Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Appearance on G4TV

Apparently my little reference at the end of my third Jeopardy episode has attracted some additional attention.

I definitely figured I'd probably get on YouTube with the whole Kebert Xela thing. I didn't think I'd get over 80,000 views within the first week, but that's been pretty cool. For the most part people seem to have found it funny, except for the small minority that just hate Family Guy, and that other small minority that just thinks everything sucks. But no one likes those people anyway.

Regardless, the video of my Final Jeopardy answer has gotten some great links. It's been on a number of blogs and websites (including Aintitcool, which certainly is cool).

What's more, I got a call today that I appeared on G4TV's 'Attack of the Show.' I didn't get a chance to see the episode, but I believe it will rerun on Friday, so I'm Tivo'ing that.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Appearance in Daily News

So my Jeopardy appearance got me a brief mention in today's Daily News, only problem is it's pretty much not true.

This Narberth man raked in $27,000 over three nights on "Jeopardy" last week," but didn't fare as well playing Quizzo at Manayunk's Bayou Bar & Grill (4245 Main). Cohen, a 25-year-old private-equity analyst, celebrated his first night of victory there Wednesday, watching the show with 15 friends. The Penn State grad and pals stuck around for the pub quiz afterward, and Cohen's crew didn't come close to victory. Bayou owner Joe Abruzzo figures the bar's game must be harder than "Jeopardy." But we imagine Cohen's happier with his TV cash than a free bar tab.

Yeah, I did go to the Bayou on Wednesday, but it wasn't to watch Jeopardy (which I did with family and friends at home). We went there because we always go after our Sport and Social league football games. For the record, we also didn't play Quizzo, although if we did, I bet we could've rocked that sh*t.


Dan Gross Daily News 06/18/2007

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Jeopardy: FAQ

I also thought I’d make a list of quick answers to questions I’ve received or other stuff in case people don’t want to read my War & Peace length review. But if you DO want to read all about it, and if you want a far more complete account of the Jeopardy audition process (What taking the Jeopardy! test is like, exactly what happens during the follow-up in person audition, and then actually going on the show), my ebook is only a dollar and in my biased view, well worth the investment if you seriously want to consider taking the test)

- First off, why the hell did you write that long of a Jeopardy review?

Because it’s easier than writing parts of screenplays that no one will ever see? Probably funnier too. But also, I wanted to write it just so I could have this elaborate and intimately detailed recollection for myself (so I don’t forget it) and for any future generations (who can read it on blogger, or facebook, or on the dashboard of their flying Googlesoft Hovercar, or whatever else the future brings)

- I’ve been on Mars Jared, how did you do on Jeopardy?

I played in three episodes of Jeopardy, winning my first two and coming in third on my final appearance

- How good is it to win two episodes?

Well, I was curious to the answer of this question, so I ran a little analysis. Using the online Jeopardy Archive (google J! Archive, it’s a really great website), I collected summary data on somewhere between 600 and 1000 old Jeopardy episodes and found out what percentage of people appear on just one episode (coming in 2nd or 3rd place) versus two episodes (one-day champion), etc…The numbers are just an approximation….but my data indicates approximately 75% of Jeopardy contestants only appear on one episode and lose (which intuitively makes sense if you think about it). Another 15% leave as one-day champions after two appearances. After that, it’s roughly 5% that win two days (including myself)…and much smaller percentages for the remaining Super-Champions. I don’t think anyone else has ever checked the data for that, so it’s not confirmed, and the whole process only took like 20 minutes, but it’s my best guess.

- How much money did you win?

Just over $27,000. I won $4,001 for my first victory, $22,222 for my second victory (which was a lock game), and the $1,000 consolation prize for my final show



- How do you even get on Jeopardy?

Really?  You should just buy the book, it provides a very long and descriptive answer


Jeopardy Adventure: Part Six

What follows is a very brief excerpt of my newly published eBook, "How I Got on Jeopardy!...and Actually Won!"  The full book is available on Amazon.com for a very low price.

And so the process began to repeat itself. I shook hands with both of the other players. I really kind of felt bad about the whole thing, but I tried not to feel guilty about winning.

They took off our mikes and we all went back to the green room. For this next and final taping, I would be playing two men, one of whom I believe was about my age. So I really couldn’t rely on getting good male-oriented categories.

But I’ll be honest, I did start to entertain momentary fantasies about winning a billion episodes in a row. I thought about how sweet that would be, of course every time I thought that I caught myself and chastised myself for thinking ahead. I definitely wanted to win this next game, but at the same time, I also was realizing exactly how much I had accomplished.

Jeopardy Adventure: Part Five

What follows is a very brief excerpt of my newly published eBook, "How I Got on Jeopardy!...and Actually Won!"  The full book is available on Amazon.com for a very low price.

Alex came over and shook my hand (I think, I don’t remember anything other than being in total shock), I couldn’t believe it.

At the end of the game, the players come out from behind the podiums to stand at center stage with Alex for when the credits roll. The Champion is always assigned a spot on the left (or the right if you’re watching at home). And now that spot was for me!!!

Why? Because I was the freaking champion! Holy shit!!!

Those last seven words there, ‘I was the freaking champion, holy shit!’ was all I could say for the next hour or so.

Jeopardy Adventure: Part Four

What follows is a very brief excerpt of my newly published eBook, "How I Got on Jeopardy!...and Actually Won!"  The full book is available on Amazon.com for a very low price.



I’m not one for hyperbole, but it may very well have been the most critical moment in the history of the universe.

