I had three wishes/goals for my Jeopardy! appearance. First, to score a true Daily Double. Second, to win at least one game. Third, to not completely embarrass myself with a stupid answer. As I managed all three, I have no regrets.
I have been overwhelmed by the unexpected number of people who have contacted me over the past few days. I thought a half dozen or so people might try to google my music blog. I certainly wasn’t expecting the dozens of emails and Facebook messages and hundreds of extra blog hits. I am moved by all the positive comments I have received, especially given the internet’s reputation for snark. I am still wading through some of these, but do know I appreciate them! I thought I’d use this last installment to address a few questions that have come up repeatedly.
First: what was up with Wednesday’s Final Jeopardy wager?
As I mentioned before, I went into Jeopardy! with almost no strategy in place. I was lucky enough on Tuesday that I could use the four-fifths rule, making betting a no-brainer (especially since I felt comfortable with the category). On Wednesday, though, I had only a slim $400 lead. Worse, I was facing a non-wheelhouse category.* I had been 90-95% confident I could correctly guess a “20th Century Artists” clue, but only about 50-60% sure I’d get “Computer Science” right. I decided I had two options: either bet nothing, in which case I would certainly be wiped out if Tom or Elisabeth got it right, or bet some absurdly large amount to cover whatever they wagered. Obviously, I chose the latter option. I decided I would rather risk coming in third with an incorrect answer than bet nothing and lose with the correct answer. (This is an easier stance to live with since I’d already won once, of course.)
(*You know what is in my wheelhouse? Media law. You know, like copyright? Ahem.)
As for the precise amount of the wager? Well, if I had gotten the answer right, I would have ended up with the exact same score I had finished with on Tuesday:
Tuesday: $19,000 + $14,601 = $33,601
Wednesday: $20,000 + $13,601 = $33,601
That’s it. Nothing mathematical or strategic about it. Alex Trebek actually remarked on this symmetry during the taping, but his comments were edited out for broadcast. Really though, since I was already betting enough to make me lose if I missed, I should have wagered $19,201 to lock out Tom completely if he bet it all and won – but I choked. (I also rightly guessed that Tom wouldn’t bet it all anyway.)
Second, to clarify: I don’t currently have a television, but I do love TV! Otherwise I would never have watched Jeopardy!. Currently I can’t afford cable or high-speed internet, and I have no space in my tiny apartment (= nun’s cell) for a TV set. Still, most of my favorite shows are online (either on Hulu or the Comedy Central website) and I watch those whenever I can pick up a strong enough internet connection. The rest I watch on DVD or when visiting my mom. I also read The A.V. Club every day, which helps fill in gaps about programs I wouldn’t otherwise know about.
Third, I have no broadcast experience. I was, however, a drama kid in high school. As a result, I don’t have any problem with public speaking.
Finally, while I live in a woman’s residence run by nuns, I have no plans to become a nun myself!
I would like to encourage everyone with even a passing interest to take the online test the next time it is offered. I had a wonderful time from start to finish. Unfortunately, it was literally a once-in-a-lifetime experience – that is, unless the Jeopardy! staff changes the rules or Alex retires. In the meantime, I’m considering trying out for another game show once I’m legally eligible. If I do, though, it’ll just be lagniappe. After all, I’ve already played the only game show that matters.