Jeopardy!

(cross-posted from my personal blog, written last Thursday 5/10/07)

I so totally owned the audition today. After reading a behind-the-scenes/prep book I was more worried about the 50-question written test than anything. *That* had a lot to do with if you qualified to be in the contestant pool. I knew I would ace the mock game (in which, incidentally, your "score" does not affect your selection - only your gameplay) and the interview. But you have to do well on the test to get to that point.

Thankfully, I did well on the test. It actually seemed easier than the online test. We were given an answer sheet numbered 1-50 with blank lines after each number, 2 columns of 25. I was 3/4 of the way down the first column before I even hit a question I didn't instantly know. I probably only left 2-3 blank, and guessed on about 5. Plus I may have missed some I thought I knew. All-in-all, I feel I got 35-40 out of 50 right. I don't know what constitutes "passing" but I think that's pretty *darned* good.

Here's how it went down: A fiasco with the hotel last night (ugh, I'll talk about that later) meant we didn't get our room until after midnight. Which means I actually didn't get to study or play Trivial Pursuit. I was in bed by 1, but couldn't get to sleep. I finally drifted off just before 2 am, only to have Dad call me because we forgot to call and say we got here. I slept for about 4 hours until my alarm went off at 6, then hit snooze on the various cell phones we had set until 6:30. Getting ready took longer than planned. I wanted to eat at 7 am and be out by 7:30, but it was about 7:30 when we got down to eat.Just as we sat down at the table, the friggin' fire alarm went off. So we went outside, and when Ben didn't show up or answer his phone, I went back up to our room to get him. Of course, he'd already left, but I took the opportunity to grab a soda to take with me. By the time we got downstairs, there was no way we had time to finish eating. I took the alarm as a sign we were meant to go. So we did.

A frantic drive to the Metro station, train ride to Dupont Circle, jog-in-heels two blocks to the hotel, and breathless elevator ride later, I arrived just in time to sign in, pick up my paperwork, and kiss Shaylin goodbye before they called us into the room. I guess the alarm *was* a sign for me to leave; I would have taken longer at breakfast otherwise, and may have arrived too late.

There were actually only 21 people invited to this audition. 17 of us showed up. I was one of the youngest in the room (there was one other 25-year-old, though I will be 26 next week). I was also from the farthest away. Most were from Virginia and Maryland, all 6 hour drives or closer. I was the only Kentuckian, and 8 hours away.

First they talked to us about timing (you have to wait until the whole clue is read, and lights on the side of the board will come on when you can ring in - anticipate and you get locked out) and played a practice round of Jeopardy!, with us raising our hands and them calling on us. I got to be the first person called on to answer: Rhyme Time - You could get this filled at a pharmacy in Cairo - What is an Egyptian Prescription?

Then we took the test, and I did well, as mentioned above. Afterwards a little less than half were enthusiastic and remarked among ourselves that it seemed easier than the online test we took to qualify for this audition. I was in the second group of people (in no particular order) to play the mock game. And may I say, I was a natural. She never corrected or reminded me about anything. I spoke clearly, always answered in the form of a question, moved right on to the next question, was confident, everyone could hear me... And let me tell you: my world narrowed down to the screen with the clues, the lights, the buzzer, and listening for my name. Even though I was selecting the clues (I did go on a nice little streak, I must say) I could not have told you the dollar amounts of anything I answered. I was not thinking about money values, just getting the next question right. Then she interviewed each of us, and again, I struck up a rapport, spoke clearly, was (I hope) interesting and funny... In other words, I nailed it.

Still, we were told that out of 2,500 that will interview, only 400 will make it on the show this season. So now we sit back and wait. I could get called later in the summer (they start taping in July) or not until next April or not at all. I guess we shall see. But I have a good feeling about this.

Now I can get back to the book...