Ken Jennings had a second whereas internet hosting “Jeopardy!” when he did not wish to be part of the present anymore.
During an interview with Rolling Stone, Jennings admitted that when he was requested to take over for Alex Trebek after his demise in 2020, he wasn’t anxious about his first episode.
He was extra involved concerning the grief and mourning he and the present’s employees have been experiencing over the lack of Trebek.
‘JEOPARDY!’ REFERENCES MAYIM BIALIK IN CLUE 1 YEAR AFTER SHE WAS FIRED
Ken Jennings’ worst second on “Jeopardy!” was when he took over for Alex Trebek. (Getty Images)
“Everybody there was very emotional, and I needed to be the one speaking via it, despite the fact that I most likely knew him least of all 100 folks on set, crew and the employees. It was very scary. You’re conscious that the viewers doesn’t need you there. They’re like me, they need the opposite man, and I used to be lacking him too. I’m like, ‘I don’t wish to be right here. I might give something to not be right here proper now,’” Jennings advised the outlet.
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“Jeopardy!” showrunner Michael Davies advised Rolling Stone that the unique plan after Trebek’s passing was to rotate amongst a number of hosts to helm the present, however Jennings stood out from the potential candidates.
“They’re like me, they need the opposite man, and I used to be lacking him too. I’m like, ‘I don’t wish to be right here. I might give something to not be right here proper now.'”
Alex Trebek was the host of “Jeopardy!” from 1984 to 2020. (AP)
“I noticed the look that the contestants would have when he’d stroll out on the stage. Or his facility with the fabric,” Davies stated. “I keep in mind at one level, any person buzzed in and gave the flawed response, and so they stated, ‘Who is Gainsborough?’ And he stated, ‘Oh, no, I’m sorry, it’s Gainsborough’s nice rival,’ and named another obscure artist. It was only a second, [but] who on earth apart from Ken Jennings might have that second?”
In 2021, Jennings and Mayim Bialik have been named as the brand new everlasting hosts of the present. In December 2023, Bialik introduced that she’d been let go from the job.
Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik shared internet hosting duties on “Jeopardy!” after Trebek’s demise. (FOX by way of Getty Images)
Jennings additionally shared that he had mentioned the thought of taking up the sport present with Trebek, saying the primary time was when he spoke with him about recording a portion of his audiobook, which was launched in 2020.
“That was the primary time I ever had a dialog with him that was [about] torch passing, and even that was type of very unstated,” Jennings stated.
Jennings’ profession with “Jeopardy!” started 20 years in the past as a contestant. Over the course of 74 consecutive video games, Jennings gained greater than $2.5 million.
In his interview with Rolling Stone, he addressed the way forward for “Jeopardy!” and stated the sport present has the ability to “unify” folks.
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Ken Jennings gained $2.5 million as a contestant on “Jeopardy!” (Eric McCandless/ABC by way of Getty Images)
“‘Jeopardy!’ is a weirdly unifying factor,” Jennings stated. “Young folks, previous folks, crimson states, blue states – it’s an establishment that has this common acceptance. Whatever the forces of anti-science and faux information and no matter are, they appear to have some carve-out for ‘Jeopardy!’ Maybe as a result of it’s a recreation?”
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“This is a spot the place no person says, ‘Why are you doing a class about dinosaurs? Dinosaurs aren’t actual.’ Or, ‘Why are you mentioning the moon touchdown? We by no means went to the moon.’ For no matter motive, ‘Jeopardy!’ appears to be immune from that, and perhaps that’s a great signal,” he concluded.
