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2020 took a lot of real ones, including beloved Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. As the ghost of Merv Griffin interviews new prospects to preside over the game show, The Prompt Mag tosses in our two cents.
Michael Maiello
Face it, humanoids, another human host will only break our hearts again by dying or using Twitter. Meanwhile, a non-human alternative has emerged. In 2011, IBM’s Watson computer bested two champions at Jeopardy!, proving its mechanical superiority. Let Watson host the show. The exasperated super computer can even sigh heavily and offer to “Google” answers for struggling contestants.
Josh Bard
Any Jeopardy! host has to be smart and likable, which rules out 90% of all Americans. A bummer for sure, but it helpfully narrows the field. And since we’re talking about TV, so being easy on the eyes is going to be a factor, just as it was for the striking, Young Trebek. The best possible new host would be Danica McKellar, or as you better know her, Winnie Cooper. Since her wonder years, she has gone on to be a major advocate for math, while appearing every now and then on TV, keeping up her on camera chops. I’d make it a true daily double and risk it all for her.
Sarah Razner
Since the presence of the kind, wry Alex Trebek can no longer grace our screens, Jeopardy! needs a host who can bring their own flair to the show and deliver clues in a manner that will keep us just as entertained as the competition itself. Who can fill this tall order? John Mulaney. With the chops of a comedian and the face of a child, John Mulaney would keep us in stitches with his dramatic, yet knowledgeable clue readings, and straight-faced, withering retorts to sassy contestants. Of course, he may need a co-host to keep him from wandering out from behind the podium with a handheld mic as he gives biting historical assessments, but that would just add another layer of fun to the show.
If John is deemed too comedic, I would settle for Aaron Rodgers. If the guy can make me, someone who loathes football, actually look forward to seeing a quarterback lead a trivia game, that has to say something. (Disclaimer: I have not been paid by the Wisconsinites for Aaron Rodgers Super PAC to have such an opinion).
Also this graphic was not not selected by the Non-Wisconsinites for Bon Iver Super PAC to subliminally infuse Justin DeYarmond Edison Vernon into every atom of the multiverse.
Jillian Conochan
If you think it’s sacrilege to have a non-American host America’s favorite nighttime game show, let me warm you up by pointing out that the treasured Alex Trebek, rest his soul, was Canadian. French Canadian, at that. If you think a host requires a boatload of experience, consider that Alex bopped around from no-name TV show to no-name TV show (well, at least *I* never heard of them) for a few years before landing his jewel of a hosting gig with Jep!
With that in mind, I present for your consideration Tula “Big T” Fazakerley, whose credits include MTV’s The Challenge and originally, the UK’s Shipwrecked franchise. Big T’s petite stature is a tough fit for the physicality of The Challenge, but her wit, enhanced by her lovely accent, and delightful personality make her a “jolly good” (her words) candidate to host. Be a part of history by voting for this relative unknown to emcee Jeopardy! into the new generation.
Sydney Walters
I’d love to see Bryan Cranston host Jeopardy! I think that his work on screen and his live performances, like when he played U.S. president Lyndon B. Johnson on Broadway, could be combined along with his contagious charisma to make a pleasant and comedic host that speaks well and takes the game seriously. It’s just the impression I get.
David Leipziger
Without a doubt: Janet Hubert, the original Aunt Viv from Fresh Prince.
Kelaine Conochan
Whoever hosts Jeopardy! must have an erudite air about them. They have to be 80 percent personable and 20 percent authoritative. They should be 60 percent serious and 40 percent fun. It’s a complicated algorithm, especially after losing beloved mensch Alex Trebek. But luckily, I know just the guy.
He’s as much an actor as an educator. He’s a classic who never goes out of style. And he won’t naturally be compared to Alex Trebek because he already is his own person. An icon of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, still relevant and awesome today. LeVar Burton, get your beautiful, timeless ass up here and give the people some answers.
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