Viewers of JEOPARDY! are growing increasingly frustrated with Ken Jennings and are blaming the game show host for several on-air gaffes.
Once a fan favorite, Ken has come under fire in recent episodes of Jeopardy!, with viewers criticizing the host’s “disrespectful” pronunciation errors and criticizing his “harsh” rulings.
DO YOU KNOW YOU DO IT?
Both regular Jeopardy! viewers and new fans alike have begun to wonder if Ken is the right man for the job.
While no one can compare to the show’s former – and legendary – host, Alex Trebek, some fans are wondering if the show’s producers made the right decision in parting ways with Ken’s former co-host, Mayim Bialik.
A source close to the show exclusively told The US Sun that Ken “takes the job seriously” and “doesn’t want to screw it up” but that he also “doesn’t write for the show.”
Ken prefers to leave certain elements (categories, clues, and the awkward decisions about so-called acceptable answers) up to the show’s writers and producers.
Read more about Ken Jennings
When asked if he had any input into the contest’s clues, the source revealed that the show’s most successful contestant doesn’t have as much influence as viewers think.
“He’s certainly done it (offering a punch after a track), but it’s not a regular occurrence and it’s not something he gets paid to do,” the source told The US Sun.
“The writing operation at Jeopardy! is a nine-to-five, five days a week operation because writers create clues not only for the daily television show but also for the various theme weeks, tournaments, celebrity editions, contestant recruitment tryouts and, most importantly, for the mountain of Jeopardy! merchandise, from calendars to video games and everything in between.”
“It’s a huge assembly line that feeds a lot of smaller companies and Ken knows better than to get involved in any of that,” the source added.
As for reviewing the show’s tracks before each taping and offering changes, as the late Alex Trebek used to do, Ken has taken a slightly different tack.
“He trusts the system and isn’t trying to reinvent it as he settles into the permanent hosting job,” the source said.
He’s there well enough
The source also confirmed that while Ken is “engaged and focused, noticeably more so than Mayim,” he also “doesn’t stay in the office if he’s not filming.”
Ken is taking a leaf out of today’s younger generations’ book and throwing himself into achieving a healthy work-life balance.
“She has a full family life at home and is always developing other TV projects or book projects,” the source added.
“But when he’s on Jeopardy! he takes his job seriously and doesn’t want to screw it up.”
Jeopardy! Host Timeline
Jeopardy! has had a tumultuous history when it comes to hosts following the death of the iconic Alex Trebek in 2020. Here are all the hosts since the game show’s inception in 1964.
Art Fleming – From 1964 to 1975, he was the original host of the daytime version of Jeopardy! on NBC.
Alex Trebek – From 1984 to 2020, the late, great Alex hosted the modern version of Jeopardy! for 36 years until his death from pancreatic cancer.
Guest hosts: From 2020 to 2021, Jeopardy! tested a series of guest hosts for one- or two-week stints, including Anderson Cooper, LaVar Burton, and Aaron Rodgers.
Mike Richards – 2021, was appointed host for a week before stepping down amid controversy. He was the show’s executive producer at the time.
Mayim Bialik – From 2021 to 2023, when Mike was announced as the show’s new host, Mayim was chosen to host primetime tournaments and specials.
Mayim and Ken Jennings – From 2022 to 2023, 74-time champion Ken (the winningest contestant in history) joined Mayim as a guest host and they split hosting duties.
Ken Jennings – 2023 – present Last December, Mayim announced on Instagram that she would “no longer” be hosting Jeopardy! after a lengthy hiatus, having supported the writers’ strike, and Ken was named sole host.
Ken now hosts all editions of Jeopardy!, including Celebrity Jeopardy!, the late-night show, and other primetime specials such as Masters.
The source also revealed that despite some of Ken’s on-air mistakes, such as mispronouncing certain words, he “pre-reads all the clues,” as required by the show’s hosts.
“No matter who hosts the show, the host must pre-read all cues before each taping because there are issues with cues with a particular cadence and pronunciation that could cause chaos if Ken (or another host) were to read them for the first time on air,” the source said.
“But Ken doesn’t write for the show and he doesn’t try to: he’s too focused on being a great presenter in the tradition of Alex.”
However, unlike Alex, who had a greater say in the show’s key clues and changes, Ken’s involvement is “not as big” as Alex’s, nor does he need or want it to be.
“Ken’s contribution to the tracks isn’t huge because he’s so focused on his on-camera duties, interacting with guests, pronouncing everything correctly and making the shooting days as smooth as possible,” the source revealed.
“Ken’s not a frustrated track writer or anything like that,” the source continued.
“My understanding is that he and the writers have a respectful relationship that, in some cases, goes back many years to his early days on the show.”
AGAIN AND A-KEN
Jennings’ now infamous run on Jeopardy! – as a contestant – began during the show’s 20th season, with his first show airing on June 2, 2004.
Her winning streak on Jeopardy! continued until she lost her 75th game to rival Nancy Zerg.
The episode, recorded in September, aired on November 30, 2004.
During his run, Ken correctly answered over 2,700 questions on the show and left viewers (and Alex himself) shocked after being dethroned as the show’s current champion.
“I don’t think the writers are trying to sabotage Ken, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t audience members who want to see Ken stumble or make mistakes,” the source added.
Jeopardy! is, first and foremost, a television show, and it lends itself to entertainment, however lofty that may be.
Viewers who tune in to the show don’t just do so for familiarity or to test their knowledge, but also to occasionally poke fun at the show’s gaffes, including Ken’s on-air mishaps.
“But it’s been that way ever since he became a game show star – it’s just part of his reality and he moves on,” the source added.
Mispronunciations and harsh judgments aside, Ken is too busy doing what he does best (hosting the show) to focus on any online venom against him.
And for now, Ken – and only Ken – still has the job.
