In this episode of Post-Podium, I had the opportunity to chat with Rhone Talsma, a librarian from Chicago, Illinois whose crowning achievement was defeating Jeopardy! ultra champion Amy Schneider and ending her historic 40-game run. Rhone won a total of $29,600 but unfortunately lost in his second game finishing in third. However, Rhone is now part of an exclusive club of Jeopardy! contestants who have defeated ultra champions, which includes Nancy Zerg, Emma Boettcher, and Jonathan Fisher just to name a few.

What kind of free stuff did Rhone receive after his big win? How did Rhone maintain his composure against a formidable opponent like Amy? And why do librarians, historically speaking, make for great Jeopardy! contestants? All of these questions and more are answered in this episode of Post-Podium!

Timestamps

0:14 - Intro

2:12 - What has Rhone been up to since appearing on Jeopardy!?

5:06 - Rhone's Instagram shopping habits

7:13 - Did any brands reach out to Rhone to send him free stuff?

10:24 - Does Rhone like other game shows besides Jeopardy!? What is Rhone's relationship with trivia like?

13:35 - Was Rhone afraid of the possibility of running into a super champion before taping for Jeopardy!?

15:38 - Rhone on maintaining his composure against an ultra champion

17:42 - How did Rhone tweak his gameplay strategy in response to watching Amy play?

20:16 - Was Final Jeopardy! wager strategy a part of Rhone's prep process?

21:14 - Rhone's rationale behind his $12,000 FJ! wager

22:19 - FJ! wager theory: What is a "crush?"

24:53 - How did Rhone draw a line between having low expectations for himself and feeling hopeless or defeated?

29:02 - Was Rhone able to stay in touch with Amy after his taping day?

30:33 - Does Rhone keep in touch with his contestant cohort?

31:15 - Rhone on why Ken Jennings is fit to be the permanent host of Jeopardy!

32:51 - Some meta trivia regarding Amy's loss to Rhone

33:42 - Rhone on why librarians make for great Jeopardy! contestants

35:19 - A series of Pokémon-related questions

37:44 - What was Rhone's watch party experience like?

39:09 - Rhone on reactions to his win on social media

40:12 - How did Rhone prepare for Jeopardy!?

42:15 - Rhone's best and worst Jeopardy! subjects

44:35 - Rhone on the Jeopardy! buzzer

45:28 - Rhone taught an online dating class for senior citizens

48:04 - Rhone on his favorite public metro systems

50:11 - Rhone's prisoner's dilemma in Final Jeopardy!

53:31 - Was there any part of the contestant experience that surprised Rhone?

54:42 - Other behind the scenes stories (Rhone and Amy's astrological signs)

57:02 - What was Rhone's best purchase using his prize winnings?

57:59 - Wrapping up and promoting social media

59:35 - Outro

In this episode of Post-Podium, I had the opportunity to chat with Finn Corrigan, a student from Vista, California who made his Jeopardy! debut on March 17, 2022. Finn went on to win two games and a total of $40,602. He was also an alternate for the 'Jeopardy! National College Championship,' which aired in February 2022. I ask Finn a few questions regarding his unique experience as an alternate and find out how it differed from being a bona fide contestant on the syndicated program. We also break down his individual performances and games and talk about Final Jeopardy! wagering strategy.

Did Finn celebrate his success by eating at the In-N-Out on Venice Boulevard? Why did one of Finn's Final Jeopardy! responses cause an uproar on social media? And who paid a surprise visit to the Jeopardy! set while Finn was taping? All of these questions and more are answered in this episode of Post-Podium!

Timestamps

0:14 - Intro

1:17 - Finn's introduction

2:11 - Was Finn's Jeopardy! debut on St. Patrick's Day purely coincidental?

3:56 - Finn's watch party experience

6:26 - "Why Jeopardy!?"

7:55 - "What did your audition timeline look like?"

12:17 - How did Finn prepare for the JNCC?

13:37 - Finn's takeaways from observing the JNCC taping

15:45 - How did Finn prepare for the syndicated show?

19:42 - What category did Finn feel most prepared for?

20:46 - What category did Finn feel the least confident in?

22:22 - Does Finn still keep in touch with his contestant cohort?

