Sports coat: $55. Plane ticket: $89. Looking like this on national television: Priceless Alex Trebek turns 68 today -- looks good, doesn't he? Nice guy; does charity work, never a scandal. But I'm still a little mad at him -- though I have no one to blame but myself. Let me explain. Like millions of folks, I love Jeopardy! -- going back to the original version with Art Fleming. I also have a knack for memorizing useless facts -- to the point where people were always saying, "You should be on Jeopardy!" (like I had any say in it). In May, 2006, I finally got the call, asking me come in for an interview. Well, I played well enough and was sufficiently personable that they told me I'd be in the pool for a year, and if I didn't hear from them to try again. That year passed and I wrote it off -- until November of 2007, when the magical call came from Culver City. They wanted me! I went to L.A., and after a morning of instructions, was called on to play -- for real. Thanks to a lucky group of categories -- and a Final Jeopardy that I didn't know, but made an educated guess at -- I was an honest-to-goodness Jeopardy! champion. Then my second game came. I was slow on the buzzer, but the final blow was a Daily Double about Shakespeare. In spite of my background in theatre history -- and Alex trying to help -- I blanked, and it was all downhill from there. I rallied, but it was too late, and after a reign of one day, I was a Former Jeopardy! Champion. I exited the studio with a feeling of "what just happened?" but feeling proud that I'd actually done it. I can never go back on the show, but if you do, give Alex my best. And watch out for those Shakespeare categories.... Suggested Sites... Jeopardy! - official site for the world's favorite answer-and-question show. J! Archive - every game since 1983. J! Archive: March 26, 2008 - think you can beat me? J! Archive: March 27, 2008 - my day of infamy. Curse you, Bill Shakespeare! Jeopardy! Message Board - discuss the show with other fanatics.

Directory categories: Alex Trebek, Game Show Hosts, Jeopardy!, Game Shows, Merv Griffin

Archived under: Alex Trebek, Birthdays, Celebrities, Entertainment, Flops, Game Shows, Jeopardy, TV, William Shakespeare

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