Jeopardy Musings 

Ever since I was in junior high, I have always wanted to be on Jeopardy! For years, I tried to get on the show, but doing so proved difficult. After taking the online test this last spring and attending a contestant event in Orlando in July, I finally received the call I had dreamt of for decades – they wanted me to come out to Los Angeles to be on the show!  While I was ecstatic, I was also a little concerned:  I had never been to California before; I’m not a big fan of flying; and it was in the middle of the semester here at TBC.

Taping was on October 28.  When I got to the studio, I started feeling tense – this was actually happening!  However, through the day, I felt an overwhelming sense of tranquility.  I believed God was answering my prayers and the prayers of many others to bring me to this point, to fulfill this lifelong dream. One of my most interesting observations of the studio was how small it actually was. On television, the stage looks enormous; however, the spacing is much more compact. The board where the clues appear is quite large, but each individual screen is quite small, testing even the best visual acuity. Also, unseen by the television audience, there is a system of lights that surrounds the board. Once Alex finishes reading the clue, the lights flash, signaling the contestants that their signal buzzers are active. If you try to signal before the lights go on, you lock yourself out of the question, so timing had to be perfect if you wanted any chance of winning.

Finally, my turn to play came.  I assumed my position at the podium, the theme music started playing, and I got to hear Johnny Gilbert say my name!  Then out came Alex Trebek, and it was never more real than that moment.  As the game got underway, I was filled with a sense of joy even as I battled my competitors.  While I felt relatively confident in dealing with any category, I was especially happy when the categories on the Nativity and the Civil War popped up.  Finally, by the end of the match, I heard the words I had dreamt of all my life – “Kevin Hozey, you are our new Jeopardy champion!”  It took every bit of effort I had to retain my composure and keep from jumping into the audience and crowd surfing my way back to Florida right then and there! I got to go somewhere I’d never been before, I met some amazing people, and I got to see the Lord bless me beyond my wildest dreams.  This was my Super Bowl, my Olympics, my gold medal.

For as long as I live, I will always be able to say, “I am a Jeopardy champion!”