‘Jeopardy!’ Champ Buzzy Cohen Wants to Host the Game Show After Alex Trebek Retires
Buzzy Cohen wants to return to Jeopardy! not as a contestant but as the program’s host. A memorable player on the award-winning game show, longtime host Alex Trebek calls him “Mr. Personality.” Keep reading to find out more about the music executive from Los Angeles and why he’s ready to head back to “America’s Favorite Quiz Show.”
Buzzy Cohen wins 9 games of ‘Jeopardy!’ in a row
Cohen becomes an internet sensation in 2016 when he’s on Jeopardy! teasing Trebek in between clues. Then he draws even more attention when he decides to wager nothing in Final Jeopardy after handily winning the previous two rounds. “What is see you tomorrow, Trebek?!” and “Who is you aren’t rid of me yet, Trebek?” are the playful responses he opts to give instead.
According to the official Jeopardy!website, during his original run on the game show Cohen wins nine consecutive games and $164,603. More than that, he wins the hearts of fans who tune in each episode to see colorful suits, jokes, and reactions to answering a question correctly.
He returns to ‘Jeopardy!’ in 2017 and 2019
Thanks to a memorable but also divisive approach to being a Jeopardy! contestant, Cohen returns to the game show in 2017 and 2019. First, he steps behind a podium once again, this time to take part in the 2017 Tournament of Champions. He faces off against fellow Jeopardy! contestants including Alan Lin, Austin Rogers, and others.
In the finals, Cohen, Lin, and Rogers have silly moments in between trivia questions making for yet another memorable game. Ultimately, Cohen wins the tournament.
Cohen returns to the game show yet again in 2019 to participate in Jeopardy! All-Star Games as a team captain. He goes head to head with fellow champions including Ken Jennings, Julia Collins, and others. He ends up losing out to Brad Rutter’s team, according to the official Jeopardy! website.
Buzzy Cohen asks producers to consider him for ‘Jeopardy!’ host
Following his stint on Jeopardy! in 2017, Cohen spoke with Vulture over the phone about his time on the show and whether or not he’d return. At the time he didn’t have any future appearance scheduled — as mentioned previously, he would go on to return in 2019 — but he did say he hopes to one day return to Jeopardy! as the host.
“I told the producers when I was back for the tournament [2017 Tournament of Champions], ‘Nobody has asked me, and I’m sure there’s a long line, but I want to put my name on that list when Alex Trebek wants to retire,’” he said. “I’d love to do that.”
The topic of who will succeed Trebek as the host of Jeopardy! is a much-buzzed-about topic among fans. In 2019, he shared that he’d been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. The face of the program for decades, Trebek’s made it clear he doesn’t know who will take over for him and that he has no say in the selection process so viewers shouldn’t bother asking.
However, the TV personality’s offered up advice for the next host, whoever they might be, and he’s confessed Betty White is his “dream pick.”
For now, Trebek continues to host Jeopardy! as fans wonder who will follow in his footsteps. While no one knows for sure who will get tapped for the gig, one thing’s for sure; Cohen already has suits for the job.
