Ex-'Weekend Edition' Producer Tight-Lipped On Her 'Jeopardy!' Appearance

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

"Jeopardy!," a quiz show that tests a wide range of knowledge - U.S. presidents, world capitals, Shakespeare, pop music, potpourri. So we'd like to think it was just a matter of time before a former NPR producer tried to use what she's learned here to finally earn a big payday.

(SOUNDBITE OF "JEOPARDY!" THEME MUSIC)

SIMON: Laura Lorson, who's now the local host of All Things Considered at our member station KANU in Lawrence, Kan. will appear on "Jeopardy!" this coming Wednesday. She joins us now from the studios of our greatly beloved member station.

Laura, thanks so much for being with us.

LAURA LORSON, BYLINE: Thank you for the invitation and I'm happy to be here.

SIMON: So how'd you wind up on "Jeopardy!"

LORSON: I was giving a talk to a rotary club in Council Grove, Kan. and one of the people who was there said, I really think you should take the "Jeopardy!" quiz. So I took the test and I didn't expect to hear anything back. Went home and kind of forgot about it. I was driving from Perry to Lawrence and got a phone call, and it's a very fast-talking Hollywood producer person.

SIMON: Hello? Laura Lorson? Laura Lorson from Lawrence, Kan.?

(LAUGHTER)

LORSON: She said, all right, this is "Jeopardy!" and you're going to be on.

SIMON: We will explain, you can't talk about the results because you know, the program is going to be broadcast next week. However, can I ask you, have you recently purchased a Mercedes?

LORSON: (Laughter). You can ask.

SIMON: All right. Is there any way to prepare, to bone-up for "Jeopardy?"

LORSON: Yes and no. The current events part I brush-up on every day because that's my job, so. But, I definitely went back through to re-memorize the presidents in order (laughter) and get the high points, you know.

SIMON: Laura, did anything - anything - you learn here wind up being remotely helpful?

LORSON: Absolutely. Everything I did when I worked at All Things Considered in Washington, D.C., the way I got through the day every day was don't disappoint Robert Siegel, don't let Robert Siegel down by letting something wrong get on the air.

SIMON: So what's Alex Trebek really like?

LORSON: I think he is incredibly nice and incredibly good at his job.

SIMON: Like Robert Siegel.

LORSON: Exactly.

SIMON: And as handsome as Robert Siegel?

LORSON: Oh, nobody's as handsome as Robert.

SIMON: (Laughter). Why am I laughing? I think you're utterly right. Absolutely. Laura Lorson, who's a local host at our station KANU in Lawrence Kan., and used to work here. A "Jeopardy!" contestant now. We'll tune in on Wednesday.

Thanks so much, Laura.

LORSON: Thanks for having me.

(SOUNDBITE OF "JEOPARDY!" THEME MUSIC)

SIMON: The category is theme music for 200. Theme music writers. The musician who wrote our theme music? Who is BJ Leiderman? Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.