Jeopardy! host Mayim Bialik has admitted that many fans would prefer to see Ken Jennings as the permanent host of the iconic game show rather than herself.
The battle for the position of permanent host of Jeopardy! has been raging since the tragic death of Alex Trebek, who passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2020. After experimenting with a bevy of guest hosts, the position now seems destined for one of two frontrunners, Mayim Bialik or Ken Jennings.
The 47-year-old Jennings announced in May that he would be stepping aside for an undetermined period of months, seemingly leaving Bialik in a prime position to nab the top spot. However, the 46-year-old The Big Bang Theory actor has now acknowledged that Jennings may be more popular with fans.
Mayim Bialik knows fans prefer Ken Jennings as Jeopardy! host
Mayim Bialik made the comments while speaking to actor Justin Long on her podcast Bialik Breakdown. Long mentioned that he and his family were long-time fans of Jeopardy! and asked if she’d heard from fans saying they preferred Jennings.
Bialik very candidly replied, “Sometimes, sometimes I get ‘We don’t prefer you to Ken.'”
Long responded by empathizing with Bialik and quickly moved the conversation toward fan treatment of celebrities, “Isn’t that wild? Well, it’s the only profession that I can think of, where people will tell you deeply insulting things but with a big smile?”
Bialik agreed, stating, “[fans say] exactly how they feel. Like ‘I saw you in a magazine. I was very confused. You looked pretty.’ I get that a lot.”
Decision on permanent Jeopardy! host expected in July
According to The Sun, a decision on who will be the permanent host will be decided at the end of this season, next month. From a ratings point of view, it does look like Jennings might be the favorite. He pulled in a whopping 9.7 million viewers on his first appearance, whereas Bialik pulled in a respectable but considerably lower 5.9 million viewers.
The Call Me Cat star certainly has her own fans, and she received a nice boost in April from Kelly Clarkson, who defended Bialik’s hosting abilities during an interview.
Another fan favorite for the Jeopardy! role was Star Trek star LeVar Burton, who guest-hosted the show in July 2021. Burton has spoken out about how he deeply desired the job, and his feeling of humiliation after the show’s producers ditched him.
I think Miyim is far superior to Ken, he is to dull. I will admit I was hoping for Levar, just because I am a huge fan of his from Star Trek and reading rainbow. However I have because a huge fan of Mayim since she has been on Jeopardy and started watching some other shows she has been in, I had totally forgotten about her in Blossom which was a great show back in the day. On Jeopardy she is witty and super intelligent. I am actually more likely to miss the show and just do something else when Ken is on there because I find him boring.
We have lots of cloned men on many shows. I find Mayim to be refreshing g, funny, smart, and fully capable of leading a Jeopardy. Let’s keep her,
I like her but she seems so tight. Her wardrobe is like a librarian’s – dress her more approachable and friendly and less like an old fashioned school marm. She also has a habit of tilting her head back and forth that is annoying. I know I sound like I’m looking for excuses but these two issues bother me and I LOVE Jeopardy!.
Just curious…what do you think of Ken Jennings wardrobe! Seems men get a free pass on their attire being critiqued