Larissa returning to Massachusetts?

Wrapping up my series on Jeopardy! contestant Larissa Kelly, she talked with a reporter in her hometown, Newton, Massachusetts. Click here.

When asked about a possible return to Boston, Larissa said, “It will depend on what the job market is like,” Kelly said. “But I’d love to end up back in Massachusetts.”

By Shannon Thomas
Wicked Local Newton
Posted Mar 25, 2009 @ 06:07 PM
Last update Mar 25, 2009 @ 10:39 PM

Newton —

Answer: With winnings of nearly $323,000, she is the highest earning female winner in the history of the popular game show Jeopardy!
Question: Who is Newton native Larissa Kelly?

Kelly, a Princeton alum, won second place in Jeopardy!’s Tournament of Champions this week, winning six times during the tournament and coming away with a $100,000 prize. In total, she walked away with $322,597.

Competing on the show and appearing on TV was “a lot of fun and a little surreal,” Kelly said.

Both Kelly’s husband and sister were in past Jeopardy! competitions, paving the way for her to do the same. She watched Jeopardy! frequently when she was growing up.

As a competitor, Kelly was hailed as soft-spoken and calm, yet her wagers were aggressive and gutsy.

“My husband and my sister had said they wished they had made larger wages,” said Kelly, explaining that this was her influence in taking such monetary risks.

When asked which questions or categories were most memorable or frustrating, she admitted the ones she got wrong were the most unforgettable. The baseball category in the final round was the topic that gave her the most trouble, but having literature and history topics created a good balance of questions.

Rumors floated among blogging sites and viewer forums questioning whether Alex Trebek saw Kelly as a favorite. Dan Pawson, the first place winner of the tournament said there was no such tension at all between Trebek and Kelly.
“Alex roots for everyone,” Pawson said.

Kelly plans on “stockpiling” her winnings, setting aside money to buy a home and possibly fund a research trip to Mexico to continue working on her degree.

The show was filmed in Las Vegas, frequently late at night. Contestants hailing from the east coast were challenged by the time difference and unusual schedule, said Kelly.

She expects to graduate next spring, but is unsure whether she will return to Newton after completing her degree.

“It will depend on what the job market is like,” Kelly said. “But I’d love to end up back in Massachusetts.”

Kelly will be unable to compete again on Jeopardy! unless the show creates a new competition for previous tournament winners.

Shannon Thomas can be reached at sthomas@cnc.com.