Barrington High grad on 'Jeopardy!' finishes in third place
Barrington High School graduate Claudia Hochstein finished third in her “Jeopardy!” appearance that aired Friday.
Hochstein, 28, now living in St. Paul, Minnesota, fulfilled a longtime desire to be on the game show hosted by Alex Trebek, who underwent successful surgery over a holiday break for blood clots on his brain caused by a fall. Friday's show on ABC 7 Chicago was taped in October.
“‘Jeopardy!' is a real crapshoot and the categories were not my total forte, but I had a great time,” Hochstein said. “I may not have won the game, but I hope I won everyone's heart.”
She was in third place with $5,400 heading into the final round, which had comic book publishers as the category. The clue read by Trebek was as follows: “In 1946, MLJ Magazines changed its name to this comics, incorporating the first name of its popular teenage hero.”
Hochstein, who bet $1,603 of her $5,400, told the Daily Herald she knew she wouldn't win as soon as she saw the final category and offered an answer of “What is Jeff?” that drew some audience laughs. She said it was a joke response based on a YouTube parody video “Jeffpardy!” and an ode to her younger brother, Jeff.
Trebek appeared baffled by Hochstein's answer that left her with the $3,797.
“Were you thinking of Mutt and Jeff or some other Jeff?” he asked Hochstein, who is a legislative affairs liaison for the Minnesota Zoo in the Twin Cities suburb of Apple Valley.
Brandon Brooks of Chicago, who bet $1,301 in the final round, correctly answered “What is Archie?” He finished first with $10,801.
“Brandon was one of the nicest people I've ever met,” Hochstein said, “and we're still in touch.”
Hochstein, who graduated from Barrington High School in 2008 and grew up in the village, prepared for “Jeopardy!” over the years at trivia nights at bars and other places in the Chicago area and in the Twin Cities. She graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2012.
Sean Sullivan of Verona, New Jersey, started Friday's show as the champion but finished second.