This is Jeopardy

On the lot where The Wizard of OZ and all the other great MGM movies were shot is a large building where two television game shows are shot. Not just any games shows but two of the best known game shows Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. Both show were created by Merv Griffen making him more money than you or I can imagine. I recently went to shooting of Jeopardy. An old friend of mine was a contestant and she was able to bring a few guests along to see her perform on the show.

We arrive early at the Sony Pictures lot which is what the old MGM lot is now called. There is a gate where you have to check in and they give you a sticker to wear on a spot on your body that can't be seen if for some reason you are on camera. Then you are escorted along a street within the wall of the lot to a large plain looking building and told to wait in line. There are two lines. One is for guests of contestant and the other is for mere pedestrian audience members. I was in the good line so we were escorted in first and put in our own section in the audience area of the studio. Then the waiting began. The seats were luckily comfortable as we were to be there for a long time. Jeopardy shoots a weeks worth of shows in one day. Three in the morning and two in the afternoon. We settled ourselves into our seats and waited. The we waited some more. A man came out onto the set and chatted with the audience. He was the announcer of the show. He gave some rules and told some jokes and then he introduced Alex Trebek.

Alex came out onto the set to a round of applause. He was charming and witty chatting with the audience and answering questions. The Jeopardy set is in reality rather large. It is attractive in a Jetson's way of modern colors and lines and swirls. The contestants are corralled in a seating area where they can watch the other contestants perform. This must be a nerve wracking experience. The contestants are picked in a random order and don't know when they will be on. My friend had the bad luck of being on the Friday show. She had to watch all the other contestants either win or lose while she waited. The first three show shot and then there was a break for lunch. The crew and contestants are sent of to a commisary on the studio lot. The audience is not allowed to enter and eat there they must leave the lot to get a bite to eat. Here's the real rub: there is about an half an hour's break. Surrounding the studio there are more studios and some gas stations and a Subway restaurant and not much else. We were there to see someone who wasn't on yet so we had to return so it was Subway or nothing. Delish!
After our "lunch" we hustled back into the studio and watched the final two shows. My friend was on and that was fun but otherwise the experience was way too long and the excitment had long worn off before she was on. I was very happy when the show was shot and done. Glad I did it but would never do it again. I hope I never have another friend on a game show.