It’s from Ben Scripps:
Ken--you're clearly a fan of "Jeopardy!". My question for you is: what would be your six dream categories--your "Clavins", if you will--if you ever made it up to the lectern? And what would be your six nightmare categories? (And you have to stick to "real" categories--no fair listing "The 1991 Baltimore Orioles" or "Little Known Facts About 'Big Wave Dave's'".)
Categories I would not embarrass myself answering:
1960s Top 40 Hits
American Theatre
Los Angeles landmarks
Screwball Comedies
Radio Station call letters (they give the call letters, I have to name the city the station is in)
Baseball Rulebook
Now there are many many categories that I know absolutely nothing about. These are just the first six that popped into my head.
Anything about Africa
The Bible
The Periodic Table
Roman Numeral Math
Before and After
Opera
The episodes with Alex continue until early January. No new host has been announced. The plan is to do some on-air auditions. First interim host will be Ken Jennings. But if they're still looking -- I’ll tell you my totally-out-of-left-field choice — NBC News’ Hallie Jackson.
39 comments :
I am very fond of Hallie Jackson: smart, attractive, and witty. I second your choice for Ms. Jackson as interim JEOPARDY host. I grew up watching JEOPARDY with Art Fleming hosting, and Don Pardo announcing on NBC. I was fond of those guys, too.
My nominee for the next Jeopardy host is Anthony Mason of CBS This Morning.
My choice for Jeopardy would be Kristen Welker. She's intelligent, talented and beautiful, and as a bonus, it would piss off crybaby racist Trump supporters who'll seek catharsis by watching their dvd of The Passion of the Christ while holding an AR-15 in one hand and a Chick-fil-A burger in the other.
Here's my under the radar choice: How about Danica McCellar?
I think John O’Hurley would be a great choice.
I think the last episode is actually Christmas Day, that being a Friday...
Troy:
Seriously, how many Trumpers watch "Jeopardy!"?
My left-field choice is Andy Richter. He's stealthily brilliant and also knows when it's his time to be the center of attention and when it's time to cede the spotlight, so he'd be sure to make sure the spotlight is on the game and the contestants.
It's been moved to January 8. They are airing "best of's"the holiday weeks.
Paula Poundstone would be my choice,
I'd love to see Keith Olbermann do it. He's smart as hell, very witty, quick on his feet, and would no doubt love to have a gig that doesn't anger him all the time.
Ken, I know it's been suggested, but you should get in as interim host.
I would think that you would have picked "Album Oriented Rock"as one of your nightmare categories.
My choice is not a household name. J. Keith van Straaten Is a TV and radio host (Beat the Geeks) , quiz show writer, and genuine game show show fan. Check out his quiz show podcast Go Fact Yourself. I'm waiting for the day when Ken is a celebrity expert on that show when one of the contestants is quizzed about sitcoms. George Wendt was recently on the show as a Cheers expert.
There's a petition to give Levar Burton, the Reading Rainbow guy, a shot.
I don't have a choice but I hope it isn't Ken Jennings. As good as he was as a contestant, he's just too nerdy for my liking.
BTW, Troy and ilk, I voted for Trump and I love Jeopardy!
Why not WATSON as the new host? But since some may find the name sexist, they should use a genderless, A.I. robot; just call it "Host." But some humanists might think that choice discriminates against living people. So, the only remaining choice is to cancel the show.
The Bible, Ken? Not even the Old Testament? That explains a lot.
VP81955: I'm sure there are many conservatives that watch "Jeopardy." Although most of them would be senior citizens. As my 90-year-old mom would say about "Jeopardy" and "Wheel," "Not now. `My shows´ are coming on."
M.B.
My vote would be for Conan O'Brien, the right combination of book smarts and wit. He'd be great. But since he has a "regular gig" there's a guy in the UK named Allen Davies who does a show called QI who I think would be ideal as he's very funny and very quick-witted.
Art Fleming and Alex Trebek understood that the game and the contestants were the "stars" of the show, not the host.
"Jeopardy!" requires an emcee with broad general knowledge and a low-key personality that's not going to dominate the game.
(Pat Sajak, incidentally, did an excellent job hosting "Jeopardy!" when he and Trebek switched roles on April Fools Day 1997. The program is on YouTube.)
Charles Barkley
Hey, Ken, I didn’t realize you’re an “Africa hand”. I haven’t watched Jeopardy since I was teen in early Art Fleming days, but I’d be delighted with that category too since my entire career has been devoted to business activities on the Continent. Do you have a specific Africa “connection”?
Kevin FitzMaurice11/28/2020 5:44 PM
“Art Fleming and Alex Trebek understood that the game and the contestants were the "stars" of the show, not the host.”
Exactly right- And, generally speaking, the more “serious” a quiz show, the less useful comedians or actors are as hosts.
Better that the humor— if any - comes from the panelists or contestants rather than the hosts.
e.g. What’s My Line? under Daly, or radio’s Information Please hosted by Fadiman....
