March 29, 2024

sanairambiente

Science It Works

LCC’s Courtney Shah drew from teaching for ‘Jeopardy!’ win streak | Education

On the ‘Jeopardy!’ set

Shah flew to Los Angles at the end of March. She said navigating COVID-19 regulations added another layer to an already busy set. She had two COVID-19 tests, one before flying and one before entering the studio. Places to eat and rest were clearly marked, and masks were required unless you were on camera.

“It was very rigid, but that was also for safety’s sake,” Shah said. “And they haven’t had any problems, which was fantastic.”

On set, contestants film twice a week and about five episodes a day, she said, which was “exhausting, but it was beautifully run.”

However, with the recent death of previous host Alex Trebek in November 2020, Shah said the experience was a little different than what she always had envisioned.






Courtney Shah

Lower Columbia College history instructor Courtney Shah competes on “Jeopardy!”




Support Local Journalism

Your membership makes our reporting possible.

{{featured_button_text}}

“Whenever I dreamed of being on “Jeopardy!” it was always with Alex, so I was very sad when he passed away,” Shah said.

Even though the experience was different, Shah said guest host Dr. Sanjay Gupta “did a wonderful job.”

“He was very personable and professional and he got along great with everyone,” she said, with a smooth delivery of questions she got used to after the first game.


LCC graduate took advantage of local programs to earn bachelor’s degree at 19

As players can’t buzz in until after the questions, getting used to how a host reads is the biggest challenge, especially after watching Trebek read for years, Shah said.