I won Jeopardy! on Friday, AMA.

Shouldn't it be answer me anything?

I wish I'd thought of that!

Were you tempted to write "Suck it Trebek" for your answer on Final Jeopardy?

Yeah, especially on the episode I lost on when I had no answer for Final Jeopardy.

Aren't you not supposed to divulge facts about shows that haven't aired yet?

Yeah, I'm not really giving anything important away though.

The fact that the current champion has already taped his loss isn't important?

Everyone loses on Jeopardy

Nothing is certain but Death and Jeopardy losses.

I like it.

Not if you're Brad Rutter!

Watson says otherwise.

Not a question, but... I've been taking care of my 71 year old mother after a recent surgery. As we watched your episode, she said "30 years of Jeopardy and they finally have a handsome contestant." We continued throughout the show to comment on your handsomeness. She even defended your Magic Johnson answer, "I'm sure he's very nervous and hockey and basketball do use similar phrases."

So, you've definitely made my Mom a fan! Thanks for what I'm sure improved her recovery! :)

Tell your mom I hope she gets well soon, and she kinda made my night with her compliment.

do you wish trebek still had a mustache?

He does, he just wears a small strip of flesh-colored latex over it during filming.

How do they choose what little story the contestants tell after the first commercial? They are painfully cheesy or lame most of the time.

Before you go to the show, you have to fill out this big packet of info on yourself, including giving them a bunch of stories/anecdotes. Then they pick three to make questions out of, and Alex selects the one he wants to ask.

Do they attempt to verify or at least sanity-check the anecdotes? I can imagine that at least some of the stories are utter bullshit made up by contestants who couldn't think what to write as their witty stories.

Makes me wonder what the most outrageous story to slip through the net and make it onto TV has been...

As far as I know, they don't verify anything.

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A grower, not a shower, I hope.

I remember Ken Jennings said there are an awful lot of inconvenient rules you have to follow because of the fall-out from the crooked game shows era. Like a contestant back stage isn't even allowed to disappear for a few minutes alone to go to the bathroom, or something like that. Were there any of these annoying rules about making sure no one was up to anything shady?

No, you definitely can't go anywhere unattended while you're a contestant. But I never thought they were especially strict or anything.

Is it still a questionable fruit tray that no one touches and bagels with no utensils in the green room?

Pretty much! Everyone's too nervous to eat! When were you on?

I was on with Arthur Chu. So... very briefly.

I've got this last week's episodes queued up for later. Can't wait to see your show! And congratulations!

What was he like in the green room?

Very nice, and just as nervous as the rest of us. He got in a little later the rest of us, and pretty much sneaked past everyone to sit in the side of the room, sometimes pacing. Most of us didn't even notice him until Maggie introduced him.

Between tapings, and during the credits filler portion, though, he was very friendly and eager to talk about his recent move and voiceover and performance work. Very affable and funny. And so nervous he was sweating through every outfit by the end of the taping, just like all of us.

It was surprising, but amusing, to see him portrayed as a "villain" in the press. For those of us who played against him, it was certainly surprising, but instead of being bitter, we just went back to the Doubletree and got hammered at the hotel bar and laughed it off. All of us from that week, including Arthur, are pals on Facebook and keep in touch, still. It was definitely a bonding experience and we all got to be part of a cool piece of Jeopardy! history.

Y'know, sorry you didn't get to experience a win, but it's still very cool you made it on the show and lost to such a memorable contestant.

How did you prepare for your appearance on Jeopardy?

I studied some geography and brushed up on the presidents. That was about it.

Did you interact with Alex Trebeck at all? Is he as zany as he comes off on TV?

Yes, a little bit. He's a bit brusque actually, but he's funny. He takes audience questions during commercials, here was one exchange:

Audience member: "Do you sign autographs?"

Alex: "No! Next question!"

I heard they film only 2 days a week. Did watching the person win before you psych you out at all?

That's true, they film five episodes Monday, and five Tuesday, then take a two week break. Nice gig! And no, I wasn't psyched out, mostly because no one in my group won more than one game.

Do you bring multiple changes of clothing in case you win multiple times and then change in between tapings?

Yep, exactly. They have a small closet with some clothes that past contestants have left behind, I guess Ken Jennings had to dip into that stash when he was on.

So if you win do you go grab another outfit backstage for the next episode or do they have that there for you?

They tell you to bring at least 3 outfits.

Is it true that if you say Alex Trebek's name backwards he will be sent back to the Fifth Dimension?

It is, the producers strongly advised against it.

This pain reliever has the strength to handle arthritis pain all day with just 2 pills.

What is Aleve!

What was the process for you to actually get onto the show?

1. Online test in October of 2012

2. Called down for an audition in NYC in May of 2013 (another test, harder this time, then a short little game and question/answer session with the producers)

3. Producer called me in early November to invite me to film a month later.

What percentage of the online test questions did you feel you got correct?