If the producers haven’t already decided to follow Trebek’s reported suggestions as to his replacement, they could do worse than Jennings - a long-time walking ambassador for the game: smart, yet capable of quick spontaneous wit - as fans of his Doug Loves Movies appearances can attest.
Cap'n Bob11/28/2020 2:31 PM
“I don't have a choice but I hope it isn't Ken Jennings. As good as he was as a contestant, he's just too nerdy for my liking.
BTW, Troy and ilk, I voted for Trump and I love Jeopardy!”
By too nerdy, do you mean threateningly more learned than yourself?
And, while we’re putting answers in the form of questions...
TREASON FOR $50
What President lied about
a. seeking and receiving stolen info and election interference from a USA enemy and
b. attempting to blackmail- and withhold aid from - an ally in order to receive false info about another candidate?
(Clue- No, it wasn't — as a Trump voter might think- FDR conspiring with the Nazis against Willkie or denying aid from Britain unless it supplied phony dirt on Dewey)
MASS MURDER FOR 260,000
What President and party publicly lied about the severity, spread, and cures for a deadly disease — while telling political pals and donors the truth — solely in order to bolster their re-election campaigns and to protect the stock market (35-40% of which is actually owned by foreign investors)?
DOUBLE JEOPARDY
What party and its donors have criminally denied the existence of - and their responsibility for- planet-killing climate change, while fighting its curtailment for the sake of profit and attacking any form of competing cheap green energy?
Located at 780AM, this station is a commercial all-news radio station licensed to serve Chicago,
He was a good host on FAMILY FEUD.
Anonymous, any moment now, a Trump supporter will reply to accuse you of Trump Derangement Syndrome. Which is absolutely true in the same way that hundreds of millions of people had Hitler Derangement Syndrome.
And here's a fun fact to end the weekend on. Trump's golf trips have cost the taxpayer $148 million. So nice to see that famous Republican fiscal responsibility in action! And so nice to see the president playing golf yesterday on the day the United States had a further 100,000 new Covid cases.
Buckle up, folks. Putin's bitch is gonna cause as much chaos, death and destruction before he leaves the white house in his shit filled incontinence pads.
And with that I end the Trump thread. Anymore Trump comments from either side will be deleted.
Alex mentioned a couple of choices. I forget their names. You could probably look them up. One was a woman who is a CNN reporter or host. And the other was the LA Kings announcer. How about Jameela Jamil from the Good Place. She is hosting some comedic show now. But she does have tv experience from when she lived in England. The Good Place was her first acting role.
Bob Costas
I loved his talk show. And I think he has enough self confidence to not be the center of attention.
Friday question: any thoughts on the Fresh Prince reunion?
Ken Levine said...
And with that I end the Trump thread. Anymore Trump comments from either side will be deleted.
Thank you, Ken.
David
I remember when legendary Seattle Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus died in 2010, the team chose to rotate previous team broadcasters assisting Rick Rizzs on the calls for the next two seasons. Not only did this include our own Ken Levine, but Ken Wilson, Ron Fairly and Dave Henderson. That let the team call back to its history, but also gave enough time to keep the eventual hire (Aaron Goldsmith) from the thankless task of immediately following a Hall of Famer and beloved local icon.
"Jeopardy!" is making the same right move in using Jennings and rotating guest hosts to fill in for Alex before they decide on a permanent host after Trebek. For fill-ins, I would use Awful Announcing's suggestion of Dan Patrick. He's a veteran sports presenter who also hosted "Sports Jeopardy!" for a few years, so he can handle an emcee gig.
Was reminded of something while watching a CHEERS rerun and thought I'd submit it as a Friday question.
Over the years, I've watched characters drink martinis on various sitcoms and I've noticed that the olives never look real. The color tends to be a bit off -- closer to avocado green than to a true olive green -- and the shape is often a bit too spherical. I know they're not plastic because the actor usually eats the "olive" in the scene, but knowing that they're edible doesn't make them look convincing to me. Is there such a thing as a "stunt olive" or are real olives simply not telegenic?
I understand why they picked Jennings but I am not so sure in the long run how he'll do or if I will like him. Then again, I had the same thoughts when Drew Carey took over for Bob Barker on Price is Right and ten years later, I can't imagine anyone else hosting that show.
Can a person make a living writing questions for Jeopardy? Is it a stressful job?
I think Eugene Levy would be a great host! Did a great job on SCTV!
"Disconnect his buzzer!!"
Of course, he would have to grow his mustache back.
I also like a newsperson as Alex's replacement: lookalike Scott Pelley of 60 Minutes.
Bob Costas would be a great choice to assume “Jeopardy” host duties. His “Later” was the gold standard in terms of interview shows.
Hey, Troy McClure, you may not have known this but they still make Prozac in 2020. You might want to order you a whole stock of it for yourself lol.
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