‘Jeopardy!’ Contestants & Fans Speak Out About Interview Segment
There is a lot of preparation that goes into being a Jeopardy! contestant, from researching facts, expanding trivia knowledge, and practising buzzer technique. However, one area that is less focused on is preparing anecdotes for the contestant introductions segment.
On Tuesday (April 29), a user on the Jeopardy! Reddit forum asked, “I’m always intrigued by the little intro interviews on Jeopardy. If you were a contestant, was it difficult for you to find an anecdote?”
Several former contestants jumped into the comments to share their experiences, including 2025 Tournament of Champions quarterfinalist Mehal Shah, who revealed “the show gives you a 5 page form to fill out.”
“They ask for some freeform ones but also have interesting prompts like “tell us about the most romantic thing you’ve ever done or has been done for you” or “what is your most prized possession,”” he added. “You might not have a good answer for everything but everyone will be able to come up with some good stories for it.”
Steve Luck, who appeared on the show last month, said the intro section “was the part I was by far the most nervous about. The one I picked wasn’t my most interesting anecdote but it was the one I knew I could tell as quick, concise story.”
Josh Martin, who competed on Jeopardy! last July, shared similar sentiments, writing, “I was also more nervous about the interview than the gameplay. I was pleased I got my anecdote out how I wanted without stumbling.”
“I still anxiety spiral if I think too much about mine!” added former contestant Alicia Korenman. “Why didn’t I plan something more substantial to say about it ??? “I worked in a comic book store and have a tattoo of a comic book character” ok and?????”
Laura Blight, who appeared on Jeopardy! in April 2024, revealed how she believes her anecdote got her on the show. “It was about meeting Merv Griffin (the founder of Jeopardy) and I worked hard to mention it in my Zoom audition. I hadn’t done that in my several previous auditions,” she said.
Another Reddit user added, “When I auditioned, we had to write 5 things on the paperwork they gave us. I had such a hard time thinking of them that since then (about a decade ago now), I’ve kept a list of stories to tell in case I ever get on!”
Kristen VanBlargan, who appeared on the show last month, noted, “I have a knack for finding myself in bizarre situations, so my original draft of my anecdotes was unwieldy. In the end I pared it down to about 20 anecdotes and fun facts. They let you choose your top five.”
2025 TOC contestant Alison Betts added, “I really enjoyed those interviews onstage, and I always love watching them at home. I’m a storyteller at heart, and I love when people nail an interview. If they can tell us something quirky and interesting about themselves, it’s a great window into who they are as a person.”
“Extra bonus points when they can have a fun back and forth with Ken!” she continued. “Honestly one of my favorite things about tournaments, aside from the game play, is how loose and fun the contestants can be with Ken and one another in the interviews.”
Others wanted to know how host Ken Jennings continued to come up with anecdotes during his record-setting 74-game winning streak back in 2004. “I always wondered how much info they needed on Ken Jennings to do those interviews for 74 shows straight,” said one Reddit user.
In a 2020 interview with Vulture, Jennings admitted to sometimes “making up” stories because he’d run out of things to say.
“After my first round of shows, I was out of fun stories. But every week, Jeopardy! would call and be like, “You’re taping again next week, we need more stories for your cards!” I didn’t have any other stories to share. I’m gonna admit that sometimes I’d make things up,” he said.
Jennings continued, “I wouldn’t pretend to be a hero or anything, but you can put anything on those cards. The show doesn’t fact-check that stuff. Alex [Trebek] would look at my card and be like, “Hey, Ken, it says here you really like airline food.” And I’d be like, “I do Alex, I kind of think it’s a fun treat!” He has to tilt his head and look quizzically at you regardless of what you say.”
One Reddit commenter remembered how Jennings and Trebek “flipped roles for a few episodes. Ken would ask Alex questions as if he were a contestant.”
“Foreshadowing,” replied another user, referencing how Jennings would ultimately go on to take over as host following Trebek’s passing.
What do you think of the contestant intros? Do you like them? What would your anecdote be? Let us know in the comments below.
Jeopardy!, Weekdays, check local listings
This… Is… Jeopardy!
Get absolutely everything about Jeopardy! in your inbox!
Conversation22 Comments
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Comments are closed on this story.
-
R
With all respect to Alex, Ken is much better at the interview portion. He is so good at ad libs and is very witty.
13 3
-
C
I always record jeopardy and I used to skip over the interviews. However, now I have come to appreciate them and I really like them. I like knowing something about the contestants and I love it when Ken finds something really amusing. He can be very funny.
10 2
-
O
I always skip the interview part. I'm not interested.
8 3
-
O
Me too. Answer, question, answer, question. Let's do this. There was a guy on a couple of weeks ago who had an odd-sounding job. I decided to listen to his interview hoping he would say what his job is. I said to my wife I bet he says he loves cats. Ken reads his little notecard. "It says here you love cats." 😐 I watched the interview segment for 5 nights waiting for the guy to tell me what he did at his job. He never did. That's why I skip the interview segments.
1 2
-
S
😆! I have never found them interesting, because they always seemed so forced. Just skip it, and play the game!
1
-
-
-
B
No one needs or wants your SPAM!
6 1
-
S
My husband always says that he’d tell the exciting story of finding batteries in Costco!
(Yes, it’s a joke…..)
5
-
B
I like the interviews. Sometimes I am amazed at how uninteresting what the contestants have to say is and I get frustrated when they run on but mostly, I want to hear them. If I am away from the tv during a commercial and the interviews come on, my husband will pause the TV so I can see them. I think of them as an integral part of the show.
6 2
-
G
Some of the contestants are a bit long-winded (and "who cares" boring.) Alex was good at cutting off these contestants - something Ken needs to learn to do.
1
-
G
I generally delay the show a bit which allows me to fast forward through the commercials.
That said, I consider the contestant interviews to be just as important as the competition.
Whether it's some shared common location or activity, or they simply have a unique and amusing tale, the interviews can provide education or entertainment every bit as engaging as the play.
1
-
R
Although we were two innocent Americans, my fiancée and I were locked in Paris jail cells.
-
G
The interviews are. unnecessary They should be eliminated
-
G
I like the interviews as they help me get to know the contestants. The interviews are often funny, but I wish Ken would stop saying, "I love that".
-
P
I've been watching Jeopardy for many years and always mute the interview portion.
1 1
-
O
Interviews go WAY to long! I understand contestants get stuck in their story loop, but I watch for the game. Mini-elevator pitch please.
4 4
-
S
I agree! If they MUST do them, stick to "I'm married with three kids, and I'm a plumber."
THE END!!!!
4
-
-
P
I have a few good stories. I've met a lot of singers. I've been to a lot of concerts. One time 38 Special was performing at the fair. After the show I saw Donnie Van Zant in a limo heading out. They were stuck in traffic. I thought " Now or never if I want to meet him. I took off running and motioned for him to roll his window down. I got his autograph. He had already handed me a pick with his initials on it. My favorite though is the late great Charlie Daniels. Met him a few times.
1
-
O
As soon as the commercial break comes I hit the mute button. I don't unmute until the gameplay resumes.
1
-
G
I think that section of the show should be scrapped. It's stupidity to the heights and only make contestants tell a lot of lies.
1
-
M
I admit that I stopped watching Jeopardy when Alex died and Mayim Bialik became a host. She ruined it for me. I watched with Alex every night for years and always fast forwarded through the interview part. Just didn’t interest me.
2
-
O
I like to see contestants be a little bit more professional on the show. Everything in this world doesn't have to be childish.
4
-
R
Don't take life too seriously you'll never get out alive
-
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services