Canadian trivia fan reaches the pinnacle with Jeopardy! appearance

Ron Nurwisah says he’s been a lifelong trivia fan.

He played in team trivia competitions like Reach For The Top and Quiz Bowl in his high school and college years, and these days attends quiz nights at local bars. But on Friday, the editor who grew up in Vancouver will appear as a contestant on Jeopardy!, TV’s biggest trivia stage. 

“I remember watching [Jeopardy!] when I was a kid, when my parents immigrated to Canada,” he said. “I was 7 years old and I remember watching … after dinner time in our little apartment.”

Nurwisah now lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., but grew up in B.C. and lived in the Toronto area for 15 years.

Jeopardy! shoots multiple episodes in a single day and Nurwisah says there are around a dozen potential contestants hanging out on set at a time. He says the camaraderie formed within his group stood out to him as one of the best parts of the experience.

“You become pretty friendly with those folks,” he said. “Each of you all wanted each other to do well.”

In an episode that aired earlier this week, there was a category on Shakespeare’s first speeches that proved particularly challenging. Nurwisah says the whole cohort tried to comfort the contestants who had to deal with it once their game was over.

“We all gave them all a big pat on the back and a big hug because we were just like, ‘that category was brutal,'” he said.

‘A great community of people’

The first step to getting on Jeopardy! is an online test. Nurwisah’s advice to anyone who’s ever thought about being on the show is to give it a shot.

“You never know how the dice will roll,” he said. “It is a really fun experience. It is memorable and it is a great community of people, the contestants that you’ll meet.” 

If selected, one of the most important skills to practise ahead of a Jeopardy! appearance is the buzzer technique, Nurwisah said, and he has his own preferred method. 

“Some people use a ballpoint pen, like a little clicky pen. That works fine, but I swear, I honestly swear by the toilet paper roll holder,” he said, adding it’s all about the shape.

“A ballpoint pen is too skinny. It doesn’t quite feel right, but that toilet paper roll holder feels very close to the actual buzzer that you’re going to get,” Nurwisah said.

Nurwisah is the latest in a long line of Canadians to appear on the show. He’s the second this week, after Nabeela Rahman of Mississaugua, Ont., appeared on Wednesday’s episode.

Earlier this year, Toronto-based artist Ray Lalonde amassed $386,400 US thanks to a 13-game winning streak on the show, and last year Mattea Roach won 23 games, the fifth-highest total ever on the program, bringing home $560,983. Roach followed up that performance with a second place finish in the the first season of Jeopardy! Masters, a spinoff show featuring recent champions.

Watch party back home

Nurwisah’s sister Imelda is going to be hosting a watch party in Vancouver. Like her brother, Imelda is also a trivia buff. 

“In high school, both of us joined Reach for the Top,” she said. “We love remembering random facts.”

Imelda says she doesn’t have a sense one way or the other about how her brother will do on Friday.

“As a Canadian, we’re always worried about all the U.S. history and U.S. geography questions that are going to come up on Jeopardy!,” she said.

No matter how the game goes, she has her fingers crossed that her brother has a great time.

“The best I can hope for anybody who loves, has a passion for anything, is that they enjoy themselves in the process,” she said.

“It’s not about winning or losing, it’s about pursuing something and getting to a level that all your family and friends can see you and be proud of you.”