The answer is: This Stone Harbor homeowner appears on “Jeopardy!” Friday, March 21.
The correct question is: “Who is Dr. Joshua Weikert, a professor at Immaculata University, a policy adviser in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and an Army Reserve officer?”
But how far he goes and how much he wins, if anything, are under embargo until after his appearance on the popular quiz show, which airs on ABC at 7 p.m.
“It was an incredibly intense experience,” Weikert said, “especially when you are concentrating onstage to answer the questions as quickly as you can. But it was an absolute blast! It’s hard to have perspective when you are in the middle of it, but as I look back on the experience, it was tough, but so much fun.”
Like many others, Weikert grew up watching the game show as both a test of personal knowledge and as part of a family who loved playing games. “We played a lot of games as a family, everyone played, and you were expected to pull your weight, no matter what age,” he recalled.
“As I got older, I often wondered how I would do playing in the game instead of watching it from the couch.”
About 15 years ago, Weikert took his first test to become a “Jeopardy!” contestant, along with about 200,000 others who take the test each year. In spring 2024, he made it past the first round, and kept winning additional rounds until he was one of the 2,500 contestants who get called for auditions and then the 400 contestants annually who fly to Culver City, California, and appear on the show as contestants.
“They film five shows a day, so you come to the studio in your game outfit, and bring two others in case you need a change of clothes when you win,” Weikert explained. Three shows are filmed before lunch and then two after, providing contestants with an opportunity to change wardrobes.
“It’s extremely stressful, and you sort of hope that your challengers are burned out by the time you are a contestant,” he said, “so you have a chance. The entire production crew does its best to make sure you have the best experience possible and everyone has a chance to win. It’s a competitive environment, but just incredible and fun.”
While many people think “things look bigger on TV than they do in real life,” Weikert said the stage and screen for the show are “incredibly intimidating, it’s a giant screen. When the lights change and the set is live during rehearsals, it’s incredibly exciting.
“You learn really quickly that every person selected can win. You are selected at random for your appearance as a contestant, so you don’t know who your competitors will be till the show.”
Weikert said the buzzer is not active until the question is read and the lights are on indicating the buzzer is live. Then, “within milliseconds, the lights are out because someone already pressed the button with the answer. As I was in rehearsals, I just hoped to get a few questions right.”
At one point, host Ken Jennings greeted the contestants after just getting off a plane, according to Weikert. “His hair was a mess, he looked like a mess, too. He apologized to us for his appearance, but told us he loves greeting the contestants and considers himself one of them as well.
“Look,” he told us, “we all want to win. And sometime during the game, you will have a win. Embrace it, he told us. I thought it was a great point to keep in mind.”
In a move that highlights his unwavering commitment to supporting veterans and their families, Weikert pledged 10% of any winnings from his appearance to a scholarship fund for military veterans and their families.
The Weikel Memorial Scholarship Fund, which he helped establish in memory of Jarrad Weikel, U.S. Marine Corps, provides financial assistance to those who have served in the Armed Forces and their loved ones as they pursue higher education degrees in medical, health and life sciences fields.
Weikel was a friend of Weikert’s who was a pharmacy student and veteran and died unexpectedly in February 2022 at age 40.
“I’m honored to represent Immaculata University and the scholarship fund on the Alex Trebek stage,” Weikert said. “I hope that my appearance on “Jeopardy!” will raise awareness for the scholarship fund, so that more veterans and their families have the opportunity to succeed in essential fields like the life sciences.”
Contact the reporter, Karen Knight, at kknight@cmcherald.com.
