Date of first appearance:
Sept. 20, 2000
Total Winnings:
Regular season: $56,100 and two Camaros
Tournament: $2500
Records Held:
5-day champ
Favorite anecdote associated with being on the show:
I had just started a new job when I was contacted to be a Jeopardy! contestant. Fortunately, my new boss and I went way back, and she was a huge fan of the show and worked with me so I could take the time off. However, it was still a whirlwind. After my last show taped, I peeled out to make a flight back to the East Coast to be in the office the next day. I had to wait a month for my shows to air, and word around the office had spread that I was going to be on Jeopardy! The week before the telecast, I had a panic attack that I really hadn't won after all. The day my first show aired, I called my mom, who lives in a market where the show airs in the afternoon to verify that I had in fact won the game. While we were talking, she got another call and had to let me go. I couldn't get back in touch with her till that night because she was receiving so many congratulatory calls.
Did being on Jeopardy! have an effect on your life?
Oddly, it made me less of a know-it-all. I was that obnoxious kid in school who always raised his hand when the teacher asked a question. I wanted to make sure everyone knew that I knew the answer. Now, I just let it go. And it's given my friends a fun thing to tell people about me.
Did you do anything crazy with your winnings?
When I was asked at the tryout what I'd do if I won a bundle, I said I would take a Mediterranean cruise. What I ended up doing, though, was taking a 2-week vacation in Vietnam for my 40th birthday. I splurged and went first-class.
Is there anything else you would like the viewers to know about you?
I'm not a trivia buff. You don't have to be to be on the show. I'd encourage everyone who watches who's thought about trying out sometime down the road to just go for it and take a chance. It worked out for me. |
"He was a project manager when he won his 5 shows in 2000. Today he's an associate director of consumer marketing. From Austin, Texas..."
2005 Ultimate Tournament of Champions Round 1 player: $5,000.
2001 Tournament of Champions quarterfinalist: $2,500.
Season 17 5-time champion: $56,100 + two Chevrolet Camaros.
Jeopardy! Message Board user name: andrewknewdelft |
