the initial process of getting to be on the show starts with a series of online tests; most of the questions asked are much more difficult than the ones in the actual competition. Contestants who perform well enough on the online tests are invited for an in-person audition.
“I’ve taken the online test several times over the past few years,” said Hermansen, “but this time, I was invited for an in-person audition in Boston.”
During the audition, hopeful contestants participate in a “mock round” of the show, and then they are promoted to take two more written tests.
“I thought I did pretty well,” recalled Hermansen. “And they called me in October and invited me to be on the show.”
Hermansen gave a behind-the-scenes look at what being on Jeopardy! was really like.
“The producers and ‘behind the scenes’ folks were so friendly, warm, and fun – they were excited to be there, even though some of them had been working on the show for 35 years,” said Hermansen.
Before the show begins filming, contestants meet and become familiar with each other; Hermansen described fellow contestants as “incredibly smart, accomplished people. I made some friends backstage who I think will be friends for life.”
Hermansen finished in second place on the show, earned a $2,000 prize, and considers the experience one that will never be forgotten.
“The actual episode was such a blur, but it was so much fun,” Hermansen said. “It goes by quickly, and of course, I wish I’d won, but even knowing how it turned out, I would do it again in a heartbeat. And Alex Trebek is just as cool as he seems. He was so friendly and funny, and he cracked jokes with us during breaks.”
With such an opportunity to learn and expand one’s knowledge, Hermansen urges fellow Owls who enjoy the show to take the online test and begin to “brush up on your opera, classical music, Shakespeare, and art history,” Hermansen said. “James Holzhauer – the contestant who went on a long winning streak and won a boatload of money – used children’s books to study, so I did that. It really helped.”
Based on such a positive Jeopardy! experience, Hermansen encourages others to try out for the show.
“Take the online test,” said Hermansen. “There is a college tournament that’s about to start, so tune in for that, and if you love to compete, take the test and try to get on the show.”