# Jeopardy questions **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 6, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836 "2010-01-06T01:24:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cmosdes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cmosdes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmosdes)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/1 "2010-01-06T01:24:07Z")
I know a few dopers have been contestants on Jeopardy and I’m hoping one of them will stop in to answer a question or two. Did you travel to be on the show? If so, who pays for the travel expenses? Did they tell you to pack x number of days of clothes? What is the taping schedule? I understand they tape more than one show in a day, so they must make the contestants change between shows. Do you go home at all between shows if you are an extended winner? I realize you can win far more than a year’s salary if you are a multi-day winner (at least for most of us!), but were there any conflicts with work while you were on the show? ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/2 "2010-01-06T02:51:49Z")
I haven’t actually been on the show, but i can answer a few of these. The show doesn’t compensate for travel or lodging, however the losers are awarded consolation prices ($2000 for 2nd, and $1000 for 3rd). [(Wiki cite)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeopardy!#Cash_prizes) I know they tell contestants to bring several changes of clothes, but I’m not sure how many exactly. 5 maybe? And yes, several episodes are taped in one day. I’m wanting to say 5 as well, but I could be wrong. I don’t see anything on Wikipedia about that. I’m sure the entire season is filmed in quick succession, so the only time you’d have to go home is if you were the current champion when a season ended… coincidentally, last season’s ending champion actually showed up here, but I don’t feel like searching for the thread. I think it was titled “Spicoli’s on Jeopardy!” ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/3 "2010-01-06T02:58:18Z")
Haven’t been on (but am currently in the contestant pool for about 12 more months). I think they tape 5 shows for the entire week (Tuesday?) then go back home. My understanding is that you pay to travel to and from LA, and cover your lodging for the first time you go out. After that, I think the show handles it. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/4 "2010-01-06T14:36:52Z")
I have been on the show, so – They tape an entire week’s worth of shows in one day, then another week’s worth on the following day. They bring in the out-of-towners for the Monday, so if they win at the end of the first day (week), they’re available to tape the rest of their run the next day (week). This is what happened to me. You bring a total of five outfits, or at least five tops. I wore the same skirt and just changed my blouse/sweater for each “day.” ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/5 "2010-01-06T15:10:59Z")
I was on in March 2003. No, they do not pay for your travel. You have to take care of lodging, etc. yourself. I think we were asked to bring five changes of clothing (for guys, this is a little easier because you just need to bring a blazer or two and different shirts). It so happened that I won on the last “day” of the week so I of course had a ticket to return to Boston the next day. They usually would do another taping in a day or two, but they were doing the teen tournament. So I went home as planned and Sony reimbursed me for my ticket to return to LA a week later. ---
**Author:** ![cmosdes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cmosdes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmosdes)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/6 "2010-01-06T16:03:40Z")
Thanks for the info! I’ve always been curious about these things. How much time do you have between tapings on a given day? Do they change out the audience as well or is it the same audience for all 5 tapings on a given day? Does the taping take longer than 30 minutes, typically? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/7 "2010-01-06T16:09:38Z")
They do three shows in the morning, the other two after lunch (which they serve you, buffet-style). I think they’re different audiences. Tapings take about 30 minutes – they leave the “commercial breaks” in more or less real time. (If the commercial break will be 2.5 minutes, the break in taping lasts 2.5 minutes.) The exception, if needed, is that they’ll let you have a little extra time – and a paper and pencil – if you need it to figure out your bet for Final Jeopardy. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/8 "2010-01-06T16:30:02Z")
Do they let you know ahead of time which interesting topic of your life Alex will be asking you about during the “meet the contestants” segment? Sometimes it seems like the players start answering before Alex even finishes the question. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/9 "2010-01-06T16:38:50Z")
I took the online test in January 2009 and in March I was invited to audition. I accepted and three days later I was sent a confirmation e-mail that included a form to fill out that included, among other things, the following: > [@](#): > > PLEASE LIST 5 BRIEF BITS ABOUT YOURSELF BELOW. THEY ONLY NEED TO BE ONE-LINERS. > > TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOB, HOBBIES, EMBARRASSING MOMENTS, CLAIMS TO FAME, (AWARDS, HONORS, ETC.) YOUR WILDEST AMBITION OR SOME UNUSUAL THINGS YOU COLLECT. I don’t think the contestant knows which one of the things Alex is going to ask. But out of five, you’re pretty ready to respond. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/10 "2010-01-06T21:50:25Z")
