~ Jon James
It’s always exciting when someone from Maine appears on Jeopardy! and it’s about to happen again!
Jamie Calandro, a music teacher at Ellsworth High School, will be on the show, hosted by Ken Jennings, beginning on Monday. We’ll have to wait to see how far he gets but most Mainers and I will be rooting for him!
I asked Jamie some questions about the whole process and how he got the opportunity.
My first question to him was, Have you always been a lover of trivia?
“(I) have definitely always been a trivia lover. Always was a fan of trivia board games and went to trivia nights at restaurants/bars in my 20s. It was a dream come true to get the call be be a Jeopardy contestant.”
I also wanted to know what the pre-acceptance process is like…did you have to answer questions correctly to show your knowledge?
This process has been going on for several years. It starts with taking the test online, and then moving on to further tests and online interviews. When I got the call I went to Los Angeles for a week in September and did interviews, rehearsals, and ultimately the real taping in front of the audience at Sony Pictures studios in Culver City.
And what was the pressure like on the set with cameras and lights and the audience?
It was definitely a lot of pressure when the game was going. The studio was so real and big. Ultimately I feel fortunate just that I got the call and met some amazing fellow contestants.
It’s going to be exciting to watch! As a trivia host myself, I enjoy the game…but I would not make a good contestant.
Good luck Jamie!!!
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