Wheaton resident goes from Jeopardy couch watcher to contestant

For five episodes the 20-year-old underwriter competed in a battle of wits and quick buzzers on the long-running trivia game show. Poozhikunnel walked away with a new appreciation for pressure, serial television and $70,000 in prize money.

“When you’re a couch watcher you can answer as many questions as you want, but when you get there you realize everyone is at least as smart as you are and it comes down to getting the buzzer to work for you,” said the former Wheaton Warrenville South Scholastic Bowl team member.

After taking an online test in early 2012, Poozhikunnel received an invitation for live auditions in Chicago in the spring. Sitting in a room with other potential contestants he was required to take additional general knowledge tests. He performed well enough to receive an invitation to appear on the television show.

Poozhikunnel, who graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in economics, received the call to appear on the program weeks before he was to start his career with Gallagher Benefits services in Itasca.

“My boss was really cool about it when I had to call him before I even started working and had to ask for some time off,” he said.

Poozhikunnel flew to California to compete, taping two shows in one day, then returning about a month later to tape the last three, he said. He said he had about 15 minutes between tapings to change clothes since the shows were aired on separate days.

“Jeopardy” contestants field questions on a wide-range of topics, including history, literature, science, pop culture, religion, economics and many others. One of the earliest questions Poozhikunnel answered was about insurance, the industry in which he now works.

“I don’t remember the question, but I remember the answer was catastrophe. I was glad my co-workers got to see me answer that,” he said.

Going into the competition Poozhikunnel said he felt confident in the subjects of history, literature and religion. While he felt he performed well when the subject was historical in nature, he said he didn’t fare so well in religion or literature.