Napa teen’s ‘Jeopardy’ experience soaks in as family gathers to watch

By NATALIE HOFFMAN
Register Staff Writer

Answer: This 14-year-old Justin-Siena High School honors student represented Napa with intelligence, charisma and confidence on national TV Tuesday evening.

Question: Who is Jeffrey Gerlomes Jr.?

About 50 friends and relatives of the Gerlomes family gathered Tuesday evening at Napa Valley Country Club to watch Gerlomes’ performance in the Teen Tournament of American television’s top-rated trivia show, “Jeopardy.” Fifteen teenagers chosen for the tournament compete in a series of shows through Friday. Victors move on to the semi-finals and the leading three advance to a finals match.

Players advancing to the second round are guaranteed $10,000; the final three competitors receive $15,000, $25,000 and $75,000 — the top prize.

Jeffrey’s parents, Jeffrey Gerlomes Sr. and Caroline Gerlomes, led the gathering Tuesday evening, with Jeffrey’s sister, 13-year-old Mary Gerlomes, an honors student at St. John the Baptist Catholic School, also in the house.

Jeffrey’s 95-year-old great-grandmother, Angie Nunez of Lodi, attended, along with grandparents Babe and June Gerlomes of Stockton and Nelson and Mary Bettencourt of Napa.

The crowd fell silent when Alex Trebek, the host of “Jeopardy,” introduced the competitors, announcing Jeffrey as the youngest player in this year’s Teen Tournament.

Jeffrey took the lead during most of the 30-minute show, with $3,500 at the first commercial break and $6,300 at the end of the round. Near the end of the game, contestants faced Final Jeopardy, which requires players to write their questions down and wager whatever they choose from their current winnings.

Jeffrey’s earnings totaled $15,500 — considerably more than the other two players — when Trebek announced U.S. Military as the Final Jeopardy category. Trebek addressed the three teenagers with the “answer.”

“This branch uses more fuel than the rest of the military combined.”

Jeffrey put all $15,500 on the line for his response, the U.S. Navy, but the correct response was the U.S. Air Force. Jeffrey took third place and will receive $5,000.

Before the show signed off Tuesday night, Jeffrey Gerlomes Sr. addressed his guests in Napa Valley Country Club’s bar. “You’re looking at the luckiest guy in the world, because I have two fantastic kids. I never doubted for a minute that Jeff had the intellect to compete at the highest level of ‘Jeopardy.’ The first thing Jeff did after the show was to shake the winner’s hand,” he said.

Jeffrey said he and Trebek spoke about the Final Jeopardy answer after the show, comparing the volume of nuclear and petroleum fuels used in the military.

Jeffrey reflected on Final Jeopardy and his wager: “That was a prime example of what people mean by ‘trivia’ show. ... While the Navy certainly maintains a bigger fleet of vehicles with its numerous sea vessels, land vehicles and aircraft, the massive aircraft carriers like the ‘Reagan’ and the ‘Enterprise’ run on a ridiculously tiny amount of nuclear fuel. It’s really is quite a fascinating concept. Especially if you don’t have thousands of dollars at stake.”

Jeffrey enjoyed meeting Trebek and other “Jeopardy” staffers, and said the most interesting aspect of his tournament experience was seeing how a major television series is put together. “They’re very organized and are constantly reviewing the material,” he said, adding that the audience comprised about 200 people, split into two sections to make the group appear larger on television.

Jeffrey said Trebek was very personable and funny, confessing a distaste for Carl’s Jr. restaurants. Jeffrey’s sister, Mary Gerlomes, said Trebek often talked to the audience during commercial breaks and enjoyed cracking jokes. “He’s really funny and can do a lot of different accents,” she said.

Jeffrey said Johnny Gilbert, the show’s announcer, and contestant coordinator Maggie Speak, who brought contestants in and explained game procedure, treated the contestants exceptionally well. Jeffrey said he will tell his friends that he saw Gilbert, since they cracked jokes about the “Jeopardy” announcer not being a real person, but a synthesized voice-in-a-box.

Jeffrey also enjoyed getting to know his fellow contestants. “It was amazing to see the different personalities playing on ‘Jeopardy.’ I’m still in contact with some via e-mail.”

The winner of Tuesday night’s “Jeopardy” Teen Tournament is Stephen Fritz, a high school sophomore from Lexington, Ky., who advanced to the second round.

“There is nothing like watching yourself on ‘Jeopardy.’ — It doesn’t get much better. It was so much fun to be a part of it,” Jeffrey said.

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