Former Sun-Times reporter Kara Spak made a nice chunk of change — and quite an impression — when she competed on “Jeopardy!”
The five-time champ from Chicago pulled down $85,401 on America’s (and my) Favorite Quiz Show plus another $10,000 as semi-finalist in 2011’s Tournament of Champions. She also gave the memorable — and incorrect — answer “What is a threesome?” The saucy response drew giggles from the studio audience and plenty of hits online (relive the moment in the video below).
The Notre Dame grad has a chance to return to the top-rated syndicated quiz show for “Battle of the Decades,” a tournament celebrating Alex Trebek’s 30 years as host.
Fifteen contestants each from the ’80s (1984-1993), ’90s (1994-2003) and ’00s (2004-2013) will represent their respective decades and duke it out in the upcoming tourney. Producers have picked 14 of those 15 players, including two Chicago-area residents, Claudia Perry of Evanston and 2013 Tournament of Champions winner Colby Burnett, a Fenwick High School teacher from Chicago. It’s up to fans to pick who will get the three remaining slots.
For the 2000s, Spak is one of five former Tournament of Champions contestants hoping to fill that “Fan Favorite” spot.
Here’s how you can help her do it:
1. Go to http://www.jeopardy.com/minisites/battleofthedecades00s and vote for her. You get one vote per computer per day, so break out all those devices (work computer, laptop, iPad, phone, etc.) and click on Spak. Voting starts today and ends Oct. 21.
2. Go to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Jeopardy/app_546832075387269 and vote for Spak.
3. If you’re on Twitter, tweet Kara Spak #JeopardyVote. Be sure to have a space between her name and the hashtag. Like the rest of the ways to vote, you can do this once a day through Oct. 21.
I want to see Spak on the show again not only because she’s my friend but because she’s a damn entertaining contestant, which regular viewers know can be a rarity. She’s not afraid of showing emotion and she’s clearly having a ball. Besides, who knows what she might say this time around? (Fingers crossed for a “Fifty Shades of Grey” category.)
Give this ex-Sun-Times staffer a hand and get out the vote!
Kara makes her plea — and relives her infamous “threesome” moment like the good sport she is:
Alex wears disturbing costumes and explains the “Battle of the Decades” tournament:
