Here’s a clue: This bow-tied Linfield College math professor will compete on the game show “Jeopardy” this week.
If you answered “Who is Chuck Dunn?” you are correct.
Dunn, professor of mathematics at Linfield since 2002, became a Jeopardy champion when he competed on the popular trivia show on Friday, Nov. 4. He will return to compete tonight, Monday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m. on KATU, channel 2. Linfield hosted a watch party in Dillin Hall.
Jeopardy has been Dunn’s favorite game show since high school and he has been trying to get onto the show since college. The show, which premiered in 1964, tests contestants’ general knowledge and is known for its distinctive answer-and-question style. Ten years, four online tests and four auditions later, Dunn finally landed a spot as one of the 400 yearly contestants.
“I figured I’d just keep trying until I made it on,” said Dunn.
The interview process starts with an online test that about 70,000-100,000 people take each year. From there, about 3,000 are invited to audition in person. At that audition each person takes another 50-question test, runs through mock games and has a mock interview. Dunn was notified in July, seven months after his interview, that he had made it. He flew to Culver City, Calif., in August to tape.
“The contestant coordinators make the experience a lot of fun,” Dunn said. “They work hard to calm your nerves and make sure that the experience isn’t too stressful. It would be impossible not to have some nerves, but once you get into the zone while playing it gets easier.”
