By Trevor Sullivan
Dexter will host an adaptation of the popular game show Jeopardy! based on its history. The bicentennial celebration, which is June 20th through the 23rd, will celebrate 200 years of Dexter. To commemorate, trivia questions spanning all those years will be featured in a local version of Jeopardy! starring Ben Goldstein, a former contestant and victor on the show.
Ben, who has lived in Dexter since 2014, loved watching Jeopardy! for over a decade before he decided to apply. “It was an eight-year process, from when I first took the online test to when I first received my invitation.” He debuted on the show in June of 2023. “I’m not a trivia expert,” Ben says, “I never claimed to be.” Despite this, Ben ended up winning five games in a row, which led him to be invited back for the Tournament of Champions this past February.
He will be hosting Dexter Jeopardy! which will be modeled as if it was still the 1800’s. Instead of buzzers, contestants will use bells to “buzz” in, and rather than an electronic board, the bicentennial will be creating a question grid using a chalkboard. There will be 6 different categories, each with 5 difficulty levels.
The questions will be focused on the history of the town but weighed more toward the first 100 years after the foundation in 1824. Thomas Morris, a board member for the bicentennial, co-wrote the questions with Ben and advises to have a solid knowledge of the history of Dexter, along with Michigan as a whole. However, Ben also says “You really don’t need to be a history expert to compete and answer questions. If you’ve been a long time resident and pick up a copy of the Bicentennial book, you’ll know enough to compete. The competition is meant to be a fun way for the community to gather and celebrate.”
This event will take place on June 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, all at 1 p.m. It will be held at the Dexter gazebo at Monument Park downtown, and in the case of harsh weather, it will be relocated to the basement of the Dexter Library.
“Everyone is encouraged to sign up,” Ben comments. Contestants can be in pairs, with three competing each day. While there is no cash prize, each contestant will receive a prize from the local sponsors of the event, regardless of their placement. Even if you are not competing, you are encouraged to attend with friends and family and watch the games. The crowd may even have a chance to answer some questions. Additionally, Ben will be signing autographs.
The sign-up for contestants is now open at DexterBicentennial.com under the heading “events/event participation,” or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf0MjaysA8oZjAoOIIlZiJqJ9NuEQ9CgIS1bfb2NLuYYhl5sA/viewform
The Dexter Bicentennial is currently looking for local businesses to help sponsor the event. To reach out, contact them at dexterbicentennial@gmail.com, or chair member Thomas Morris at tmorris@morrispllc.com
