A legislative aide from Boston, Massachusetts...

Dan Pawson

Uh, Dan Pawson, from Allston, Massachusetts.

How has being a Jeopardy! champion changed your life?
Uh, winning on Jeopardy! was a nice relief. Um, we had a baby coming, and, uh, a nice gigantic load of, uh, student loans, and so it took a lot of the pressure off, uh, of that, so we were able to life our life, y'know, the way we wanted to, and, uh... So it was--it was a relief.

What is the most common question people ask about your time on Jeopardy!?
Uh, the most common question I get, uh, when people find out I was on the show is what I think a lot of people get, which is "What was Alex like?" Um, and, I tend to tell them, uh, pretty much what everybody--they--they all ask me, y'know, "Is he"--y'know--"He seems kind of pompous." And, he's not, and we all know it's a--it's an act, and he's very--he's very nice when we have those end-of-, uh, -show chats.

What have you learned that will help you in the tournament?
Uh, I learned that when somebody else is really smart next to you, you can look really dumb, because there'll be a lot of questions that everyone knows the answer to, and they're just a little bit faster than you. Um, so that gets a little frustrating, but just, uh, just stay calm, and, just, uh, y'know, play your game, and good things will happen.

Has anyone recognized you from your Jeopardy! appearance?
I get recognized for a while. Uh, everybody--I work in a pretty big building--I work in a--the state legislature--so pretty much everybody there knew who I was, and asked, "What's Alex like?" Um, and then, it hasn't happened much over the last, uh, last few months, except when my repeats came on, on the weekends. And then all of a sudden, "Hey! What's Alex like?" again.

Will playing Jeopardy! in Las Vegas affect your wagering?
[Laughs] Well, uh, I am a--a poker player, so, um, I've got a pretty good amount of disclipline about how much to bet, and, uh, and that--so hopefully I'll be able to, uh, avoid the bright lights and just--and just do it right.

Place your bets and tune in!

2009 Tournament of Champions winner: $250,000.
Season 24 9-time champion: $170,902 + $1,000.

Jeopardy! Message Board user name: pdano
Wife's Jeopardy! Message Board user name: Alegra911

Wife's blog at peanutbutterburrito.blogs.com.