“Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings revealed in an interview that he isn’t a fan of the contestant interviews that occur in the middle of the show and finds them “cringey.” He also stated that former host Alex Trebek wasn’t fond of them either and wanted to keep the questions flowing. Jennings also shared that the transition from contestant to host has been challenging because Trebek set the bar so high.
“Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings doesn’t enjoy the show’s contestant interviews, calling them “a little cringey”, and revealed that former host Alex Trebek also wanted to keep the questions flowing.
Ken Jennings, the host of the renowned game show “Jeopardy!”, has divulged in an interview that he dislikes the segment of the show where contestants are expected to share a personal anecdote during the “Jeopardy! round.” The 49-year-old, who holds the record for the most wins on the show, referred to the segment as being “cringey.” Jennings admitted that coming up with new stories every time he appeared on the show was a significant challenge, jokingly stating that he did not have 75 good stories or even three.
It appears that Jennings is not alone in his distaste for the segment of the show, as he revealed that Alex Trebek, the former host, felt the same way. Jennings claimed that Trebek could not wait to get back to the questions and keep the game moving. He shared that Trebek’s ease with the show’s mechanics made hosting look easy, while in reality, it was a challenging task.
Having taken over from Trebek following his death in November 2020, Jennings expressed the difficulty of transitioning from a contestant to a host. He felt that Trebek set the bar exceptionally high, and the pace of the show, where the host has to act as a referee and announcer simultaneously, added to the challenge. Jennings believes the biggest learning curve for him was finding the “speed” of the show.
Jennings has been sharing hosting duties with Mayim Bialik since Trebek’s passing. He acknowledged that the show, which is an institution, enjoyed by millions across the globe, required a host who could be confident, graceful, and adept at seamlessly transitioning the game’s mechanics. Despite the challenge of hosting, the father-of-two appears to be relishing the experience, and with his impressive knowledge of trivia, it appears he is a perfect fit for the role.