Inside the Jeopardy! Studio

Wednesday, 29 June 2011 | by Pat's Picks

Sometimes the best moments on television are the unscripted ones. And sometimes it goes the other way. The New York Post gives us a glimpse behind the “Jeopardy!” curtain in a story about the extensive pre-interview process to prepare contestants for their seemingly off-the-cuff “get to know you” interview.

Apparently, it says the following at the top of the show’s standard three-page questionnaire: “Not many of our contestants have saved the world or received the Nobel prize, but they all have a funny story about the camping trip from hell.” As is typical on entertainment shows, producers rehearse several topics with the players to help them keep their answers brief and entertaining.  But to ensure an element of surprise, host Alex Trebek keeps his options open, refusing to warn the players which of the prepared topics he’s going to focus on.

Remember a guy named Ken Jennings? Well here’s his first of 75-plus awkward chats in which he thanks Fuzzy the truck driver and two drunk teenagers. (Clips starts at 5:22)