Season 25 1-time champion: $21,400 + $1,000.
Diane Trap - a Librarian and Graphic Specialist
Athens, Georgia
February 20, 2009
"So," Alex said. "Your dad and I have the same birthday."
"Yes," I said.
"July 22? Same year?"
"Yes," I said, and realized I’m 44, and I just called Alex Trebek old enough to be my father. Good one!
Most people in the contestant pool were dreading the Hometown Howdy (maybe it’s the hokey name; maybe Hometown Salutation would sound a bit more dignified) but I’d been dreading talking to Alex. Have a conversation, I was told. Apparently I’ve neglected to accumulate any pithy anecdotes that don’t involve my cats.
Aside from talking with Alex, everything that day had gone well. The Jeopardy! crew works really hard to make sure that all of the contestants are at ease, that everyone knows the rules, and that everyone has a chance to rehearse the game play and try out the buzzer and the light pen. When I told Maggie, the contestant coordinator, that I hadn’t brought a guest with me, she ran toward that part of the audience and waved so I’d have a friendly face out there.
I was in the last of five episodes to be filmed that day. My opponents were two very smart young men; Deepa, the returning champion, had won the previous two games. My heart was beating so fast I had to take deep calming breaths during the commercials. The only thing I really remember about the game play was that the guys I was playing wouldn’t let go of the stupid Canadian Football category, so I’m looking forward to watching it too (except I might fast-forward through the talking with Alex part).
In Final Jeopardy! I bet to make sure I’d get at least second place. If Deepa had gotten the question right, he would have won the game. A match between Deepa and Bing and Dan from the next day’s game would have ripped the roof right off the barn--of course I don’t regret being a Jeopardy! champion but I do regret not seeing that! |
