Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings made a surprise guest appearance at a sold-out event last Friday. He sat down and shared some of his thoughts about the future of the popular game show. Plus, he talked about something that Alex Trebek did that he could never do or “ratings would drop.” Keep reading to see what the host had to say about the beloved game show.
Jeopardy! Live On Tour Kicks Off In New York City
The game show kicked off the “Inside Jeopardy! Live on Tour” in New York City last week. The tour is expected to be taken nationwide. Its NYC event had 230 fans in attendance. Each and every one of them gave Ken Jennings a standing ovation after he spoke.
Since Mayim Bialik was fired last year, Ken Jennings has been made the sole host of Jeopardy! He opened up to the crowd about the challenges of hosting...
Jeopardy! Live On Tour Kicks Off In New York City
The game show kicked off the “Inside Jeopardy! Live on Tour” in New York City last week. The tour is expected to be taken nationwide. Its NYC event had 230 fans in attendance. Each and every one of them gave Ken Jennings a standing ovation after he spoke.
Since Mayim Bialik was fired last year, Ken Jennings has been made the sole host of Jeopardy! He opened up to the crowd about the challenges of hosting...
- 4/23/2024
- by Amanda Blankenship
- TV Shows Ace
Recently, Jeopardy! fans got their first taste of Jeopardy! Live On Tour. Although most of the event didn’t disappoint, there were a few snags while getting the show off the ground. But this is just the start of the tour for Ken Jennings, Michael Davies, and Sarah Whitcomb-Foss. Fans can get excited for future stops, but tickets might be difficult to secure.
Jeopardy! Live On Tour
For the first time ever, Jeopardy! is taking the show on the road across the United States. On Friday, the Live On Tour made its debut in New York City. While future dates aren’t available just yet, the seating is limited and the tickets are a hot commodity. However, the inaugural event was well received at the Edge in Hudson Yards. Additionally, it was hosted on the 101st floor overlooking the area. Furthermore, 230 attendees were strategically lined around the small stage. Undoubtedly,...
Jeopardy! Live On Tour
For the first time ever, Jeopardy! is taking the show on the road across the United States. On Friday, the Live On Tour made its debut in New York City. While future dates aren’t available just yet, the seating is limited and the tickets are a hot commodity. However, the inaugural event was well received at the Edge in Hudson Yards. Additionally, it was hosted on the 101st floor overlooking the area. Furthermore, 230 attendees were strategically lined around the small stage. Undoubtedly,...
- 4/22/2024
- by Bonnie Kaiser-Gambill
- TV Shows Ace
Jeopardy! super-champ Amy Schneider is the Producers’ Pick for the upcoming Masters tournament and the show’s bosses are sticking by that decision despite fan backlash. On the latest episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, the show’s executive producer, Michael Davies, and fellow producer, Sarah Whitcomb Foss, discussed the thought process behind selecting Schneider for the final Masters spot, citing both ratings and skill. “Understand that we get a lot of data, and we’ve talked before about how we share the buzzer data, how we see the players. We’re also evaluating constantly how people are playing against a certain level of material, which is another very important thing,” Davies explained. “Plus, this being — and I make no apologies for it — Jeopardy! is an entertainment television program,” he continued. “We do have to look at and work with the network on social media reach and popularity, and the...
- 4/16/2024
- TV Insider
Jeopardy! producers Michael Davies and Sarah Whitcomb Foss have hit back at those who have accused the show of “recency bias” in the Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament. This comes after some fans, as well as Jit semi-finalist Jennifer Quail, slammed the show for its alleged favoritism towards recent fan favorites, such as 2022 Tournament of Champions winner Amy Schneider and the Toc runner-ups Andrew He and Sam Buttrey. Schneider and He were the first two contestants to qualify for the Jit final and had Buttrey won last Thursday’s (April 4) game, it would have resulted in a 2022 Toc and Jeopardy! Masters rematch. “See, yesterday and today is why I feel like the three people who knew a year in advance they’d be here should have had to play each other in the semis or quarters, because we’re one game away from it making no difference, it would just be a Masters repeat,...
- 4/9/2024
- TV Insider
Jeopardy! has been in tournament mode for what feels like forever, but there is great news for fans waiting on the return of regular games with brand-new contestants. On the latest episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, long-time producer Sarah Whitcomb Foss was joined by her regular co-host and former Tournament of Champions winner Buzzy Cohen, where she confirmed regular Jeopardy! will be back next week. “The finals of the [Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament] will kick off on Friday (April 5), and, as a reminder to our listeners, it is the first player to win two games who will be our champion. So this could run as little as two games and as many as four.” She continued, “Which means next week, no matter what, we will be back to regular Jeopardy! I know people are excited.” “We’re gonna welcome back, you might not remember him [because] it was so long ago, our 3-game champion,...
- 4/3/2024
- TV Insider
Although Jeopardy! has an amazing lineup for the Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament, it is shocking a few heavy hitters were excluded. Some of the big names in the game’s history like, Brad Rutter and Julia Collins weren’t on the participant list.
Inside Jeopardy! Podcast Talks About The Current Lineup For Jit
On the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, Michael Davies and Sarah Whitcomb-Foss talked about Jit in the latest episode. “Everyone listening, you now get to have the same pre-jit excitement we had in Jeopardy! production time before we made the Jit,” Micheal says. Furthermore, he was speaking of the lineup of twenty-seven players for Jit. “We’ve now produced the Jit, and we know how sensational it is,” he adds. “And we’re just excited for all of you to see these legendary players compete against each other on the Alex Trebek Stage. It is strong.”
