‘Jeopardy!’ contestant reveals BTS secrets about host Ken Jennings — and strict show rules
Anna Paone fulfilled a lifelong dream when she appeared as a contestant on the July 9 episode of “Jeopardy!”
The 33-year-old stay-at-home mom from Sunnyside, New York, ended the night as the runner-up to Isaac Hirsch, a customer support team lead from Burbank, California.
“The show was so kind and accommodating to us,” she told The Post. “They do recommend that you make your social media private beforehand, and that you don’t talk about the content of the auditions or the show(s) you’re on, or the outcome.”
Paone shared that “Jeopardy!” tapes five episodes per day, providing contestants like her the opportunity to interact with others. At the time, she couldn’t speak about taping her specific episode.
“The show tapes five episodes per day, and you get to spend time in the greenroom with everyone else who is filming that day. It was great to meet so many people from around the country and all walks of life,” she said.
Reflecting on her experience, Paone also revealed her unexpected challenge on the show.
“I drank a lot of coffee the morning of the shooting so that I would be fast on the buzzer, but that made me a little more antsy,” she reminisced. “I had to balance staying alert and remembering what I’d studied without being too anxious.”
Paone also shared that the host, Ken Jennings, gave contestants a positive impression on set.
“He came out to wish us luck during the morning’s rehearsal. I was surprised and excited to see him. He takes pictures with every contestant,” Paone told The Post.
“During mine, he asked me how old my daughter is,” she added.
For Paone, the path to becoming a contestant wasn’t straightforward. She took the test in 2017, when it was only available to the public at certain times of the year, and didn’t make it through.
“Now that you can take the Anytime Test anytime, my husband encouraged me to take it,” she said. “I took it in 2022, then did a Zoom audition where you type in answers but they just want to see your face to make sure you’re not reading off of anything. Then I did a ‘gameplay’ Zoom audition in which you pretend to buzz in and they ask you questions about yourself.”
When she finally got the call to be on the show, she had to ensure her excitement didn’t wake up her baby.
“My baby was sleeping and I didn’t want to wake her up. But I noticed it was a California area code and the caller ID said ‘Sony Pictures Studios,’ so I figured that had to be it. I was so happy to hear from them,” Paone recalled.
Though she fell short of a victory, Paone cherished the overall experience.
“I tried to just relax, have fun and live in the moment, knowing that it was such a unique and nerve-wracking experience,” she told The Post.
“I wanted to commit and enjoy it, and not put too much pressure on myself (even though I was nervous). It was very cool to be on set and to enter a studio through the gates,” Paone continued.
Paone came in second, so she didn’t get to keep the $8,599 score earned in the competition. “Jeopardy!” gives the runner-up contestants $3,000 as a consolation prize.
Behind Paone, Kathy Davis, a chemistry professor from North Manchester, Indiana, placed third with a score of $3,800.
Hirsch came out on top in his fifth win, taking home $19,601.
This qualified him for the Tournament of Champions, where he will compete against Season 40 champions Drew Basile, Adriana Harmeyer, Amy Hummel and Alison Betts.
