MEET THE “JEOPARDY!” CLUE CREW

The Jeopardy! Clue Crew offers viewers the visual experience of Jeopardy! clues brought to life.  Since the Clue Crew’s creation in 2001, the team of roving correspondents has recorded clues in nearly 200 different cities, both foreign and domestic.   From the cockpit of a Blue Angels jet to the Orient Express, the Jeopardy! Clue Crew has access to many interesting locations and promises to take viewers on an adventure-bringing the world right into America’s living rooms.  Additionally, as Jeopardy! ambassadors, the Clue Crew has traveled widely to meet and greet fans and future contestants of America's Favorite Quiz Show®.  This year, the Clue Crew continues to travel around the country, demonstrating and donating the electronic educational game, “Classroom Jeopardy!,” to schools in various communities.

Jon Cannon

Former high school teacher Jon Cannon has taken his teaching skills to a much larger audience.  Although Jon left his social studies class in Hollis, N.H., to become a member of the Jeopardy! Clue Crew, he still has the opportunity to teach.  “My approach to Jeopardy! clues is the same as my approach to teaching,” he said.  “My hope is for viewers to feel that each clue has been a valuable learning experience.  The best part is, now, America is the classroom.”  Jon’s eagerness to learn and teach developed at an early age, when his family moved from Landstuhl, West Germany, to Belmont, N.H., where he grew up in a 200-year-old farmhouse.  Jon’s curiosity and creativity led him to discover his true passion for learning.  “As I was growing up, I was fascinated by the people and the places I saw on maps and in photographs, and I wished I could be there,” Jon said.  “Being a member of the Jeopardy! Clue Crew, I get the chance to make those wishes a reality and to share them with our viewers.” Highlights from Jon’s first year as a Clue Crew member include whitewater rafting in Jackson Hole, Wyo., and musical clues played on his bass guitar. Additionally, Jon said “I loved delivering clues from old Europe because it is so full of history and connects to my educational background.” Jon attended the University of New Hampshire and earned a bachelor’s degree in geography, with a minor in philosophy and a master’s (M.A.T.) degree in teaching secondary social studies.  When Jon isn’t busy traveling, he enjoys playing music, home improvement projects and cheering for the Boston Red Sox. He currently resides in the Los Angeles area with his wife, Liz, daughter, Isabella, and their dog, Rocco.

Cheryl Farrell

With degrees from UCLA (BA, economics) and USC (MA, communications) and a strong background in travel and corporate banking, Cheryl Farrell returns for her seventh season as one of the “roving correspondents” of the Jeopardy! Clue Crew. Ebony magazine named her one of the “100 Most Promising Women in Corporate America.”  After appearing in hundreds of clues, Cheryl considers her “divinely inspired adventures” as an opportunity for messages of hope and advocacy. “The Clue Crew experience is a wonderful blend of education and entertainment. I am always proud to share the Clue Crew story which gives unique context for making a difference,” according to Cheryl. She has written essays about Black History clues in which she appeared and she has also created and hosted a customized Classroom Jeopardy! game for foster care teens. Additionally, Cheryl has written human interest stories on behalf of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. She was awarded the 2007 JDRF President’s Award for Outstanding Service that included stories about balancing her Clue Crew career and raising a child with type 1 diabetes.

“It’s an honor to be a part of Jeopardy!, this award-winning quiz show, which reaches out to millions of people and supports a variety of charities with winnings from special competitions such as Celebrity Jeopardy!,” said Cheryl. Jeopardy! viewers can find Cheryl delivering clues from the lush hills of Ireland, shrines to Russian leaders in Moscow’s Red Square and the history-filled halls of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library. A personal highlight of Cheryl’s Clue Crew experience was “singing clues to life” from such memorable venues as the Motown Historical Museum and the pulpit of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. Cheryl resides in Los Angeles with her husband, Wendell, and their two children.

