Jeopardy Interview Anecdotes Not Allowed To Be Told On TV
Not everyone has silly stories about winning pub trivia or climbing Mt. Everest.
On Jeopardy, contestants are asked to have a fun or weird story to share during the interview portion after the first commercial break. As the producer responsible for vetting the stories, these are the ones I deemed “unfit” or “wildly inappropriate” to be shared on TV.
1. How I Met My Wife (Aaron, General Contractor from Westfield, NJ)
I was 23 and working in construction when I first met my wife Patricia. I had just accidentally shot my coworker Roger with a nail gun when I locked eyes with the cutest girl walking by. As my coworker lay there, gushing blood from his abdomen, I quickly ditched Bleedy McGee (the nickname I later gave to Roger) and struck up a conversation with the beautiful girl. As the ambulance came to rush Roger to the emergency room, we talked for what seemed like hours about our likes, dislikes, and goals. Before I was forced off-site by police officers, I made sure to get her number. Two weeks later, we had our first date. Four weeks after that, Roger came out of his coma and dropped all the charges against me.
2. My Model Train Collection (Wesley, Librarian from San Jose, CA)
At 38 years old, I’ve amassed quite the impressive model train collection. When I was four years old, my Dad introduced me to his love of model trains. He bought thousands of dollars worth of train sets, spending hours playing with them in the garage. Eventually, I learned my Dad had gotten laid off but didn’t want to tell my Mom. He would pretend to go to work but then sneak right back into the garage to tinker with his trains all day. Once the secret got out, my parents got divorced, and the only thing my Dad fought for in the legal proceedings were his precious trains. Years later, he got sick from his Ramen-only diet and, after he passed, made sure his entire model train set was passed on to me. Every time I marvel over my collection, I think of my Dad, his love for his trains, and the irrevocable damage they caused to my family.
3. Traveling To Paris (Chris, Cashier from Flagstaff, AZ)
Growing up, I’d always wanted to go to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower. By age 22, I was able to save up enough money to take a solo trip to France. Upon arriving in Paris, I immediately made a beeline for the historic monument. Unfortunately, the line was a four-hour wait, so I decided to do some sightseeing first. I was approached by a local who said he could show me the best tourist spots in the city, and I enthusiastically followed his lead. I got in his car, drove for what seemed like hours, and ended up in an abandoned field in the countryside. This local and his friend held me at gunpoint and stole everything I had on me, including the clothes on my back. For the next two months, I wandered naked around France, desperately trying to find my way back home. Eventually, I joined a local group of pickpockets, found some American tourists, and was able to steal one of their passports. On the flight home, I got one last glimpse of the Eiffel Tower in all its glory.
4. Meeting Elton John (Derek, Web Developer from Randolph, MA)
Back in my early 20s, I spent a lot of time in karaoke bars in downtown Boston. One night at Gentle Ben’s, a man got on stage and sang a beautiful rendition of “Rocket Man.” As he stepped off the stage, I realized that this man was actually Elton John. I told him how good he was, and, despite his lack of British accent, I was still convinced it was Sir Elton himself. I ended up spending the rest of the night drinking alongside my new celebrity friend as he regaled me with celebrity stories. Eventually, he asked if he could crash at my place since he forgot what hotel he was staying at. Not stupid enough to deny a star like Elton John, we drove back to my place and went inside. Almost immediately, Elton told me he forgot his phone in the car and asked me to grab it for him. I wasn’t able to find his phone but quickly found out Elton had locked me out of my house, yelling something about squatter’s rights. After days of trying to reason with the man, I was informed by local police he was, in fact, not Sir Elton John but just some local drunk with an angelic singing voice. I can’t go into more detail since my lawsuit against him is still ongoing, but I still hope to meet the real Elton John one day.
