New Jeopardy Host

[Eric]

I've been watching for the better part since I was a kid and it's basically my daily routine. Still missing Alex and have been following all the guest hosts closely, they're just now getting to the point where they'll have to choose and announce it. I also don't think all of them are necessarily auditioning for a permanent spot, some were probably happy to fill in as guests and are keeping their day jobs.

While some have been both good and not so good, I'm inclined to go with Ken or Brad, it's always been a show for brainiacs and should be hosted by one as well. I did have high hopes for Lavar Burton but after watching I don't think he's cut out for this type of show.

 

[Herdfan]

I have had DirecTV since it became available back in 1994. And until recently I was grandfathered into the NY and LA affiliates (NBC, ABC, CBS & FOX).

It just so happens that the NY channel showed Jeopardy at 7, where the local channel showed it at 7:30. So one year when everyone was in at Christmas, I went into our bedroom and watched Jeopardy at 7. Went back out to the living room at 7:30 and it was on because my S-I-L liked to watch it.

The look on her face when I answered every question was priceless.

 

[bunnspecial]

I've only been watching intermittently and didn't see Brad. I had high hopes for Ken Jennings, but he seems a bit too dry and "wooden" for my liking. Alex always had just the perfect amount of charisma I thought for the host of the show.

Of what I've watched, to be honest my favorite host has been Katie Couric. She's not someone who would I'd necessarily have thought to even consider, but watching her I thought she had just the right personality, temperament, calm reassurance of Alex, and just a bit of wit thrown in like him. I haven't seen a lot of other comments on her performance, though, so maybe I'm in the minority on liking it.

 

[Eric]

I've only been watching intermittently and didn't see Brad. I had high hopes for Ken Jennings, but he seems a bit too dry and "wooden" for my liking. Alex always had just the perfect amount of charisma I thought for the host of the show.

Of what I've watched, to be honest my favorite host has been Katie Couric. She's not someone who would I'd necessarily have thought to even consider, but watching her I thought she had just the right personality, temperament, calm reassurance of Alex, and just a bit of wit thrown in like him. I haven't seen a lot of other comments on her performance, though, so maybe I'm in the minority on liking it.

Agreed about Ken, he was robotic and seemed like he was almost trying too hard to be human but I also thought it was really well prepared and understood everything better than anyone else. Katie is probably my second favorite behind Anderson Cooper, both were obviously seasoned and comfortable in the role.

My two least favorites have to be Mayim Bialik, Lavar Burton and Dr Oz. I know Lavar had a huge social media buzz and a lot of support behind him though because of Reading Rainbow and I do think he was worthy of the tryout based on just that (who doesn't love someone who promotes reading?) but he really doesn't fit here IMO. It will be interesting to see who they choose in the end.

 

[Pumbaa]

The Swedish version of Jeopardy! had one host from the first episode 1991 all through 2005. Then the powers that be decided that the ads in the break targeted a younger audience and tried to update the show with a more hip host to attract a suitable audience. That was, for all intents and purposes a death sentence for the show, one year or so with the new host and it was gone.

Another broadcaster tried to revive it, ordering 80 episodes in 2014 starring a new host. Didn’t stick.

Best of luck, big shoes to fill over there!

 

[Eric]

The Swedish version of Jeopardy! had one host from the first episode 1991 all through 2005. Then the powers that be decided that the ads in the break targeted a younger audience and tried to update the show with a more hip host to attract a suitable audience. That was, for all intents and purposes a death sentence for the show, one year or so with the new host and it was gone.

Another broadcaster tried to revive it, ordering 80 episodes in 2014 starring a new host. Didn’t stick.

Best of luck, big shoes to fill over there!

Right, I wonder about this myself. As a lifelong fan would I continue to watch if they replaced him with someone I don't like? I won't really know until they decide and it could very well be that the show has run its course and will die, really hard to do say. I just know that Alex was Jeopardy, the charisma, wit, smile and usually the smartest in the room without having to prove he was the smartest in the room.

 

[bunnspecial]

Agreed about Ken, he was robotic and seemed like he was almost trying too hard to be human but I also thought it was really well prepared and understood everything better than anyone else. Katie is probably my second favorite behind Anderson Cooper, both were obviously seasoned and comfortable in the role.

My two least favorites have to be Mayim Bialik, Lavar Burton and Dr Oz. I know Lavar had a huge social media buzz and a lot of support behind him though because of Reading Rainbow and I do think he was worthy of the tryout based on just that (who doesn't love someone who promotes reading?) but he really doesn't fit here IMO. It will be interesting to see who they choose in the end.