I got four out of fifty wrong. I kept track.

I just took the online test a few weeks ago.. four out of fifty correct

Keep at it, slugger!

As someone who is currently enrolled in an online college course, couldn't you just google the answers?

You only have about ten seconds to answer each question.

Damn, good thing my professors haven't thought of this yet. Were they all multiple choice?

No way, they're all fill in the blank.

You only have about ten seconds to answer each question. Even then, you'd fail your in person test.

Are you supposed to answer the same question twice?

No. The online test is timed, but then when you go to audition you have to take another (harder) test in person. Can't cheat that one.

What kind of questions were asked? How do they compare to actual Jeopardy questions? Can you provide any specific examples?

Sorry, I took the test over a year ago, I don't remember the specific questions. They covered a wide range of topics.

I got four out of fifty wrong.

What are the best and worst possible question categories for you?

Sports, nature/animals, movies and tv, stuff like that. Ironically, I gave a terrible answer to a sports question (answer) when I didn't pay attention to the fact that the question was about the NHL. I answered Magic Johnson. I've gotten a lot of shit from friends for that one...

holy shit, that was you!?!? I had the TV on while I was studying MedChem and I remember hearing something about NHL and you answered Magic Johnson and I said, "What a dumbass."

I just want to apologize for my name calling.

You were justified in saying that.

What was the NHL question? I enjoy anything about hockey.

"100+ assists in an NHL season has been accomplished only 13 times, 11 times by this player."

I totally missed the NHL part and focused on the assists. Just a terribly embarrassing answer all around.

My face when I realized my mistake.

That face is priceless. Insta-regret.

You can see me mouth the word "shit!"

Did you buy that jeopardy t-shirt or did they give it to you?

Friend of mine gave it to me for Christmas. They gave me a tote bag, baseball cap, and a pen that looks like the signaling device.

This pen?

No, this pen

What was the best and worst part about doing Jeopardy?

Best was winning, it was a goal/dream of mine since I was a child. Worst was how unbelievably nervous I was the entire day of filming, waiting for my name to be drawn at random.

Would you elaborate? Does the random drawing imply that you might not actually get to be a contestant even though they called you in to the studio?

Well it filmed over two days, and I wasn't selected until the last episode of the first day. So I had no idea when I'd go. Contestants are chosen randomly, but if you've traveled to get there they'll get you in. They have local contestants that fill in the late episodes.

How the hell did you guess that word with just two lett...

Oh, nvm

New baby buggy, it was easy!

You and Watson in a Jeopardy Death Match, how do you win?

By unplugging Watson.

If you had the option to, would you participate again?

Also, how long was it between you being filmed and the show appearing?

I am officially ineligible for Jeopardy from now on. I'd love to play again though.

You are sexy as hell!!

I'll upvote that any day.

In your opinion, how accessible would Jeopardy be to someone that's hard of hearing / deaf? I'd personally love to go on Jeopardy but I'm so worried that being hard of hearing would screw me up somehow.

It would absolutely be accessible to you, and I highly encourage you to try out. All the clues are shown on a flat screen tv next to the big board (I don't even listen to Alex, I read it and form my answer), and your podium lights up when you've rung in first. You would be at no disadvantage. They had a blind contestant do very well, and frankly I think the producers would be excited to get you on.

I actually just watched the blind guy today, they are showing old champions on crackle.com. He did extraordinarily well, which impressed me more because he'd have to wait to hear the full question read by Alex, while the other contestants would get to read it first.

They eliminated audio clues for his shows, other than that, he had to do it himself.

Does the audience really applause the entire time you're standing on stage with the other contestants and Mr. Trebek at the end of the game?

Yup, no canned applause at all.

That's so strange to me. Is there an Applause sign or something, or do they just really appreciate the battle of minds that had taken place?

Applause sign, and producers waving their arms.

Were you given any idea of what the questions (answers) might be drawn from, or can they be just about anything?

No idea whatsoever beforehand about the questions, they can ask you about any subject.

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Good eye!

If you're so smart, please tell me where the hell I put my favorite socks!

You put them on your feet!

My sister and I are HUGE Jeopardy fans. We never miss an episode, ever.

My question is, out of all the Clue Crew, Jimmy, Sarah, and Kelly, who would you want to be stuck on an island with?

Kelly, most def...

do you think time is linear or cyclical?

Time is a flat circle.

Congratulations. Any big plans for your winnings?

So. Much. Blow.

What do you do on your downtime this weekend between filmings, do you have a care-taker or babysitter? Do they pay for your stay in Cali or flights? How much money have you spent since you walked out the door of your house? (I am assuming you are not from the city it is filmed in)

They film ten episodes on Mondays & Tuesdays, every other week. I haven't spent any money, they haven't given me it yet. I guess you get it around six months after your air date. Contestants pay for their own hotel/airfare, with the exception of the returning champ, they get a free plane ticket.

