EAGLE, Idaho — The Eagle dad of seven, who set a Guinness World Record after he ran a half-marathon in two hours and 19 minutes, while pushing his four-year-old quintuplets is back in the TV spotlight, but this time for appearing on a game show with Jay Leno.
Chad Kempel appeared on ‘You Bet Your Life with Jay Leno.’
“It’s just surreal to be standing across from Jay Leno,” Kempel said. “I couldn't stop smiling because it's just so cool to be there doing that.”
He told KTVB, someone from the show called him out of the blue, after he made national headlines for his half-marathon record and asked if he wanted to be on the show. They then flew him on a jet to Los Angeles and put him up in a hotel, and then it was showtime.
“I'm just thinking to myself, I hope I don't mess up,” Kempel said. “I hope I don't trip on the steps walking out.”
He went on to say, he thinks he lucked out.
“I got category that was about snack foods, and you know, we have seven children,” Kempel said. “So, I know a lot of snack food trivia stuff and one of the big questions, you know, that defines my life was what ‘what is baked into each goldfish cracker?’ The answer was that it's a smile. Something I never thought I would need to know.”
He and his partner on the show won around $5000, which they split. Kempel took home $2750.
“I think Jay Leno’s statement is, this is week-changing money, he didn't say this is life-changing money, this will change your week,” Kempel said. “It's actually going to go towards a larger water heater.”
His family also picked out toys and donated them to a toy bank.
“It was a pretty cool way to bring that money back and do something for the community,” Kempel said.
He appeared on the show back in April, but the episode only just aired this month.
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