24:18 - Did Finn get to scout his opponents at all before his first episode?

26:32 - Finn's Jeopardy! buzzer strategy (lights vs. sound, preferred grip/hold)

30:53 - Finn's opinion on Ken and Mayim as the hosts of Jeopardy! 

33:09 - Did Finn get to talk to Ken at all outside of his contestant interview?

33:53 - Finn's unused/alternate contestant stories

35:45 - Finn's PSA for anyone who wants to adopt a rabbit

37:09 - Game 1 Breakdown: Finn goes 4 for 5 in "CIRCUMFLEXING ON YOU"

38:21 - Game 1 Breakdown: "IRISH NAME DERIVATIONS"

39:07 - Game 1 Breakdown: 18 triple stumper clues

40:46 - Game 1 Breakdown: Final Jeopardy! - "NONFICTION"

41:20 - Game 2 Breakdown: Final Jeopardy! - "NEWSPAPER TALK"

42:28 - Did Finn meet or surpass his expectations for Jeopardy!?

44:18 - Why you shouldn't "wait" to apply for Jeopardy!

46:12 - What did Finn do after his first day of taping?

49:39 - Game 3 Breakdown: Discussing Final Jeopardy! wagering strategy

52:02 - The "Diana Ross" backlash

53:34 - Final Jeopardy! wager theory: Explaining Stratton's Dilemma

56:32 - What part of the Jeopardy! experience surprised Finn the most?

58:24 - Who paid a surprise visit to the Jeopardy! set while Finn was taping?

59:30 - Other behind the scenes stories (a rumored celebrity on the Sony Pictures lot?)

1:00:32 - Would Finn have preferred to have been on the JNCC?

1:02:19 - "Have you read any messages from randoms or people from your distant past on social media?"

1:04:14 - What is Finn planning to use his winnings on?

1:06:17 - Wrapping up and promoting social media

1:07:14 - Outro

In this episode of Post-Podium, I had the opportunity to chat with Mike Janela, a sportscaster from Astoria, New York who made his Jeopardy! debut on April 7, 2022. While he may not have emerged the champion, I was so fascinated by Mike's background that I just had to get him on the podcast to talk about his career and how it played a role in his preparation process for the show. We also break down his game/episode, and I ask him questions about what it was like to play against a Jeopardy! juggernaut like Mattea Roach (who has since qualified for the next Tournament of Champions).

What was the last state that Mike visited to finish his travels to all 50 states? Who sabotaged Mike's chances of appearing in a Jeopardy! Teen Tournament? How many groanworthy puns and cheesy analogies/metaphors do we make in this podcast episode (tag me on social if you know!)? The first two questions and more are answered in this episode of Post-Podium!

Timestamps

0:14 - Intro

1:20 - Mike's introduction

4:50 - Mike's watch party experience

6:38 - "Why Jeopardy!?"

10:07 - "What did your audition timeline look like?"

16:44 - Mike's career in media: Being a sportscaster

17:44 - Did Mike see anything as "a lost cause" while studying for Jeopardy!?"

19:40 - Mike's reaction to the "BALLPARK" category

22:32 - Mike's career in media: Travelling for Guinness World Records

30:43 - How much did travelling the world help Mike in studying for Jeopardy!?

32:25 - Mike's career in media: Working for LittleThings and Reward the Fan

33:12 - Did working for LittleThings or Reward the Fan help Mike keep in touch with pop culture?

35:25 - Did working for the American Kennel Club add to Mike's knowledge of dog breeds?

36:23 - Mike's career in media: Appearing on $100,000 Pyramid and dealing with a high-stakes environment

40:06 - What were some additional resources Mike used to study for Jeopardy!?

42:30 - Was there a category Mike felt very prepared for but didn't appear in his game?

45:13 - How close is Mike with his contestant cohort? 

50:07 - Did watching Mattea from the audience change Mike's gameplay strategy at all?

53:58 - Mike's thoughts on Mayim and Ken as the rotating hosts of Jeopardy!

56:08 - Was Mike able to speak with Mayim outside of his contestant interview?

