A Jeopardy! producer has addressed fans' accusations that the team behind the show mixed up its hosts on a day when a number of the categories were named around things that Mayim Bialik had starred in.
All-time Jeopardy! champ Ken Jennings returned to host the syndicated quiz show earlier this month, following the conclusion of the franchise's High School Reunion Tournament, which was hosted by The Big Bang Theory star Bialik.
Shortly after Jennings' return, it appeared that the Jeopardy! production team had their minds on Bialik, who presents the show's spinoffs and tournaments.
A video was shared on the Jeopardy! Instagram account that showed a portion of the show where some of the categories were named for Bialik's sitcoms—namely Blossom, The Big Bang Theory and Call Me Kat.
In the clip, Jennings read out a series of categories, including: "'Tis Shakespeare," "Advertising icons," "Fill in the Blanket," "Blossom" and "The Big Bang Theory."
Before reading out the final category titled "Call Me 'Cat,'" Jennings told the audience and contestants: "I sense a theme."
"I'm not sure I was the intended host for this game board," Jennings quipped, as a photo of Bialik was briefly flashed up on the screen.
Some Jeopardy! fans translated the moment as a mix-up, with some questioning whether producers had intended for the categories to be included while Bialik was hosting, seeing as the titles concerned her projects.
Producer Sarah Whitcomb Foss addressed the claims during Monday's episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, clarifying that proceedings went as intended.
Making note of the "intentionally themed" categories, Foss said: "Ken joked, 'I'm not sure this was the intended gameboard for me to host,' and then people on social [media], they actually commented on [it.]
"They thought maybe we made a mistake, maybe we didn't know who was hosting that day. Please guys, they know exactly what they're doing. And it was so much funnier, that Ken introduce those categories."
One factor that may have impacted the inclusion of such categories with Bialik at the lectern is her potential reaction, Foss added.
"I can say working with Mayim, she would have felt kind of awkward to have introduced three categories about herself or shows she had starred on," Foss explained. "Obviously, the categories are never about what we think they are about, but I just want to point that out."
It was confirmed last July that Bialik and Jennings had signed new Jeopardy! contracts after sharing the duties as interim hosts of the show for much of Season 38. They replaced veteran host Alex Trebek, who died in November 2020.
Former Jeopardy! executive producer Mike Richards was initially announced as the permanent host in August 2021, but he stepped down just nine days later. Bialik immediately filled in and was later joined by Jennings.
During an appearance on the Inside Jeopardy! podcast in August, Bialik and Jennings spoke with host Sarah Whitcomb Foss about how they deal with online backlash from fans of the syndicated quiz show.
"We're still people, so I can't say that when you hear things that are constructive criticism that you don't start thinking a little bit too much about it," Bialik said. "But, I don't know, I kind of take everybody's opinion both with a grain of salt and also believe everybody has a right to their opinion."
For Jennings, the backlash came early, when he saw that some people were "sick of" him in the earlier stages of his run as a Jeopardy! contestant in 2004. Jennings still holds the record of the show's longest win streak, at 74 episodes.
"Even as a contestant, I remember being shocked at how free—it was the early days of the internet, but people were still very much like, 'Oh, I'm sick of this guy already.' And I'm like, 'Oh, there's like three more months [of me]... This guy's gonna have a bad summer!' I just kind of had to dissociate.
"You know what, Jeopardy! has got such a big, diverse audience. You're not going to be able to please everybody every night. But I think that's the virtue of having a couple of hosts. You know, it's a big, diverse audience and maybe that helps broaden the tent. It's a matter of taste hosting style."
Last June, Bialik opened up about being on the receiving end of harsh comments from some Jeopardy! fans before being announced as a permanent host.
Speaking with Justin Long on an episode of her podcast, the TV personality revealed that viewers often compare her to Jennings.
Actor and comedian Long broached the subject when he asked Bialik if she was ever made aware that she was favored over Jennings by Jeopardy! fans.
"Sometimes," Bialik responded, adding that "sometimes I get, 'We don't prefer you to Ken.'"
About the writer
Ryan Smith is a Newsweek Senior Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on ... Read more