Reflections on Playboy: Never was a job interview more fun

June 17, 2006

Never was a job interview more fun

I had a scare on my way to the Jeopardy! audition Tuesday morning. A power failure in the transbay tube that carries BART trains across the bay into San Francisco made me a half hour later getting to the Palace Hotel than would otherwise have been the case. Fortunately, I had gotten up at 3:30 to make sure I wouldn’t be late. I still had time for a leisurely breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant before the audition started at 9:30.

Recently, the people at Jeopardy! have striven to make the audition entertaining enough to justify the hundreds of miles many aspiring contestants travel for it. They’ve hired lively people to guide us through the process with banter and jokes, to help us relax and have fun with it. Looking around the small conference room, I think I counted exactly 20 people, including myself, trying out. After giving some tips on how to play the game effectively and showing us an introductory video, they had us take a written, timed, 50-question trivia test, the same kind of test we had all taken online to qualify for the audition. (In this particular instance, we were not expected to answer in the form of a question.) They urged us not to drop any hints anywhere about answers to the test, because they’ll use the same test throughout the audition season. Naturally, I intend to honor this request. Almost everyone reading my words is a potential competitor for a small number of contestant spots. So fuggeddaboudit.

After the written test, they had us stand at the front of the room three at a time to play mock Jeopardy! with actual signaling devices at our thumbs. For this portion of the tryout, they didn’t much care about the accuracy of our responses to the clues. They were coaching us on proper energy, timing, and attitude—and sizing us up on how we provided these things. We had to project our voices, quickly and boldly select a category and dollar amount when it was our turn, wait for the appropriate time to click the button and then click it repeatedly. After a few minutes of game practice, each group of three was asked to share interesting anecdotes about themselves, as every player does on the show. I told them about my blog, my trip to the Playboy Mansion, and my unfortunate choice to use the bathroom while Hef was making his appearance there. We were all told to clap when it was somebody else’s turn to stand up or sit down, and so we all did. Since it was, after all, a kind of job interview, we all wanted to show we could be team players.

It was over in about two hours. I thought Glen (sp?), the man seated next to me during the audition, was pretty cool, so I gave him a business card for my blog. He politely told me that, being gay, he didn’t think he’d be interested in it. But I did my best to describe my blog as philosophical reading of a kind that anyone, regardless of sex or sexual orientation, might enjoy. Am I a self-promoter, or what?

They never tell us how we did, but I have a pretty good feeling about it. If I’ve made it to the “contestant pool,” then I may or may not receive a phone call within the next year inviting me to the studio to play. Only time will tell.

A related earlier post:
I’ll try for Jeopardy!, baby, oo-oo-oo-oo

Labels: Cintv, Jeo, PJ

Posted by Brian Sorgatz at 5:39 PM

Beth left this comment at June 20, 2006 4:55 PM
That sounds like so much fun! Good luck!

Brian Sorgatz left this comment at June 20, 2006 8:35 PM
Thank you, Beth.

playmate left this comment at June 20, 2006 11:59 PM
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Brian Sorgatz left this comment at June 21, 2006 12:27 AM
playmate,
Very nice photos. But beware: Playboy Enterprises jealously guards its copyrights.

The Wager Witch left this comment at June 29, 2006 4:27 AM
Well - Super GOOD Luck!

It would be a blast to see someone online - on there!

May you be the next contestant looking for the Audio Daily Double!

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Brian Sorgatz left this comment at June 29, 2006 12:53 PM
Thank you, WW.

The Wager Witch left this comment at June 30, 2006 5:34 AM
YVW!!!

Let us know!

My hubby wants us to try out for Deal or No Deal - and He's always dreamed of being on TPIR... But He and our 10 year old want to both try out for Fear Factor...

Me.. Deal or No Deal - but keep the darn worms. LMAO!

And I could do Jeapordy - if they had one for scatterbrained women. Smart in some areas - but dumb as a rock in others. LOL!

Hey - well - have fun - and let us all know how it goes.

Wager Witch - http://wagerwitch.blogspot.com
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Salihah סליחה صالحه left this comment at January 22, 2007 11:47 AM
You get a bonus just for using "fuggettabutit"...or however you spelled that.

You have me wonder what you do for a day job...your creative promotion skills, and methods of getting discussion going in your comments...I'm impressed.

Whomever you work for ought to give you a raise. If you work for yourself, give yourself raise.

Anonymous left this comment at March 2, 2007 10:15 AM
Good luck with getting on. I've been on the show, back in 1994. The only advice I have for you should you make it, is to practice, practice, practice with that damn buzzer. Most of the contestants are smart enough to get 90% of the questions; the filter is who can best time the buzzer with the side panel lights going (either on/off, I forget which) when Alex finishes the question. That's one reason incumbents win so much of the time. Other than that, don't worry about the cameras; you'll forget they're even there after the first question.

Good luck!

Brian Sorgatz left this comment at March 2, 2007 12:45 PM
Thank you, Anonymous.

June 17, 2006

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