On my "to-do" list during our stay in LA is to attend a taping of Jeopardy!. Today was the day! I reserved the tickets several weeks ago. Claire was to attend with us, but work intervened (a good thing I guess) and she had to bow out. So Don and I headed out to Sony Studios in Culver City.
Not only does one have to reserve tickets well in advance, but one has to call the night before and swear (to a recorded message) that we will attend and be on time. The punishment is banishment from ever attending a Jeopardy! taping, ever-ever again. (A BIG price to pay.)
Interestingly, there is no dress code as there is for Dr. Phil. (Did I reveal that I actually did attend Dr. Phil tapings?) Claire, my TV authority, tells me it is probably because Jeopardy! rarely pans to the audience. All they really require is hearty applauders.
Clapping is encouraged. Shouting out or even whispering the answers is a big no-no. Something the ladies behind us couldn't control. Johnny Gilbert, the "voice" of Jeopardy! was great at explaining the show entertaining questions. Would you believe that someone asked where Alex Trebek lived? When Johnny said, "The Valley." The guy (a possible stalker?) said, "Where in the Valley?" Sort of spooky, don't you think?
The contestants were really quite composed. However, I was struck by how quickly people lose. They possibly have spent a great deal of time (a lifetime?) preparing and after 30 minutes it is all over. I learned two factoids: no one can buzz in until Alex is done reading the question (lights go off as a signal) and the second and third place contestants win $2,000 and $1,000 respectively.
Alex is cool. Short, but cool. Don was impressed that he only needs to work two days a week. It rivals being a professor! Alex chats with the audience and is very engaging. The three tapings we saw went very fast.
The shows we saw will air the week of June 29th. Check to see me in the audience. You will never see me as a contestant!
The contestants were really quite composed. However, I was struck by how quickly people lose. They possibly have spent a great deal of time (a lifetime?) preparing and after 30 minutes it is all over. I learned two factoids: no one can buzz in until Alex is done reading the question (lights go off as a signal) and the second and third place contestants win $2,000 and $1,000 respectively.
Alex is cool. Short, but cool. Don was impressed that he only needs to work two days a week. It rivals being a professor! Alex chats with the audience and is very engaging. The three tapings we saw went very fast.
The shows we saw will air the week of June 29th. Check to see me in the audience. You will never see me as a contestant!
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