This is Jeopardy! It’s the TV quiz show that brings us together. Who among us hasn’t sat around a living room or a college dorm room and pitted our brains against the three contestants on the TV, seduced by an untiring interest in trivia and the idea that, perhaps, we’ll know the question that stumps the contestants on screen? How could you resist participating in the national debate: Does Alex Trebek look better with or without a mustache?
Learn about U.Va. alumni and students who have been recent contestants and test your own trivia knowledge against their correct responses on the show.
Dave Belote with Alex Trebek
Who is Dave Belote? Belote (Col ’85) is now the commanding officer at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas. “I’ve been a fan of Jeopardy forever,” he says, dating back to his U.Va. days, when he played Trivial Pursuit with his buddies. “They were cutthroat games,” he says. The years passed and Jeopardy was always on in the background when he and his wife—Pamela R. Belote (Col ’86)—were cooking dinner or fussing at the teenagers to get their homework done. The decision to compete on the show seemed natural. “I had more fun than I can possibly describe,” he says, referring to his impressive six-show run. Belote now stands at No. 13 on the all-time winnings list.
Who is S.R. Sidarth? Now in law school at George Washington University, Sidarth (Eng ’07) did little preparation for the show, maintaining that it’s a “lifelong accumulation of knowledge” that allows you to get ahead. Participating on academic teams at U.Va. probably didn’t hurt, either. But what’s it like to see yourself on TV? “You don’t notice your own mannerisms, so it was interesting to see my own facial expressions,” he says. Coincidentally, he was on the same show as Dave Belote. “I did study some things around the time I went on,” he says. “But I was playing against a military commander, so that sort of negated my research.”
Kadeem Cooper on Jeopardy
Who is Kadeem Cooper? “It’s a strange experience, being on stage with the lights in your eyes,” says Cooper (Col ’10), who decided, on a whim, to compete in the Jeopardy college championship after seeing an ad for the auditions. “I tried out and made it,” he says. “I was sort of surprised.” Another surprise was how small the set was when he actually got there. “There are only three or four feet between you and Alex Trebek,” he says. “In the 15 seconds that I interacted with him, he seemed like a nice guy.” Eventually coming in third might have been disappointing, but, “When the show aired, I had a mini party with friends.”
Nick Gorski on Jeopardy
Who is Nick Gorski? This financial journalist and former English major wanted to go on the show since he was a kid. “Growing up, I had both the Jeopardy books,” Gorski (Col ’07) says. He recently moved into an apartment without cable, and so fell back into watching regularly at 7:30. At the end of one of the shows, he saw the ad for auditions. The rest is history. “It was the most bizarre thing,” he says, of seeing himself on stage. “Because everything is reversed, I thought my hair looked really weird, because I’m used to seeing it parted one way.” To celebrate, a bunch of friends gathered at a bar for the airing. “It was great to hear everyone cheering when I got something right, and booing when someone else got something right.” But there was something that those watching TV couldn’t see: When they were running the credits, “Alex Trebek told me to keep an eye on those bankers.”
Jeopardy Quiz
Test your trivia knowledge with these answers that were given by U.Va. alumni and students on Jeopardy:
Comments
Another UVA alumna will be on Jeopardy! tonight (3/17/10)--Jessica Shafer (Col'06 & '07, a double hoo). Be sure to tune in!
Well I was able to answer eight out eight questions correctly with the sample Jeopardy questions. The University of Virginia provides students with a Ivy League type of education,which is second to none surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah valley in the heart of the "Old Dominion". UVA also has a world class renowed falculty and staff.Further UVA has excellent academics,great sports teams, and wonderful traditions. I have a daughter and niece who are distinguished UVA grads and both are doing quite well in their respective careers.
UVA continues to present some of the best brains in the world. I am proud of the education I got from UVA.
As a double 'Hoo, I don't know how you could have missed my Jeopardy! championship from October 1997 ;-) Guess I should have worn my orange jacket!!!
Thanks for the information about past U.Va. contestants. I remember seeing one of them. The Air Force Officer from Nellis Air Base. Keep up The good work! Am I ready to apply? Heavens no! Only as a Senior Citizen and then only if they take more time to answer the questions!!!
I suspect that many Hoos have appeared on Jeopardy over the years. I was on in Season 20 (2004) and made it as far as the semifinals of that year's Tournament of Champions. Each time I won, I was as surprised as anyone. But I had read a very helpful book called "How to Get on Jeopardy and Win" by former champion Michael Dupee, who wrote that lawyers, teachers and journalists tend to do best on the show -- and I've been each of those at various points in my zigzagging career. (I'm a journalist now; read my stuff at http://tokyotombaker.wordpress.com) Of course, going to U.Va. didn't hurt either, and it probably prepared me for those three fields as well as standing me in good stead in the sudio.
Did I just say, "I'm a journalist now"? What I meant to say was "I'm a journalist enjoying a lazy weekend at home right now," which is why I let myself mis-type the word "studio" in my previous comment.
I am disappointed that you overlooked Jeopardy Champion Milton G. Hathaway (Col 68) who had a very successful run in December 2008, but I'm sure that the list of UVA winners is a very long one.
There are other UVA/Jeopardy! alum. Back in the 90s, my dorm (Watson) had three former Jeopardy! contestants. Mit Robertson (CLAS 97), Melissa Murray (CLAS 97), and Carrie I-Forget-Her-Last Name (CLAS 97)... and they were all in the same dorm. What are the odds of that?
David Hudson, who is a current student at UVA, has also been on Jeopardy! Actually, he's been on it twice, the most recent time being last fall!
Clearly the list goes back quite awhile, however, I am surprised that this story did not include probably the most successful Hoo in Jeopardy history, Jim Scott who was the 1991 Tournament of Champions winner and is in the Jeopardy Hall of Fame according to one website. However, the most notable part was that he was in the repeating clip of Jeopardy in the movie "Groundhog Day." Besides remembering these things I know them because my wife served on student council with him.
David Hudson, Jr, was a winner on Jeopardy! in September 2008. This is his second win. He is a student and was a student at UVA at the time of his win. He may not be representing the school, but he was a student at the time. And he won! Doesn't that count for something? As his parents, we are very proud of him and saddened that he was not included in your article at this particular time.
I was on "Jeopardy!" in 1998 and while I didn't win, I was the only contestant to get the Final Jeopardy! question correct. It was a blast and I'd definitely do it again if I could.
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