Now you have some interesting news to tell us
about tonight. I have something to share
with the class.
I did, I actually talked about it
on the show before I did it.
Last week, I did, I was on "Celebrity Jeopardy."
[Conan] You were a contestant on "Celebrity Jeopardy."
Yes, I was.
And I took a camera crew with me,
because I was kinda nervous about, you know,
there's a big chance I would look like an ass
on national TV.
I mean, aside from what I normally do.
[Conan] Right.
So I prepared, you know,
I really sort of got down and made sure
that, you know, tried to increase my chances of doing well.
Yeah, I heard you spent a day or so preparing
before you went to "Jeopardy."
Exactly.
And I had a camera crew with me
to sort of, you know, just sort of chronicle my journey.
[Conan] From a man preparing to going to slay the beast.
Exactly.
And you won't...
We can't tell you how it ended up eventually,
because, you know, the "Jeopardy" people
are kinda touchy about that.
Trebek's real uptight, isn't he?
Mmm, tell me about it, dude.
So, and who were you up against?
What celebrity? I was up against
Brian Dennehy and S. Epatha Merkerson from "Law & Order."
[Conan] Okay, which has a spin-off now.
Exactly.
All right, so...
So well, let's just show it.
This is my preparation to be on "Celebrity Jeopardy."
Okay, so in preparing for "Celebrity Jeopardy"
I wanted to get some help,
so I decided to call on
the smartest person I knew
to sort of help tutor me.
So I called Tony Randall to see if he could help.
Now Tony, have you ever been on "Celebrity Jeopardy"?
Yes, I was.
And how did you do?
I should have won.
Mm-hmm.
It's really a question of the thumb.
[Andy] The buzzer?
Yes.
[Andy] Buzzer skills.
They've never asked me back again.
Really?
And they've asked you.
Right.
(audience laughs)
Well yeah, but I mean, I'm new meat.
Well I suppose one must face one's own mortality
and the inevitability of a decline in the career
and the forgetfulness of the public
and indeed the fading memories of those who give us jobs.
I'm not bitter.
Oh, you're talking about you?
I thought you were talking about me.
Oh, okay, go ahead.
I'm finished.
Oh, okay.
My opponents are Brian Dennehy and S. Epatha Merkerson.
Yes. Brian Dennehy's a very literate man.
Yeah, well read,
I understand. He's read E. B. White.
Wow.
Is that "Charlotte's Web"?
Yes.
Yeah, but I read "Charlotte's Web"
when I was seven years old.
Then you're way ahead of him.
All right.
I can only tell you don't be afraid.
Well, you know, I've actually, I've got some visual aids
to help me overcome my fear.
Here, I've got...
I've had these made.
I'm sure you noticed them already.
But I just have been standing in between them.
Well it's rather daunting.
Oh, sorry Dennehy.
Oh, Ms. Merkerson, so sorry.
Yes, Alex?
This is Jonathan Groff.
He's the head writer at "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."
And also, was it 5 time "Jeopardy" champion?
Yeah, I won 5 times
and I went to the Tournament of Champions in 1995.
[Alex] Jonathan.
What is a parsec?
[Alex] Yes, for 1000.
What are sort of the basic tips?
I mean, you know, are there...
Like, I hear rumors of buzzer tips.
[Jonathan] Take that.
Okay. I have one here.
You really want a fast action like that.
See that?
And actually, you wanna kinda hit it
a couple times really fast, like that.
(pens click)
(audience laughs)
I assume you've been doing that
for the last couple of weeks.
No.
I found this article, this interview with Dennehy
where he says, he quotes, "reads a lot."
And that kinda worried me.
Personally, I don't think Dennehy's gonna be the problem.
I think it's gonna be S. Epatha Merkerson.
I know.
What do you know about her?
Well, you know, "Law & Order",
acclaimed stage actor,
impassioned and gritty yet approachable style.
The thing that really sticks,
really makes me worry,
she was Reba the mail lady on "Pee-wee's Playhouse."
Ahh, get me outta here.
[Armchair] Jump, Reba!
(Reba screams)
She's a real problem.
I don't know what you're gonna do.
I took a scene from "Law & Order"
and I doctored it a little
just to help motivate me.
Watch this.
I've found something.
It's a handwritten note in her palm pilot.
"It's da bomb, call me."
And it's signed Kelly.
There's a phone number and a time, 12:30 last night.
Da da da da da da da.
Oh, her parents said the little angel
went to bed at 10:30.
Da da da.
(audience laughs)
Pretty mean, but...
[Voiceover] From the Sony Pictures Studio,
this is "Jeopardy."
This is pretty much my practice method.
Let's go with Television History, Alex.
[Alex] This first host of "The Tonight Show"
emceed "Meeting of Minds" for PBS in 1977.
(buzzer dings)
Player one.
See, this is right up my alley.
[Alex] Nope. Too bad.
(buzzer dings)
This bishop's talks on "Life is Worth Living"
competed against Milton Berle.
(buzzer dings)
Player one.
Good guess, but no.
(audience laughs)
Can't believe it.
Before we were taping, I was getting everything right.
Wrong.
Oh, I'm sorry, that's wrong.
That is incorrect.
(buzzer dings)
Anyone? Player three. I'm doomed.
Okay, it's pretty late.
Got in some good work on the PlayStation now,
some good practice.
I'm feeling good.
Car's gonna be here to pick me up in like eight hours,
so I'm not gonna get a whole lot of sleep.
But it's gonna be a good sleep
'cause I feel like a winner.
I'm gonna just
stay focused.
Okay, well,
see you tomorrow.
(punchy rock music)
Does Andy get up this early in the morning?
Big day.
How you doing?
I'm doing all right, how are you?
Good.
I bet I worked later last night than you did.
What time you work till?
11 o'clock.
All right.
You know what? No, it was about the same time.
Is it?
Yeah, yeah.
We're shooting this thing.
Course he calls that work.
Well what were you doing, reciting lines?
Yeah, "Death of a Salesman", the big one.
(punchy rock music)
So you're up against Shawn Colvin and Michael Boatman?
Yeah, Harvard girl.
Oh, really?
Yeah, she's gonna take us down.
Do you think, is that what you think?
Yeah, I get the sense she's gonna take us down.
She seems to have a wide array of knowledge.
Who has the best buzzer skills
of the three of you?
I think Colvin's got the rhythm down,
I mean, I think she's got the edge
rhythmically and educationally.
My only hope is that every category's about me or my family.
Mmm.
Well I'm up against S. Epatha Merkerson.
Get me outta here.
And Brian Dennehy.
Oh that, well he's just gonna intimidate
your physical force.
He's already started.
He's already insulted my job.
♪ Eye of the tiger ♪
(punchy rock music)
[Narrator] Who won?
Who lost?
Did anyone get violent?
To find out, you'll have to check your local listing.
(audience cheers)
[Conan] Nicely done.
Thank you.
You can't say what happened?
I can't say what happened.
Okay, when will they-
It's sometime in mid-November.
[Conan] Sometime in mid-November?
That's what I was told.
Watch for the epic struggle.
Yes. Just watch every "Jeopardy" until then.
(Conan laughs)
"Jeopardy" people love this.
Yeah, yeah, they're gonna love it.
All right, well we're gonna take a little break right now.
Good work, Andy.
When we come back, John Stewart gonna be joining us.
Stick around.