The Clue Crew

I have gotten so many requests for this post that I couldn't put it off any longer. Here it is, by popular demand. I am also not able to comment about this job with snark... because it's actually the best job ever and I'll just come off as bitter... because I am. If you're in my field, you probably think "the best job ever" belongs to Elana Kagan (mazeltov, you're confirmed!),  or to the partners at Cravath, or maybe even to the editors of ATL. But you're wrong. The best job actually currently belongs to three mostly unknown individuals. I say mostly because you've probably seen them around while flipping through channels, or running at the gym during a bad TV hour. I'm referring, of course, to Jeopardy!'s Clue Crew. 

What is this Clue Crew and what is it they do? The Clue Crew are three extremely photogenic individuals that get to travel all around the world to film Jeopardy!'s clues - 20 to 60 second video segments of them reading the clue out loud, usually at a location that helps contestants guess at the answer, usually while doing an activity that would help contestants guess at the answer. In order to bring these life-like experiences straight to our living rooms (or gyms), the Clue Crew has traveled to over 200 cities worldwide, through 45 states, and to 25 countries. And when they're done filming their 20 seconds about bananas in Ecuador, they get to STAY in Ecuador. At least until their flight out. So basically, they get paid vacations to everywhere cool, so long as they can smile at the camera, string together two sentences about some obscure topic, and peel a banana.

Best. Job. Ever. 

Alright - enough drooling - lets look at the facts: 

Annual Salary: A little hard to tell - it's not exactly readily available on Jeopardy!'s website, but the Bureau of Labor and Statistic's Occupational Outlook Handbook says that the median annual wages of TV reporters and correspondents were $34,850 in May of 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $25,760 and $52,160. Granted, that was then, and this is now, but let's say that it's somewhere in there.

Perks: Where to start? Paid trips to all over the world (their photo gallery online has them in Japan, London, Spain, and Peru to name a few). Cool experiences almost no one ever gets to have (the cosmonaut center in Russia, on board the National Geographic Endeavour,) being on Jeopardy!!!

Disadvantages: lots of traveling probably means not as much time home with friends/family. might also be difficult to have a relationship. This is all speculation. 

A Special Message:

Sorry to rain on your parade, Elana. I know this was supposed to be a special day for you.

Go Here For:

CLUE CREW VIDEO SEGMENTS AND PHOTOS