Like I said, I'm ashamed that I haven't kept up better.

It comes on at an oddball time here(4:30) and I'm often either occupied or even if free or could turn it on, I just forget about it.

My parents are avid watchers and commented favorably on Anderson Cooper. In fact my mom said he was her favorite, but she does love him from other stuff.

I did see one Lavar Burton episode and agree he wasn't great. I wanted him to be. I LOVE Lavar Burton since I was a 90s kid who watched Reading Rainbow avidly. I've never been a Star Trek guy, but was also a BBT fan and enjoyed his appearances on there. They were fitting and he fit right into the quirkiness of the show(plus how the characters on there idolized him).

I didn't see Mayim Bialik but I can see see how she wouldn't be great. Maybe I'm biased again from BBT, but I feel like she has a bit of an awkward personality that fit perfectly for her role on there(plus likely was the smartest/best educated person/only real scientist on the set of a show about a couple of scientists and an engineer). My real-life perception of her has been a bit jaded since she came out as an anti-vaxxer(especially as a neuroscientist...) but I can see how she wouldn't be a great game show host.

So, again, I go back to Katie, but I'll watch a couple of Anderson Cooper episodes.

 

[Pumbaa]

Right, I wonder about this myself. As a lifelong fan would I continue to watch if they replaced him with someone I don't like? I won't really know until they decide and it could very well be that the show has run its course and will die, really hard to do say. I just know that Alex was Jeopardy, the charisma, wit, smile and usually the smartest in the room without having to prove he was the smartest in the room.

Yeah, you really need the right person to pull it off. But who is the right person? Impossible to tell how people will react, times have changed. A “perfect clone” would probably not work from this point and forward. I think you need someone capable of doing their own thing and really owning the role while somehow keeping enough of the heritage alive and kicking.

Maybe the makers of Doctor Who got it right, replacing people before they merge with the show. On the other hand, as you say, Alex was Jeopardy over there. Would people have kept tuning in if he’d been removed prematurely?

I’m a fan of the show in general so I hope they either pull it off or let it die with some dignity still remaining.

 

[Clix Pix]

Actually, Mayim has been vaccinated, and so have her children, against COVID-19 and also the flu, although in the past she has expressed concerns about other types of vaccinations.

Mayim Bialik and Sons Got COVID-19 Vaccine - FactCheck.org

Actress and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik has expressed skepticism about vaccines in the past, but she says she and her two teenage children have received the COVID-19 vaccine. A Facebook post says Bialik “refuses to vaccinate,” leaving the false impression that she opposes COVID-19 vaccines.

www.factcheck.org

 

[Eric]

Actually, Mayim has been vaccinated, and so have her children, against COVID-19 and also the flu, although in the past she has expressed concerns about other types of vaccinations.

Mayim Bialik and Sons Got COVID-19 Vaccine - FactCheck.org

Actress and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik has expressed skepticism about vaccines in the past, but she says she and her two teenage children have received the COVID-19 vaccine. A Facebook post says Bialik “refuses to vaccinate,” leaving the false impression that she opposes COVID-19 vaccines.

www.factcheck.org

I actually really enjoyed her on BBT and think she's a great actress, outside of that though I tried following her on IG and there was a lot of wow is me type posts and on Jeopardy she deliberately phrased things in an odd way and it was really off putting IMO.

 

[Herdfan]

Saw Levar Burton for the first time last night. It had been since Star Trek since I had seen him in anything. He looked a lot like Benson. Sound was off (we were at Outback having dinner) so I couldn't tell how he did.

 

[bunnspecial]

Actually, Mayim has been vaccinated, and so have her children, against COVID-19 and also the flu, although in the past she has expressed concerns about other types of vaccinations.

Mayim Bialik and Sons Got COVID-19 Vaccine - FactCheck.org

Actress and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik has expressed skepticism about vaccines in the past, but she says she and her two teenage children have received the COVID-19 vaccine. A Facebook post says Bialik “refuses to vaccinate,” leaving the false impression that she opposes COVID-19 vaccines.

www.factcheck.org

I had not kept up with her stance on COVID vaccines and I'm glad that she's for them.

Still, though, I have concerns about taking an anti-vaccine stance against MMR, DTaP, and other "staple" childhood vaccines considering how far the world has come because of those. That's an older issue spanning both ends of the political spectrum, and to me a big deal both before and especially now in light of COVID.

