Answer: This oncologist appeared on “Jeopardy!” and was able to rapidly provide responses ranging from “red velvet cake” to “Run-DMC.”
Who is… Pamela Sung, MD, PhD?
In February, Sung appeared on the classic quiz show “Jeopardy!” She grew up watching it with her dad and still remembers her first correct response: “What is Nickelodeon?” She later bonded with her husband over their love of the show on their first date, and they watch it together every day. They’ve both taken the contestant test several times, and Sung auditioned twice before. “The third time’s the charm!” she said.
Though she was concerned about flying cross-country during a pandemic, she couldn’t turn down the opportunity. Because one of her friends had previously appeared on the show, she had a good idea of what the experience would be like.
“They film a week’s worth of episodes in a day,” she said. “But everything’s a little different with COVID, so everyone stood far apart, and we had to get tested the day before. The audience consisted only of the crew and contestants. When I came home, it was fun to watch episodes featuring other players I met; my husband didn’t how they ended, but I did!”
Though Sung was sad that she missed her chance to meet longtime host Alex Trebek, who passed away in November, she was thrilled that “Jeopardy!” champion Ken Jennings was serving as the interim host. She was less thrilled, however, when the producers didn’t like how Jennings ruled her answer of “L.A. Spark” incorrect, so he had to tell her she was wrong a second time. “I knew it was the L.A. Sparks! I can’t believe I left the ‘s’ off,” she said.
Though Sung unfortunately didn’t win her game, it was “so exciting to fulfill a lifelong dream.”