Children and adults alike sit in front of the television nightly to watch the entertainment program that has been running for 60 years: “Jeopardy!”. Dr. Andrew Tirrell ’02 has been a contestant on “Jeopardy!” four times and grew up watching it with his mom. In a Feb. 19 interview with The Justice, Tirrell stated that being on the show was “always something [he] thought [would be] an amazing thing to do, but honestly didn’t really imagine that [he] would have the chance.” The selection process for the has changed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing Tirrell to apply. Previously, the required testing to secure a position was held in person and required travel and advanced planning. The new online format has a more accessible and convenient application process.

After first applying during the COVID-19 pandemic, Tirrell moved through the recruitment process, participating in tests proctored over Zoom and group interviews that served as personality assessments. He ended up being a contestant on the show four times, meeting over 100 fellow contestants from across the country. Tirrell said, “I think I was pretty lucky … that I got selected my first time,” as many others that he had met tried multiple times over the course of many years. He spoke in particular about a woman who had begun the process of testing out of college and was around 50 when they met on set. 

Tirrell also explained that some contestants try to prepare themselves for challenging questions through the usage of flashcards for many hours per day. However, that was not possible for him, as he “has a five year old, which is a pretty busy job,” in addition to his position as a political science and international relations professor at The University of San Diego. Tirrell explained that was a large amount of time to invest for a potential one or two extra correct answers. He also told The Justice about the “Jeopardy!” Fight Club, a group of future contestants that became connected to each other through word of mouth. This group met over Zoom for practice games in preparation for the competition. While not a fan of the flashcard method, Tirrell took some time to consume pieces of literature. He branched out from his usual studies by reading books on topics that are frequently on the show, such as the British monarchy.

When asked about the preparation process and studying that goes into becoming a successful contestant, Tirrell explained that every contestant has a different personal process of practice. He practiced the usage of the buzzer at home using a toilet paper roll as it is a test of reaction time to a light being turned on rather than just who is able to press the button the fastest. Tirrell explained that the buzzer is not automatic and has to be manually opened after the conclusion of the reading of the question. An early buzz can lead to a contestant being locked out. 

Tirrell once again spoke about the connections that he was able to make with the other contestants through this experience. He stated, “people might assume that we are not very friendly, but it's actually completely the opposite. You get thrown in together, it's very hectic, and you're sequestered together for a whole week. It's hard not to get to know people pretty well.” The contestants have all remained in touch with one another, having reunions over Zoom and in person as they bond over their “Jeopardy!” experience.

While speaking highly of his experience, Tirrell explained that he has had negative experiences with viewers online. People have managed to contact him through his social media accounts and his faculty email commenting on his looks, sending him messages saying things such as “[he] was a hippie and … needed a haircut.” He also had a woman write to him and say that he “was not as handsome as the last champion.” Tirrell also received messages claiming that he wasn’t deserving of the win and less intelligent than those that he was competing against and bested. 

"It's a lot of luck," Tirrell said in response to the online harassment. He goes on to explained that what was said could very much be true; there are many aspects of the game not controlled by the contestant. Anyone could win any day. Tirrell stated, “This is a terrible way of determining who's smart. There's so many different ways to be smart.” He then went on to explain that “Jeopardy!” isn’t even just about mastering trivia questions, or “even to determine who knows more trivia, it's TV. It's supposed to be entertaining. It's not supposed to be a perfect test of knowledge.” Tirrell acknowledged that he comes from a privileged place due to his identity. He explained that many of his friends of different identities “got very, very unkind [responses]. Certainly insensitive comments about [contestants] lead into stereotypes.”

When asked if this is an experience that he would recommend others to pursue, Tirrell stated that “the ones who seem to do well are the ones who are doing it for the just the love of knowledge. I don't think it's the kind of thing you could really prepare for if you weren't curious about the world, or it would be miserable.” He explained that he used this process as an excuse to read more and get in the spirit, as it is “a fun way to celebrate curiosity and learn more about the world.”

Tirrell’s love for learning grew through his professors and classes at the University where he studied history. In particular, he mentioned Prof. William Kapelle (HIST), who was both the inspiration behind his major and his general love of the subject. In addition to taking about seven of his classes, Tirrell chose Kapelle as his thesis advisor. “If you're at Brandeis right now, you can't help but be surrounded by a lot of intellectual curiosity, and students and the professors,” Tirrell said. “That's really what it's all about, … the very best of ‘Jeopardy!’ is the celebration of intellectual curiosity.” 

Tirrell said he admires that Brandeis focuses on intellectual curiosity and dialogue, rather than the career focus of other comparable universities. He says he gives his “gratitude to the university, to all [his] great professors and to the people [he] studied with.” Tirrell says his time at Brandeis was an important part of his development not only as a scholar, but as a person.