So we went back into the green room, and the woman from Virginia and I started to make our preparations. We got our makeup retouched, and we got our personal information cards ready for Alex. Long before we actually made the trip to Los Angeles, the producers asked us to email them a bunch of information. Within that information, were the set of one-liners, interesting facts or quirks that Trebek could use to embarrass us in front of a live studio audience and friends and family around the world.

My goals, a) try not to give him anything embarrassing and b) try not to make things awkward when the interview actually happened.

So the card was pre-made with my facts on it. There were four of them to choose from, and one of the coordinators asked me which fact I wanted to highlight and have Alex talk about.

“Of course”, I was warned, “Sometimes Alex just picks out a different one he’s more interested in”

Monday, June 11, 2007

Jeopardy Adventure: Part Three

What follows is a very brief excerpt of my newly published eBook, "How I Got on Jeopardy!...and Actually Won!"  The full book is available on Amazon.com for a very low price.

We left the green room, walked through this side passage around the studio audience sets, and came out right onto the stage…

Smaller than I expected.

But that said, it was totally amazing. I mean, right in front of us were the podiums (podia?) and the dreaded buzzers. We were only feet away from Alex’s podium and the big board o’ questions. There was a director’s chair with Alex Trebek’s name on it (which was totally cool).

They let us walk around behind the podiums and I just looked around in awe at the set I had seen on TV a million times. Some people get thrills walking into a famous concert hall or historical opera house….I got excited on the set of a TV game show.

At that point Glenn (one of the other coordinators from my Philadelphia audition) came out and began to take us through the intricacies of playing the game and the board lights.

Jeopardy Adventure: Part Two

What follows is a very brief excerpt of my newly published eBook, "How I Got on Jeopardy!...and Actually Won!"  The full book is available on Amazon.com for a very low price.

It was very close to 5pm, and I was about to leave the office for the weekend. A number popped up on my phone as it rang.

‘California?’ I thought. Who the hell do I know in California? I knew a couple of investment firms, but they would probably never call me. CalPERS is one of our clients, but again, clients rarely call me directly without me knowing it beforehand.

‘Jared Cohen?’ I said, as if I was the one who didn’t know what Jared Cohen sounded like.

The voice on the other end of the line asked for Jared Cohen, I guess he hadn’t listened to me when I answered the phone.

‘Speaking.’

‘This is Tony Pandolfo of Jeopardy’

‘Oh my god’

The next 20 minutes or so were a complete blur, albeit one spent entirely seated at my desk.

Jeopardy Adventure: Part One

What follows is a very brief excerpt of my newly published eBook, "How I Got on Jeopardy!...and Actually Won!"  The full book is available on Amazon.com for a very low price.


Today is March 24, 2007, nearly a full month after my trip to Los Angeles. For anyone who stumbled across this by accident (because lord knows my friends all have heard versions and sections of this story already), I recently spent a good amount of time preparing for, thinking about, and appearing on the show Jeopardy. So that’s what all this is about.

I’m sitting here, in a Borders cafĂ©, trying to figure out exactly how to explain all this. I also want to do my best to remember everything exactly as it happened and what I was thinking at the time. Of course, I haven’t actually seen it on television yet, and I’m sure that will jog some memories (or provide nightmarish flashbacks, whatever). Regardless, I wanted to write everything down for anyone who wants to know all the gory details.

I guess the easiest analogy is Mount Everest. No, that’s almost too easy, people can pay to be taken up Mount Everest. Maybe it’s more like the Super Bowl, a high pressure situation, over before you even realize it, with a lot of random chance involved in the ultimate outcome. Although NFL players can get back to the Super Bowl if they lose while on Jeopardy you only get your one shot at game show immortality. Maybe that makes winning Jeopardy harder than winning the Super Bowl. So fuck you Tom Brady.

The story actually begins sometime in the Winter of 2006. I was sitting at my desk at work, trying to think of ways to pass the time because let’s face it, offices can be boring at times. As is typically the case during the day, I’d run out of interesting articles to read or funny videos to watch, and needed some new diversion. Somehow, someway, I ended up going to the Jeopardy web page.

This wasn’t something completely new to me, the Jeopardy web page. I had gone there at least a couple times before trying to figure out how to be a contestant. Why? The same reasons everyone else has, fame, fortune, and all those Jeopardy groupies. I’ve always been a casual viewer of the show, and always thought I could do well if I just got the chance to get on there. I even knew the process, going to Los Angeles, taking a test, and a subsequent audition if you passed. And even though they specifically say don’t come to Los Angeles just to take the test, I have to say the idea had crossed my mind.

It wasn’t just false confidence (believe me, I have enough trouble with REAL confidence). Back in college, I tried out for the college edition of Who Wants to Be A Millionaire. I passed that test no problem, but must’ve failed the part where they want you to be interesting and/or really really good looking. But who cares about Millionaire? Jeopardy has and always will be the holy grail of quiz shows. The opening theme, the form of a question phrasing, the condescending Canadian host, it’s the stuff little trivia genius’ dreams are made of.

So I was shocked to see they offered a new online test for contestant applicants! It was only a couple of days away, but I devoured all the information on the web site. It would be offered on one day, 8pm if I remember correctly, and would consist of 50 questions. If you passed you would be eligible to meet up with the production staff for another test and a full audition.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Yes, I have a new blog

So I created this new blog address, using my upcoming appearance on Jeopardy as a jumping off point.

I used to post stuff on MySpace, but that kind of got old when posting meant I'd get 100 porn solicitations after every login, so that blog is now officially retired.

The first couple posts on this blog are just going to be various sections of my Jeopardy experience, because I wanted a forum to share that with friends and family (and anyone else who might be interested).

Beyond that, who knows where we go from here...