Jimmy McGuire

From navigating the America’s Cup winner, The Star & Stripes, in the Caribbean to throwing touchdowns with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jimmy McGuire brings a natural enthusiasm and innate curiosity when taping Jeopardy! clues from the country’s most fascinating destinations.  “When something grabs my interest, I just have to know about it—all about it,” said the Pittsburgh native, who, prior to Jeopardy!, worked several years as a segment producer and reporter for a local TV newsmagazine.  “When I’m on location, it’s very important for me to make sure the Jeopardy! viewer experiences my clues as closely as I do,” he said.  With his boundless energy and his years of knowledge working on both sides of the camera, Jimmy has recorded Jeopardy! clues from an incredibly diverse crop of settings in the United States, including the original Air Force One, a nuclear submarine, a volcanic crater, a championship NASCAR track and Pearl Harbor. Jimmy’s travels have included trips from small towns across the United States to world capitals, such as Rome, Paris and Madrid.  “Rome was so memorable for me—I wanted to bring a piece of Italy right into our viewers’ living rooms,” he said.   However, it’s the contestant searches and Brain Bus events that are, by far, his true favorite Clue Crew experience.  “Recently I had the honor to meet and greet service members during a USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour to Japan,” he said.  “It was such a pleasure to personally meet all the hundreds of servicemen, women and their families during this unbelievable journey. The incredible response Jeopardy! received made my job that much more special.”

Kelly Miyahara

Kicking off her third season, Kelly Miyahara is still absolutely thrilled to be a part of the Jeopardy! Clue Crew members.  “This truly is a dream job for me, and I thank my lucky stars everyday!,” she said. Kelly graduated with a degree in business administration from the University of Washington in Seattle and has a professional background in human resources and customer service.  After a youth in California and Virginia, Kelly discovered her love for travel and adventure.  Whether for family vacations or competition in soccer and softball tournaments, Kelly was always excited to hit the road and experience something new.  As an adult, her adventurous spirit led her backpacking through nine European countries and, more recently, to a life abroad in Paris as an English teacher.  “You can learn so much from exploring the world,” Kelly said.  “I’m constantly curious and eager to discover my next destination. Most importantly, I’m grateful to work with the amazing team at Jeopardy! while having the opportunity to share my journeys with our viewers!”  A few of Kelly’s highlights with Jeopardy! include participating in Alex Trebek’s recent USO Tour to Japan, shooting clues with the animals at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo Nursery and having the honor of meeting the thousands of fans during Brain Bus events around the country.  When she’s not bringing clues to life, you’ll find Kelly playing in co-ed softball and bowling leagues, salsa dancing, planning events and getaways with loved ones, or spending quiet time writing, drawing and painting.

Sarah Whitcomb

Prior to becoming a member of the Jeopardy! Clue Crew, Sarah Whitcomb worked as an anchor for top-rated news programs in both Texas and Michigan.  Making the switch from delivering the news to delivering clues, Sarah loves being able to put her investigative skills to use, uncovering exciting locations for the Clue Crew to visit.  With six seasons of clues under her belt, Sarah’s extensive travels with Jeopardy! have taken her to 38 states and 18 countries, allowing for some incredible experiences along the way.  Some of her favorites include breaking the sound barrier in a Navy fighter jet, sky diving with the Army’s Golden Knights parachute team, performing simulation drills at Russia’s Cosmonaut Training Center and crossing Europe onboard the Orient Express.  As she enters her seventh year with the team, Sarah looks forward to a rewarding new season of clue seeking adventures.  “I really enjoy discovering and sharing interesting information with our Jeopardy! viewers,” said Sarah. “To feature clues that provide a unique look into the world around us is an amazing opportunity.” As a graduate of the University of Southern California and a college football fan, when Sarah isn’t traveling with Jeopardy!, you’ll find her cheering on the Trojans!  She also enjoys snowboarding and scuba diving, two hobbies she’s been able to demonstrate on Jeopardy! while delivering clues.