Edmonton librarian takes second place in Jeopardy! debut
Kyle Marshall has always loved trivia and recently he got to show the world just how much.
Marshall, an Edmonton Public Library branch manager, came in second place during his Jeopardy! debut Wednesday night.
"I was really close," he said. "I was just $400 behind going into Final Jeopardy."
Like many librarians, Marshall is a curious person and loves to learn new things. He applied for the show on the advice of a few friends who noticed his impressive performances in mock-jeopardy games.
"I've always been a fan of trivia my whole life," he said. "I'm just interested in knowledge and acquiring it through many different means."
That thirst for information would prove helpful when he was accepted to be a contestant with just one nerve-wracking month to prepare before filming.
"I was like, 'Do I really want to do this?'" Marshall said. "This is going to be a very stressful month leading up to it. What if I do really poorly?
"But then I really realized how great of an opportunity it was [and] I really kind of dug my heels in."
In between his full-time job and taking care of a toddler, Marshall squeezed in study nights with his partner, focusing on a few core subjects and plenty of mock-game play.
"The tough thing is they can really ask you anything on Jeopardy!, right? So studying is a little tricky," he added. "You can't cover all knowledge in a month so I did my best."
Marshall was anxious after some not-so-great results at rehearsals, but it all went well in the end – minus an answer or two.
"There are a few questions that, in hindsight, I really am a little embarrassed at what I answered," he said. "But you know, I did my best given the circumstances.
"It was a high-pressure situation."
The episode was filmed in March, so Marshall was back home for the airdate Wednesday and threw a watch party for family and friends.
"It was really cool to see them cheer me along," he added. "Even though I knew the outcome, they were completely invested."
"All told, I'm really happy with how it turned out and I'm proud to have had this incredible experience."
Marshall received $2,000 for second place. He said he has no plans yet for the prize money.
With files from CTV News Edmonton Miriam Valdes-Carletti
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.