Why Ken Jennings Says Hosting Is ‘Even Harder’ Than Competing on ‘Jeopardy!’
Ken Jennings can thank Jeopardy! for making him famous. The former contestant will go down in history as one of the game show’s greatest competitors. Now Jennings is at the podium as the new host.
Ken Jennings is host of ‘Jeopardy!’
Alex Trebek served as Jeopardy! host for 37 seasons. Trebek began hosting in 1984 when the game show debuted. He became a cultural icon and one of the reasons the series was successful.
Although Trebeck was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2019, he continued hosting until his death in November 2020. His finale episode aired on January 8, 2021, with a special tribute. After Trebek’s death, the producers searched for their next host. Many celebrities and former contestants, including LeVar Burton and Buzzy Cohen, filled in as guest hosts.
But it was former contestant Jennings who landed the coveted role.
Ken Jennings was a cultural icon before becoming a ‘Jeopardy!’ host
Before he became the host of Jeopardy!, Jennings was a contestant on the game show. The former software engineer’s historic competitive run began on June 2, 2004. Little did Jennings or viewers know that his appearance would make him famous. His streak rose to 74 wins and earned him $2.5 million.
On November 30, 2004, Jennings’ streak ended when Nancy Zerg beat him in Final Jeopardy! Although he lost, Jennings became a pop culture icon. In the years that followed his historic run, he would compete and host several other game shows, including Master Minds and The Chase.
Aside from his TV appearance, Jennings is also an author and podcaster. Now, he can add Jeopardy! host to his resume.
Mayim Bialik joins Ken Jennings as new ‘Jeopardy’ hosts
In 2021, Jennings was announced as co-host of Jeopardy! along with actor Mayim Bialik. So how are the two getting along since co-hosting America’s favorite game show? In an interview with Wall Street Journal, Bialik says, “It’s been really nice to get to know him.”
Although Bialik has a degree in neuroscience, she believes she’s no match for Jennings. “He’s incredibly smart. He knows so many things in a way that Jeopardy! champions do. Pick anything, and he likely knows about it,” she explained.
Bialik and Jennings have adjusted to their hosting duties. While Jennings has experience as a contestant, he says being a host was more complex than he thought. “I mean, I had played so many games right here that I thought, ‘I have a pretty good sense of what hosting is going to be like,'” he explained in an interview with Good Morning America.
However, Jennings didn’t realize how challenging his new role would be. “Then you realize hosting’s even harder because you basically have to do everything the contestants do, plus manage the game for them, plus manage the game for the home viewer.”