So you could be a contestant and lose money by being on the show? That's total BS.

Third place gets a thousand dollars. But yes, you could certainly lose money between airfare and hotel.

When I was on Jeopardy Kids Week they paid for my airfare, both of my parent's airfare, a car rental, and our three day hotel stay at the Beverley Hilton. Plus a $500 stipend. Can't believe they don't do this anymore!

They do for those special tournaments. I was on plain ol' Jeopardy though.

Congrats! Is Maggie still doing contestant wrangling? She's super awesome.

She is, and she's still awesome. She remembered my name about eight months after audition, I was impressed.

Without looking it up, where is the Kandahar province located?

Afghanistan? Swear I didn't look it up!

Was the curly haired contestant pretty? Congrats on the Win

Well you saw her, didn't you? She was cute.

But you saw her in real life. :) do they serve drinks after a victory backstage? Thks

They have free beverages and fruit and pastry platters for contestants.

Do they allow you to drink before the taping? I'm assuming not, but drunk Jeopardy could be kinda funny.

Taping starts at 8am, but they never mentioned drinking. I'm sure you could get away with a couple pulls.

If someone screws up (accidentally swears, falls, yells, sneezes, etc.) do they have to redo the scene? Do they cut out the whole segment? Did they tell you what would happen in a scenario like this?

It didn't happen when I was there, so I don't know what would happen. They do a fair amount of editing though. I gave an answer on a daily double that they stopped to research if it was right or not (it wasn't, I said "Islamic Brotherhood" instead of Muslim Brotherhood) for a good ten minuteS, and in the show it looked like they never stopped. He also re-records various sound bites during commercial breaks.

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Yep!

What are some of your favorite movies?

The Fugitive, Big Lebowski, Godfather II, Jaws, Empire Strikes Back, A Few Good Men to name a few. Wolf Of Wall Street was my favorite movie from last year.

Do we really have to wait until friday to ask you anything?

Clever. Obviously no one else listened.

Well what's next for you? Are you gonna try and get on another quiz show?

Nah, can't top Jeopardy, so why bother?

Thanks for doing the AMA. I imagined you "cracked" a joke about Alex explaining the producer's intention of the Safe Words category.

Ms. Levinson looked like a dirty dog.

Fist pump.

I thought she looked like a cuter version of Blossom. As for that safe words category, I won't lie, I didn't even understand the category until the last question, and didn't put together the double entendre until I saw the episode.

What did you have for breakfast today?

Ham, egg, and potato taco.

What's the best way to get on Jeopardy and win the big bucks?

Knowing all the answers is a good start.

As a Winn, how good a game is jeopardy from a mechanics perspective do you reckon? Would you change any rules to make it more interesting or fun?

I wouldn't change anything, I'd love to see Alex play though.

It says ask me ANYTHING, so hey, what is your best solution for dry skin?

Vaseline.

Which category would you absolutely own? Where is your area of expertise?

Probably animals, sports, or movies.

we need a /u/MiloMuggins vs /u/unidan animal jeopardy face off.

I'd love to! I'd lose, but I'd love the challenge nonetheless.

What do you do for a living?

I'm an aircraft mechanic for the US Coast Guard.

so how good are you at trivial pursuit?

Trivial Pursuit, pub trivia, things like that, I rarely lose.

Do you think you would've stood a chance against Arthur?

Yes, I would've loved to take a crack at him.

Would you say jeopardy is your favorite game show?

By a mile. Been a big fan since I was a kid.

When/how do you get paid?

Apparently six months after air date. I'm assuming it'll be a check.

So which charity are you going to be donating to?

The Human Fund

What made you want to go on jeopardy? Does everyone say that kind of thing about you?

I've been a fan since I was a kid, watching was/is a weekday ritual in my house. Even as a kid I was pretty good at playing.

Do you have a backup game show that you would have liked to appear on if Jeopardy didn't accept your application?

No, it's not so much that I wanted to be on a game show, or tv. I wanted to be on Jeopardy. It's my personal Super Bowl.

Were you so happy that when you got home you just fuckin flipped a table over?

(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

I went out for some amazing ramen noodles, then got slightly drunk. I was on cloud nine.

Can I really do anything if I put my mind to it?

No.

I've heard that anyone on a game show must wait ten years to be on another game show. How is jeopardy any different from this? I've seen people on a winning sprees and sometimes again during special even such as battle of the centuries. Why does jeopardy not go by the rules?

Jeopardy requires you to not appear on any other shows for six months. Not sure why.

I've always wondered; do they let you know what topics to brush up on? Apologies if this is a repeat question, I scanned through and couldn't find.

They tell you nothing, and they can ask about any subject.

Do you study before the show and do you take some type of exam to make sure your smart enough?

Yes, an online exam, followed by another harder exam when you do your audition. I studied a bit of geography and presidential history, that's about it.

How many things do you know?

This many |_____________________|