Most of us don't know someone who died of the measles or Polio because the vaccines for those have been in common use for 60ish years now. There have been pockets of local resurgences of these because of vaccine resistance. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6406a5.htm?ref=tjournal.ru

 

[tobefirst]

I actually really enjoyed her on BBT and think she's a great actress, outside of that though I tried following her on IG and there was a lot of wow is me type posts and on Jeopardy she deliberately phrased things in an odd way and it was really off putting IMO.

I hate self-aggrandizers.

 

[Herdfan]

Most of us don't know someone who died of the measles or Polio

I had a client who was from my mom's hometown. She was quite a bit younger than my mom, but when I told her what street my mom grew up on, she said her grandmother lived on the same street. So I called my mom and we all 3 talked on speaker. Turns out my mom lived right beside her grandmother and during the summer my mom would go over and sit on her porch and read and talk. This was because it wasn't safe for kids to play together in the summer because of polio. This would have been mid to late 30's, early 40's.

Had I not met this client and been part of the conversation I might not have ever known that about polio.

 

[Thomas Veil]

Saw Levar Burton for the first time last night. It had been since Star Trek since I had seen him in anything. He looked a lot like Benson. Sound was off (we were at Outback having dinner) so I couldn't tell how he did.

I thought he did well, although he sometimes comes across as a little hyper. Just a little too much excitement in his voice. Calm him down 10% and he'd be fine.

Mayim Bialik looked like she was born to do this show. Most of the rest have been varying degrees of decent to meh.

If it ends up being Dr. Oz or Aaron Rodgers, I may never see Jeopardy again.

 

[Eric]

Looks like we may have a new host, I've never seen the guy before this week but he's really good.

Mike Richards in Advanced Negotiations to Become Permanent Host of ‘Jeopardy!’ (EXCLUSIVE)

“Jeopardy!” executive producer Mike Richards is in advanced negotiations with Sony Pictures Television to become permanent host of the venerable quiz show, taking the reins of the syndi…

variety.com

 

[Herdfan]

I kind of liked the way they rotated hosts in and out.

Didn't ever see this guy but probably will in the future. Perhaps they should consider using guest hosts in a more limited capacity. If they film 50 weeks of shows a year, then let him do 40 of them and have guest hosts do 10. Might bring in new viewers who just wanted to see the guest host.

 

[thekev]

Actually, Mayim has been vaccinated, and so have her children, against COVID-19 and also the flu, although in the past she has expressed concerns about other types of vaccinations.

Mayim Bialik and Sons Got COVID-19 Vaccine - FactCheck.org

Actress and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik has expressed skepticism about vaccines in the past, but she says she and her two teenage children have received the COVID-19 vaccine. A Facebook post says Bialik “refuses to vaccinate,” leaving the false impression that she opposes COVID-19 vaccines.

www.factcheck.org

Ignoring the nonsense like "vaccines cause autism" (I don't think she ever propagated that), there have been recalls of vaccines in the past. In the case of COVID, it's something with a high rate of transmission and a poor understanding of potential long term health concerns, even for people who survive the initial infection.

 

[Thomas Veil]

Richards guest hosted the show very early on, which is why many of you might not have seen him. And yes, he was very good at it.

I read he had no real interest in being the permanent host, but it looks like he’s had a change of mind.

 

[JayMysteri0]

Richards guest hosted the show very early on, which is why many of you might not have seen him. And yes, he was very good at it.

I read he had no real interest in being the permanent host, but it looks like he’s had a change of mind.

But he doesn't come without past baggage.

Jeopardy!: Mike Richards' The Price is Right Lawsuit Past Resurfaces

Jeopardy! EP & hosting frontrunner Mike Richards' past involvement in two lawsuits during his time with The Price is Right have resurfaced.

bleedingcool.com

After over a dozen guest hosts stepped up and stepped in to honor the legendary Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek and in some instances audition for the permanent job, Variety reported on Wednesday that Jeopardy! executive producer Mike Richards (host: Divided, The Pyramid) was "in advanced negotiations" with Sony Pictures TV to be the permanent host (though a final deal is not in place and discussions are still ongoing with "several potential candidates"). Now, Richards' involvement in two past lawsuits involving The Price is Right models, Brandi Cochran and Lanisha Cole, during his time producing the Bob Barker and Drew Carrey-hosted game show have some on social media questioning whether his name should still be considered for the permanent Jeopardy! hosting job.