57:27 - Mike's unused contestant stories

59:02 - Game Breakdown: Mike's final words on the Jeopardy! buzzer

1:02:19 - Game Breakdown: "COMPUTERS AND THE INTERNET" for $600

1:04:09 - Game Breakdown: Mike's Final Jeopardy! response

1:06:48 - Was Final Jeopardy! wager theory part of Mike's preparation for Jeopardy!?

1:09:15 - Why Reagan should have wagered no more than $2,000 in Final Jeopardy! rather than going all in

1:11:57 - "What aspect of the contestant experience surprised you the most?"

1:13:49 - Other behind the scenes stories (meeting Jimmy McGuire from the Clue Crew, getting roasted by wardrobe)

1:15:19 - "Have you read any messages from randoms or people from your distant past on social media?"

1:17:29 - "Did you get any stray 'thirst tweets' or anyone trying to slide into your DMs?"

1:19:06 - Should Jeopardy! raise the value of its consolation prizes for non-winning contestants?

1:22:18 - Wrapping up and promoting social media

1:24:08 - Outro

In this episode of Post-Podium, I had the opportunity to chat with Kristin and Ciara Donegan, twin sisters who hold the record for the shortest amount of time between two siblings appearing on Jeopardy! Kristin represented Carnegie Mellon University in the 'Jeopardy! National College Championship' (JNCC) while Ciara appeared on the syndicated show as an undergraduate student from the University of Maryland at College Park. They both won their first games but then went on to lose in their second. While the two of them may share the same experience of taping for Jeopardy!, there are some interesting differences that we discuss in this podcast episode.

Which twin was born first? Who had an uncomfortable staring contest with Ciara? What do Kristin and Amy Schneider have in common? All of these questions and more are answered in this episode of Post-Podium!

Timestamps

0:14 - Intro

0:59 - Panel introductions

2:35 - "Should we expect more Donegan family members on Jeopardy!?"

3:00 - Ciara's watch party experience

4:23 - Was Ciara expected to perform better than Kristin?

5:24 - Kristin's watch party experience

6:52 - "Why Jeopardy!?"

7:53 - Our collegiate quiz bowl experiences

10:38 - The Donegan Family's pub trivia team

13:44 - "What did your audition timeline look like?"

17:23 - "How did you prepare for Jeopardy!?"

25:09 - "What was a category that you didn't want to see in your games?"

26:50 - "Did any of your favorite categories appear in your games?"

28:12 - "Were you able to size up your competition beforehand?"

32:41 - Is Ciara still in contact with her contestant cohort?

34:12 - Ciara's shares her Jeopardy! buzzer strategy

36:12 - Experiences with Jeopardy! hosts Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings

38:55 - Alternative contestant stories

42:50 - Final Jeopardy! Breakdown: "RECENT AUTOBIOGRAPHIES" in Kristin's quarterfinal game

44:47 - Final Jeopardy! Breakdown: Kristin and Liz's tiebreaker clue in the semifinals

45:56 - Final Jeopardy! Breakdown: "DISNEY CHARACTERS" in Ciara's first game

46:59 - Final Jeopardy! Breakdown: "U.S. CITY NAMES" in Ciara's second game

50:04 - "What aspect of this experience surprised you the most?"

53:49 - Similarities and differences between being in a Jeopardy! tournament versus being on the syndicated show

55:24 - "Would you have preferred to have been on the syndicated show or the JNCC?"

57:01 - Other behind the scenes stories (Kristin's stained sweater, Ciara's Daily Double snipe, Final Jeopardy! wager whispers)

1:00:44 - Reactions and messages on social media

1:07:34 - "What was the best purchase you've made with your winnings thus far?"

1:12:31 - Wrapping up and promoting social media

1:13:40 - Outro

In this episode of Post-Podium, I had the opportunity to chat with the finalists of the 'Jeopardy! National College Championship' (JNCC): Jaskaran Singh (UT Austin), Raymond Goslow (Kennesaw State), and Liz Feltner (Northeastern). We went over why they auditioned for Jeopardy!, their reactions to their wins in the semifinals, and how they each handled the fickle Jeopardy! buzzer. We also reviewed some clues in the finals and went over game dynamics, compared and contrasted the tournament with the syndicated show, and talked about the celebrations after taping and reactions from others after the finals aired.

