Deltasig July 09
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THE JULY 2009 JULY The Journal of Delta Sigma Pi—America’s Foremost Business Fraternity WhoWho is is Brother Brother Kelly Kelly Rabin? Rabin? An Inside Look at Jeopardy! Answer: The Shortest 30 Seconds of My Life by Kelly Rabin, Drake Question: How long is Final Jeopardy? one step closer to fulfilling my childhood 400 people a year get “the call.” In the In case you were wondering, I don’t nor- dream of being on the show. At the audi- middle of December, I was sitting at my mally go through life phrasing things in desk at work when an unfamiliar num- the form of a question. But I recently had ber showed up on my cell phone. I didn’t an experience where I got a lot of prac- Thousands of people are answer it but the caller left a message tice doing just that. Like two out of three invited to the in-person which I immediately played back and contestants in every match, I can now say learned a contestant coordinator from that I identify with the Weird Al song,”I auditions, but only Jeopardy! wanted to ask me some ques- lost on Jeopardy!” about 400 people a year tions about my application. I immediate- My Jeopardy! journey began in ly called back and answered all her ques- January 2008 when I took the online test, get “the call.” tions (no, I don’t know anyone who along with thousands of hopeful contes- works for Sony Pictures…yes, I would tants. I actually thought I didn’t do very tion, we were asked to take another 50- love to come to L.A. in January to be on well on the test and didn’t expect any- question test, play a mock game, and talk Jeopardy!) I then ran around the office thing to come of it. Much to my surprise, a little bit about ourselves. Jeopardy! telling everyone the good news! a few weeks later I received an email looks for contestants who not only know I had a little over a month to prepare inviting me to a Portland audition at the the material, but have personality and for the show. I set aside my CFA (char- end of March. Portland is only a 2.5 hour energy that will show well on TV. tered financial analyst) exam study mate- drive from my home in the Seattle sub- Thousands of people are invited to rials and kicked Jeopardy! studying into urbs, so of course I went, bringing me the in-person auditions, but only about high gear. You might wonder how you 2 JULY 2009/THE DELTASIG OF DELTA SIGMA PI can study for something with so broad a knew the answer to, such as “The Yankee “Contestants, you have 30 seconds to focus. The good news is, while the uni- Clipper,” Joe DiMaggio. I had the sense respond.”The Jeopardy! “Think”music verse of information that Jeopardy! can that I was playing well, but the game started playing. My mind was drawing a ask about is always growing, they also goes so fast that it is important to just blank. The time was flying by. The only have many old favorites, such as enjoy playing it and focus on one ques- American author I could think of from Shakespeare and U.S. presidents. I read tion at a time. I went on a nice run at the the early ’30s was F. Scott Fitzgerald. I Shakespeare for Dummies and Don’t Know end of the Jeopardy! round. Afterwards, wrote down “Fitzgerald” and then added Much About History, along with the when I looked up at the scores, I discov- “F. Scott” in case there was any doubt newspaper and People magazine. After ered I had $8,200, while the other players whom I was referring to. I was not at all all, I’d hate for Brangelina to be my combined for $5,600…resulting in a big confident in my response since I thought downfall! I also TiVoed the show and smile on my face! 1932 was towards the end of Fitzgerald’s played along at home. At the Portland Double Jeopardy! was not quite as career. audition, I received a Jeopardy! kind. The categories were strange and Since I was in first place going into the retractable pen that is similar in shape to nothing really jumped out at me as being final round, my response was revealed the buzzer (signaling device in “game my area of expertise. I still managed to last. The first contestant’s response was show speak”), which was perfect for this add $6,400 to my total, and especially revealed.“Who is Hemingway?” “That’s purpose. I’d practice ringing in and correct.” My heart sank, but I kept smil- responding in the form of a question, ing. The second contestant also respond- while keeping track of my scores and My husband claims the ed correctly. Finally it was my turn. which categories proved difficult so I audience was pulling for Fitzgerald was incorrect, and I ended up could focus my studying. in third place. My husband claims the Finally, it was time to head to SoCal me and gasped when my audience was pulling for me and gasped to record the show and my taping day of response was revealed. when my response was revealed. January 20 arrived. I ate my room service Just like that, my Jeopardy! experience oatmeal, donned my suit and pearls, and was over. I sat in the audience to watch headed downstairs to catch the shuttle to enjoyed responding that Jay Leno played the third game of the day, and then it was the studio. I found a cluster of nervous- “Kitty” on South Park and Kelsey lunch break and time for me to leave the looking people. “Are you here for Grammer is Sideshow Bob on The set. Third place contestants receive $1,000 Jeopardy!?” I asked. “Yes.” Silence. Simpsons. I finished Double Jeopardy! pre-tax (almost enough to cover travel Apparently this was not going to be a still leading by $2,500 despite a last- expenses) along with some lovely parting great morning for small talk. minute run by one of my opponents. gifts, including a frame to hold the pic- We arrived at the studio and the However, the outcome of a game usually ture they took of me with Alex Trebek. I morning went by in a flurry of paper- comes down to one question—Final was definitely sad when it was all over. work, makeup, and practice with the Jeopardy! Not just because I didn’t win, but because buzzer. Finally, it was time for the first After the conclusion of the Double being on the show was so much fun and match. Names are randomly selected Jeopardy! round, the Final Jeopardy! cate- I wished I could do it again. One clause and you don’t know when or who you gory was revealed: American Novelists. in the Jeopardy! contestant contract says will be playing against until right before Not my favorite category. At all. that contestants can never be on the the game. My name was not called for Nonetheless, it was time to make our show again as long as Alex Trebek is host. the first game (whew!), so I settled into wagers. Conventional wisdom says that I am so lucky though, as I did get to real- my chair in the audience and enjoyed the first place player should bet to cover ize my dream of being on the show, with watching the match. When they called the second place player, assuming the great memories to go with it. the names for the second match, it was second place player bets it all and After the show aired, the most fre- my turn. A quick pit stop and makeup responds correctly. This meant I had to quent comment I heard from friends and touch-up, and it was time to play. bet $9,601 of my $14,600. If I got the family was how poised and confident I When I was preparing for Jeopardy! at question wrong, I would likely finish in appeared. They said I didn’t seem nervous home, one tip I picked up is to only ring third place. All that was in my mind was I at all. I attribute some of that poise to the in if you are confident you know the needed to make sure to calculate my leadership experience I gained as a answer. Contestants are penalized with wager correctly. Since I am an actuary, I Deltasig. I bet you never thought that negative scores if they respond incorrect- would never live an arithmetic error participating in all those chapter meetings ly, and this can quickly take a player into down! could help you get on a game show! L the red and out of contention. I am Finally, everyone had locked in their proud to say that during the first two wagers and it was time to reveal the clue: rounds of play I responded with 20 cor- “What is moral is what you feel good NOTE: While the actual video of Kelly’s rect answers, and no incorrect ones. I after and what is immoral is what you game is not available online, a complete answered questions I didn’t even know I feel bad after,” he wrote in 1932. transcript can be found on j-archive.com. JULY 2009/THE DELTASIG OF DELTA SIGMA PI 3 THE CONTENTS DELTASIGThe Journal of Delta Sigma Pi—America’s Foremost Business Fraternity July 2009 Vol.