Calabasas teen plays 'Jeopardy!'

HIGH IQ—Calabasas High School senior Ben Chuchla takes five with host Alex Trebek on the set of the "Jeopardy! Teen Tournament." Chuchla made it to the semifinals before being eliminated. A Calabasas High School senior is still on cloud nine after competing in last month's "Jeopardy! Teen Tournament," an edition of the popular television game show featuring bright teenage competitors.

Ben Chuchla made it to the semifinals after beating out thousands of other teenagers to qualify for the annual show.

Chuchla said his mom first encouraged him to try out for the competition, which required taking an online test.

"I was telling her, 'I'd never do that well on it, Mom,'" Chuchla said. "She said, 'Just take it and see what happens.' It's good to listen to your mom, I guess."

Chuchla said approximately 13,000 high school students took the test. A second group of students was chosen for in-person interviews based on the number of correct answers given. A written test was also required.

"You had to prove you didn't have Ken Jennings take the online test for you," Chuchla said with a laugh, referring to the "Jeopardy!" champion with the longest winning streak of 74 straight games.

Chuchla said his family and friends were positive he'd make the cut.

"Everyone was really excited for me," Chuchla said. "When I was going through the audition process, everyone was saying I'd be the perfect 'Jeopardy!' contestant. I told them not to get their hopes up, that it was a long shot."

But Chuchla found out in August that he'd been chosen.

"I was amazed," he said. "It's been my dream for so long. I've been watching 'Jeopardy!' since I was in third grade, and I was amazed I got to be a part of it."

Chuchla was among 15 finalists.

"It was kind of awkward meeting the contestants," Chuchla said. "You want to be friendly, but they are your competitors. They were a really great group of kids."

Chuchla said during one semifinal round, which the other contestants weren't allowed to watch, the group was sequestered for hours in the green room at the "Jeopardy!" studios in Culver City.

"We watched a movie, but we eventually had to come up with our own forms of entertainment," Chuchla said. "We were telling jokes and playing cards. You think that because these people made it on 'Jeopardy!' they have no personality, but they were so much fun."

The Teen Tournament was filmed Oct. 6 and 7 and aired Nov. 10 and 14.

On the show, Chuchla chatted with host Alex Trebek about his hobbies.

"I'm a big runner," Chuchla told Trebek. "I run every morning three to four miles."

When Trebek asked if he'd consider doing a triathlon, which involves swimming and biking as well as running, Chuchla laughed.

"I'm not exactly the most coordinated person on two feet, which is why I stick with running," he said.

Although Chuchla was the only contestant to answer the final "Jeopardy!" question correctly—he knew Marshall Thurgood was the first black man to earn a vote for president at a major party convention—it wasn't enough for the win. Chuchla came in second. But the loss didn't discourage him.

"I just want to reiterate how awesome it was," Chuchla said. "Any teens thinking of trying out but thinking they'll never get on, go for it."

Chuchla was born in Philadelphia and moved to Calabasas when he was 5 with his parents and older sister. He is a member of the Calabasas High Science Bowl and competed for three years on the track team. He also enjoys working on computers.

Chuchla said science is where his passion lies, especially his chemistry and physics classes, but he also really likes American literature. College applications are his focus right now, and Chuchla said he is hoping to gain admission to his No. 1 choice, Columbia.

Competing on "Jeopardy!" before going away to college was a dream come true, Chuchla said.

"It's a show that really rewards knowledge," said Chuchla in an interview on the show's website. "There are not enough things out there where really smart people can get ahead, so 'Jeopardy!' is one of those things I really like."