Interview with Laura Buermann, Jeopardy Contestant
I chatted with Essex resident Laura on a beautiful weekday evening on the picnic tables outside of the Brownell Library. By day, Laura works in quality assurance for a Montpelier insurance firm. But after work hours, Laura is an expert in trivia. In fact, she was on her way to trivia at On Tap after our conversation. Laura loves to read and said that she accumulates a good portion of her knowledge from reading.
Laura filmed Jeopardy in California this January, and the show recently aired. She finished second place on the show. Since her show was released, she has been surprised by her newfound status as a local celebrity. However, she said that she enjoyed the experience and would certainly do it again if she has the opportunity.
Laura told me that one of the most difficult things about being on Jeopardy was learning how to use the buzzer. Candidates are penalized if they hit the buzzer before the question is finished being read; however they want to make sure to buzz in their answer as soon as possible afterwards. Laura said that numerous episodes are filmed in one day, which makes the filming go by quickly.
Think that you can beat Laura’s score? Learn more about being a Jeopardy contestant here: https://www.jeopardy.com/be-a-contestant/.
Why Essex? “I grew up in the Islands and went to Essex High School. Essex is convenient and I like the area.”
Why Essex? is a weekly(ish) column highlighting the people and places that make Essex an interesting and special place. Have an idea for the column? E-mail Darby Mayville at darby@essexjunction.org.