An Owensboro native and proud Swiftie turned her childhood dream into reality when she won $15,000 on Amazon Prime’s Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity, hosted by NFL star Travis Kelce.
Allie Dees, a Daviess County High School graduate and traveling nurse currently living in San Diego, took the stage in April for the game show. The episode she appeared in aired on December 3. Dees said her experience as a nurse in the emergency room prepared her for the opportunity as she competed alongside celebrity guests.
Dees is a lifelong Kansas City Chiefs fan, thanks to her dad. Meeting the team’s superstar tight end — who also happens to date music icon Taylor Swift — was a surreal experience for Dees.
“Now, he’s danced with Taylor Swift and me,” Dees said. “I popped out of the womb a Chiefs fan. Meeting Travis Kelce and dancing on stage with him was surreal.”
During a travel nursing contract in Los Angeles, Dess decided to chase her long-held goal of appearing on television. A simple Google search led her to a Craigslist ad, which turned out to be for the show. After virtual and in-person interviews, she landed a spot on the celebrity-packed stage.
The format required Dees to answer 10 questions with assistance from a panel of celebrity guests. She correctly answered the minimum five questions needed to win the $15,000 prize, though geography nearly tripped her up.
“I had to name a U.S. territory that borders Canada but doesn’t touch the mainland,” she said. “I panicked and guessed Washington. Looking back, it’s embarrassing because the answer was Alaska.”
Her choice to rely on Garcelle Beauvais from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for the final question – against the crowd’s advice to pick Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson – also added to the drama.
“It was a gamble, but I just went with my gut,” Dees said.
April was a standout month for Dees. In addition to the game show, she appeared in a commercial for Chime, a financial technology company, where she said she won $100,000.
“This whole year has been a whirlwind,” Dees said. “Between the game show and the commercial, I’ve been able to live out some incredible dreams.”
Reflecting on the game show experience, Dees emphasized the importance of staying true to herself.
“Up on stage, I just wanted to be authentic and enjoy every second,” she said. “That mindset allowed me to fully embrace the moment and have fun.”
Dees said she has invested her earnings and used the opportunity to inform others that success is “just on the other side of their comfort zone.”