What did Liz want to talk about as one of her contestant stories? Is Jaskaran a "foodie"? How did Raymond experience what he describes as a moment of "gay privilege"? All of these questions and more are answered in this episode of Post-Podium!

Timestamps

0:14 - Intro

1:08 - Panel introductions

2:09 - Jaskaran deals with newfound fame

2:48 - Liz recounts her finale watchparty

4:08 - Raymond recounts his finale watchparty

6:42 - "Why Jeopardy!?"

8:05 - "What did your audition timeline look like?"

9:01 - "How did you prepare for the JNCC?"

12:15 - Jaskaran talks about his semifinal Final Jeopardy! response

14:00 - Liz talks about her semifinal tiebreaker clue

16:58 - Raymond talks about his worrisome semifinal score

18:54 - "What was a category that you didn't want to see in the finals?"

20:15 - "How consistent were you on the buzzer from game to game?"

22:48 - The Jeopardy! buzzer: Team Lights vs. Team Sound

23:59 - Alternative contestant stories

26:19 - Finals Breakdown: "MYTHIC CONSTELLATIONS" for $1,600

27:11 - "How much time was there between game 1 and game 2 of the finals?"

28:19 - "Did you make any changes or adjust your strategy going into game 2?"

29:38 - Finals Breakdown: Jaskaran swept "FOOD COMBOS"

30:17 - Did Jaskaran's approach to the Daily Doubles change from clue to clue?

31:37 - "What aspect of this experience surprised you the most?"

33:24 - Opinions on the tournament's structure

36:40 - "Would you have preferred to have been on the syndicated show?"

39:09 - Jaskaran's reaction to qualifying for the Tournament of Champions

40:16 - Other behind the scenes stories (Wheel of Fortune set pictures, Finals afterparty)

42:59 - Reactions on social media

47:05 - "What was the best purchase you've made with your winnings thus far?"

50:06 - Wrapping up and promoting social media

52:05 - Outro

With the 'Jeopardy! National College Championship' (JNCC) now behind us, I had the opportunity to chat with my quarterfinal opponents Raymond Goslow and Lucy Greenman and reflect upon our paths to qualification, our quarterfinal match, and the reactions from our families, friends, and communities once our episode aired. We also talked about the intricacies involved in auditioning and taping for Jeopardy! as well as share some details about the things you didn't get to see on camera. 

How did we feel about each other before our quarterfinal match? Would we have preferred to have been on the syndicated show? What was the most expensive thing that Lucy spent her winnings on? All of these questions and more are answered in this episode Post-Podium!

Timestamps

0:15 - Intro

1:08 - Panel introductions

2:05 - "How are you feeling?"

3:43 - "Why Jeopardy!?"

5:24 - "What did your audition timeline look like?"

7:06 - "How did you prepare for the JNCC?"

10:17 - First Impressions

13:42 - Our weaker Jeopardy! categories

15:46 - The Jeopardy! buzzer (lights vs. sound, buzzer hold)

18:33 - The Matt Amodio buzzer method

20:06 - Our contestant stories

22:47 - Alternative contestant stories

25:20 - Recounting our Zoom auditions/interviews

27:01 - Quarterfinal Breakdown: "HITS OF 2021"/"SQUID GAME"

28:32 - Quarterfinal Breakdown: "HALF PAST"/"ADD/DROP"

30:47 - Quarterfinal Breakdown: Raymond swept "NATIONAL PARKS"

32:35 - Quarterfinal Breakdown: "ISLAND FOLK" for $400

34:33 - Quarterfinal Breakdown: Final Jeopardy! - "PHYSICISTS"

39:00 - Quarterfinal Breakdown: Individual Stats

42:37 - "What aspect of this experience surprised you the most?"

43:45 - Opinions on the tournament's structure and promotional strategy

47:36 - "Would you have preferred to have been on the syndicated show?"

49:37 - "Any regrets?"

51:16 - Other behind the scenes stories (Carnegie "Melon", Getting Dinner Together)

53:47 - "Did you have a quarterfinal watch party? Did anything exciting happen?"

56:15 - "Have you read any messages from randoms on social media?"

58:27 - "What was the best purchase you've made with your winnings thus far?"

1:01:27 - Wrapping up and promoting social media

1:02:26 - Outro