Hi, New York, it's Ellen Kimmel from Nanuet. Help me ring in the new year with a win on Jeopardy!
[2010-12-29 Winner's Circle interview]
How does it feel to be the new Jeopardy! champion?
It feels absolutely wonderful. I am gobsmacked, which is probably a terribly vulgar thing to say, but I've been reading Roddy Doyle. Um, this is great! I took the online test on a whim, just to see how far I would get, and now I know. And now I am the champ! [Laughs]
How did you prepare for your appearance on Jeopardy!?
Um, mostly watching Jeopardy! for a hundred years. Um, I also do a lot of reading, and I seem to have a memory for dumb stuff that nobody needs to know.
Any messages to the folks back home?
Yes, I'd like to thank my brother- and sister-in-law, my husband Ray, and my mom, who came and sat here these two days with me. Um, for my principal and my superintendent of schools, for not dying when I told them I was leaving the second week of school [laughs] for a few days. Um, they've been very supportive and very wonderful. Um, and to my book club, and my Bunco group. You go girls.
[2010-12-30 Winner's Circle interview]
How does it feel to win your second game?
And now I'm two-time Jeopardy! champion. Who knew?
Was there a turning point for you?
Well, I was very concerned about getting the math right, because arithmetic is probably--the arithmetic is one of my weakest things about this show, so I was very nervous that I would be one of those people who didn't carry a--the one, and ending up blowing it when I shouldn't have been able to blow it, but fortunately that didn't happen.
Any messages to the folks back home?
Yes! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everybody! Um, we're enjoying our school holiday right now. Think snow day, everybody, 'cause we're not gonna wanna go back! |
