After four years and two attempts, math teacher Patrick Mooney got the call that he was on the game show, Jeopardy!

“I have watched Jeopardy! on and off for most of my life. But it wasn’t until 2009, after my partner applied and eventually got on the show, that I decided to tryout since the process is so easy,” Mooney said.

Mooney passed the first round in 2009, a 50-question online test.

“The first time I took the test, I passed and made it to the second round in Kansas City. They gave me a more detailed application, took my picture and gave me another test to make sure the first time wasn’t a fluke,” Mooney said.

Only 3,000 out of the 100,000 people that passed the online test make it to the first second in their region.

“The show chose the first 3,000 potential contestants pretty randomly. They want a mix of genders, age and home towns and they can’t have too many people with the same name,” Mooney said.

In 2011, Mooney passed the online test and found out in April he had made it to the second round again, but this time in Chicago.

“For the second round I had to pay my own way there. Once I got to Chicago I went through the same process as my first time and had an interview,” Mooney said.

After everything, Mooney was told he was in the contestant pool and hopefully would hear back from the show within 18 months.

“The Friday afternoon before homecoming week in September, I got a call from the show. I was talking to Mrs. [Gail] Appel when they called on my work phone. I knew right away because Jeopardy! doesn’t call you unless they want you on the show,” Mooney said.

Afterwards, Mooney went to tell Principal Dr. Jeremy Mitchell.

“I asked if there was anything going on during October 16 and he said there wasn’t and got so excited for me,” Mooney said.

Mooney had six weeks between when he found out and the taping.

“I took the time to get a plane ticket and book a hotel room. My math classes helped my study by quizzing me through J-archive.com,” Mooney said.

Mooney arrived at the LA airport the night before the show. He then checked into the Doubletree hotel in Culver City.

“When I first got to the Hollywood set on Tuesday morning, at 8a.m., I went into a green room and got our make-up done and went over last minute questions,” Mooney said.

The 12 contestants were then taken out onto the stage around 9:30 a.m. for practice.

“It was so surreal to be on stage. It was like I was still at home watching through the TV,” Mooney said.

After being told how buzzers operated and where their podiums were, contestants recorded a ‘Home Town Howdy.’

“It was a little 5-10 second blurb that every contestant recorded about where we were from and what we do. Jeopardy sends them to local affiliates and they can choose to air them,” Mooney said.

An entire week of Jeopardy episodes were recorded in one day.

“The show was taped just like you see it on TV with commercial breaks and everything. We also got to sit and watch all the other show tapings,” Mooney said.

Contestants also met host Alex Trebek.

“Alex is great. He is really smart and funny and he even wants to get a picture with every single contestant,” Mooney said.

Before the show, contestants were asked to give five one-liners that Trebek asked them during the show.

“Three of my five made it: I was Big Bird in high school, I danced for the Pope in college and I choreograph for the theatre department,” Mooney said.

It only took 30 minutes to record the show.

“Knowledge-wise I felt pretty strong during the game but it was hard because I knew I was with people who were just as smart and determined,” Mooney said.

Mooney, having been apart of theatre for most of his life, was accustomed to being on stage.

“Of course I was still nervous because over two million people watch the show but I didn’t have a problem turning on my stage persona. Look for the classic Mooney faces,” Mooney said.

Producers ask contestants to be themselves and not to act too out of character.

“Everyone has the impression that Jeopardy! has to be stoic theatre, but they want you to have fun, get excited, and hopefully win some money,” Mooney said.

After the show was taped, Mooney got on a red-eye flight back to St. Louis and was back teaching class on Wednesday morning.

“It was a lot of fun, but I can’t tell you how I did. You’ll just have to find out on January 18, 2013 when it airs,” Mooney said.