> [@Electronic\_Chaos](#): > > coincidentally, last season’s ending champion actually showed up here, but I don’t feel like searching for the thread. I think it was titled “Spicoli’s on Jeopardy!” Close – it’s **Spicoli’s winning Jeopardy!** Stefan registered as **seaborgium** , and his first appearance is Post #51 in [the thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=525496&highlight=Seaborgium). ---
**Author:** ![cmosdes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cmosdes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmosdes)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/11 "2010-01-06T22:38:14Z")
How long is the delay between taping and airing? ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/12 "2010-01-07T00:14:10Z")
> [@cmosdes](#): > > How long is the delay between taping and airing? Depends, it is faster now I think. In 2001, I taped on March 5 & 6 and my last appearance was broadcast July 3. And more importantly, I received my cash winnings on Sept 2. I also won a Chevy Tahoe, which I took delivery of, coincidentally enough, on 9/10/2001. I know someone whose episode was just taped 12/2/09, her broadcast date is 1/29/10. They tend to tape shows in bunches. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/13 "2010-01-07T00:30:59Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Do they let you know ahead of time which interesting topic of your life Alex will be asking you about during the “meet the contestants” segment? Sometimes it seems like the players start answering before Alex even finishes the question. My information is 20 years old, so things may have changed. During my test/interview, I was asked to provide 3 or 4 interesting factoids about myself, one of which was then sprung on me by Alex. No warning other than I knew it would be one of those I’d provided. After I lost, I joined the audience for the next 2 tapings. ---
**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/14 "2010-01-07T04:00:27Z")
I have a question about the tournaments: Do the players late in the first week of a tournament know the scores from the earlier games, or do they segregate them off in a green room while the previous games are taping? Seems like there could be a big advantage for someone on the Friday show knowing what he/she needs to score to get to the semis as a wild card. ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/15 "2010-01-07T21:26:50Z")
Players are kept back in the Green Room during Tournament tapings. IIRC, this wasn’t done the first year or two. Sure would have helped me in my ToC appearance. The Jeopardy! staff admonishes the studio audience not to try to “cheat” by giving secret signals to late round contestants. My mom was in the audience and kinda freaked out, she was afraid to make any move that might be misinterpreted by the judges. ---
**Author:** ![seaborgium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@seaborgium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seaborgium)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/16 "2010-01-08T01:14:59Z")
I came as soon as I heard my name! As for the clothes, they tell you to bring three sets. They say nobody watching you on Thursday will remember what you wore on Monday. (I brought five shirts to my first taping anyway—came in handy!) There’s a larger space between late-season tapings and episodes; I taped my first five on March 31, and they aired July 20-24, whereas my sixth game was taped July 28 and aired September 14. The episodes that have aired so far this week taped November 16. That was a Monday, but they normally tape their shows on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and usually five in a day. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/17 "2010-01-08T01:37:18Z")
> [@seaborgium](#): > > I came as soon as I heard my name! Hey, bub, where ya been? ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/18 "2010-01-08T13:50:14Z")
Hey, Stefan, we missed you! I’m still waiting for my phone to ring . . . Will be cheering for you in the TOC. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/19 "2010-01-08T21:10:43Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > I’m still waiting for my phone to ring . . . Me, too, although with my abysmal performance in the mock game I’m pretty sure I’ll be doing the whole cycle at least once again before they even consider calling me. I think you’ll get on before I do, for sure. You had much more interesting personal trivia. Alex would get to ask what a serpent is (for the benefit of the audience…I’m sure Alex already knows), at least! ---
**Author:** ![Rafe\_Hollister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Rafe\_Hollister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rafe_Hollister)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836/20 "2010-01-08T22:47:19Z")
I was 16 when I tried out for the Teen Tournament. I was a naive kid from a farming community in West Central IL and it was my first time in Chicago. The tryout was held at the Westin Hotel on Lakeshore Drive. It was great because Alex Trebek himself was there. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-questions/523836.md?page=2)