Featured J!Buzz
by Brett Schneider, Jeopardy! Producer
There’s always a story behind how we choose locations to record Jeopardy! “video clues” and the TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL category, which originally aired on January 22, 2016, with clues presented by Dr. Jennifer Arnold, is no exception.
It was July of 2015 and, as Jeopardy! had a new affiliate in Houston (ABC-13), our Promotions Department felt that a visit was long overdue. The Jeopardy! Clue Crew had last recorded clues in and around Houston (including Johnson Space Center and Space Center Houston) back in September of 2002. We would love to have returned sooner, but having shot clues in every state, more than 300 cities and in 48 countries, our dance card had been rather full.
While looking into local events and attractions, our interest was piqued by Texas Children’s Hospital Pediatric Simulation Center. One of the largest in the nation, the center provides hands-on pediatric and obstetric simulation training in a realistic environment with the aim of improving patient safety and care.
In researching the Simulation Center – which offers the latest in cutting-edge research and training and features the use of high-tech mannequins as patients – we were impressed by the online videos of Dr. Jennifer Arnold, Neonatologist and the Center’s Medical Director.
Further investigation revealed that this same Dr. Arnold was the star of TLC’s “The Little Couple.” Given her expertise, the complexity of our clues and Dr. Arnold’s familiarity with being on camera, we invited her to present these “simulation clues” herself – a responsibility that would usually be assigned to Alex Trebek and/or the Clue Crew.
Dr. Arnold was not only agreeable to this, but the production behind “The Little Couple” asked if they might record footage for their own program. This was an unusual request, but the producers of “The Little Couple” assured us that they wouldn’t record, let alone broadcast, any of our actual “game material” prior to our own airdate.
Our clues were penned, approved by Dr. Arnold, and in September of 2015, a Jeopardy! crew descended upon Houston where we met at Texas Children’s Hospital with Dr. Arnold, her simulation team and the producers and crew behind “The Little Couple.”
It was a surreal experience for the Jeopardy! crew; being shot shooting clues, but everything went smoothly and Dr. Arnold proved as capable on camera as she is accomplished at her job.
The folks at “The Little Couple” also seemed pleased with what footage they walked away with and we hear the episode featuring Jeopardy! will air February 23. With that in mind, stay tuned for a double dose of Jeopardy! and Dr. Arnold.