Brad Rutter is one of the Goat Jeopardy!
Inside Jeopardy! Podcast Talks About The Current Lineup For Jit
On the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, Michael Davies and Sarah Whitcomb-Foss talked about Jit in the latest episode. “Everyone listening, you now get to have the same pre-jit excitement we had in Jeopardy! production time before we made the Jit,” Micheal says. Furthermore, he was speaking of the lineup of twenty-seven players for Jit. “We’ve now produced the Jit, and we know how sensational it is,” he adds. “And we’re just excited for all of you to see these legendary players compete against each other on the Alex Trebek Stage. It is strong.”
Brad Rutter is one of the Goat Jeopardy!
- 3/20/2024
- by Bonnie Kaiser-Gambill
- TV Shows Ace
Jeopardy! has put together a star-studded field for the inaugural Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament, but there are some notable absences, including legendary players such as Brad Rutter and Julia Collins. Show bosses Michael Davies and Sarah Whitcomb-Foss discussed the upcoming Jit on the latest episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, where they teased what was to come and addressed those absences. “Everyone listening, you now get to have the same pre-jit excitement we had in Jeopardy! production time before we made the Jit,” Davies said, referring to the fan reaction to the recently revealed field of 27. “We’ve now produced the Jit, and we know how sensational it is,” he continued. “And we’re just excited for all of you to see these legendary players compete against each other on the Alex Trebek Stage. It is strong.” The line-up was officially announced last week and includes the likes of 2021 Professors Tournament winner Sam Buttrey,...
- 3/19/2024
- TV Insider
Jeopardy! has been in full-on returning player mode since September 2023, partly due to last summer’s WGA strike, and there is still one more tournament to come following the currently airing Tournament of Champions. Plus. there is an update many fans have been waiting for as to when “regular” Jeopardy! will finally return with new contestants. As previously announced, the brand new Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament (Jit) will follow the Toc and is set to feature some of “the best players of all time,” including fan favorites and 2022 Toc finalists Amy Schneider, Andrew He, and Sam Buttrey. On the latest episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, producer Sarah Whitcomb Foss shared some more details on the Jit, revealing it will air from around March 29 to April 12. “This is a field of 27; these are some of the best players from all time,” Foss said, noting that taping on the Jit has now begun.
- 2/28/2024
- TV Insider
Shining Vale star Mira Sorvino was the favorite heading into Tuesday’s (January 2) Celebrity Jeopardy! semi-finals, but it was Abbott Elementary‘s Lisa Ann Walter who made an impressive comeback to take home the win. The semi-finals saw Sorvino facing off against Walter and Ghosts star Utkarsh Ambudkar, and it initially looked like Sorvino’s game to lose. She’d previously won her first game against CSI: Miami actor Adam Rodriguez and NFL Network host Peter Schrager, which aired just a day after she was eliminated from Dancing With the Stars. Jeopardy! producer Sarah Whitcomb Foss previously described this episode as “her favorite match of the season,” and it certainly lived up to the billing as all three contestants got out to a hot start, with all three within $300 at the first break. Walter had a slight lead after the Jeopardy! round after finding the first Daily Double, going into...
- 1/3/2024
- TV Insider
When Jeopardy! returned for its Second Chance and Champions Wildcard tournaments back in September, it came with a new rule, which sees contestants required to read out the entire category name each time they select a new clue. However, this new rule might not stick around much longer, as many viewers have complained that it disrupts the flow of the show, especially when the category names are a mouthful, like last Thursday’s (December 7) “During Lou Gehrig’s Consecutive Game Streak.” Jeopardy‘s long-time producer Sarah Whitcomb Foss and former Tournament of Champions winner Buzzy Cohen addressed the backlash on the latest Inside Jeopardy! podcast, with Foss explaining why they introduced the rule change in the first place. “We’ve seen the chatter online about contestants reading the full category, which is a change to the rules this season,” Cohen brought up, though Foss disagreed with the term “rule.” “Not really a rule,...
- 12/11/2023
- TV Insider
Jeopardy! is going to look different from December 19 as the long-running game show is set to unveil a new logo and flashy new opening title sequence. Plus, show bosses have dropped news on what else is changing in the upcoming weeks. “Spoiler alert: We’ve got a new logo and a new open for the show headed your way,” producer Sarah Whitcomb Foss said on the most recent episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast. “We took it in a different direction.” The current title sequence features a rotating globe and 19 boxes highlighting various images, including past contestants, memorable moments from the show’s history, different world landmarks, and flashes of the clue board. “We’ve been featuring the 19 boxes,” Foss continued. “I call them the 19 boxes because every season, I was one of the ones who had to come up with what 19 things we were going to feature in those boxes that rotate on.
- 12/6/2023
- TV Insider
Jeopardy! producers Michael Davies and Sarah Whitcomb Foss have shared details on future Jeopardy! plans now that the WGA strike is over, confirming that new contestant episodes won’t return until at least April 2024. The news has not gone down well with a lot of Jeopardy! who are desperate for the show to return to normal with new contestants. On the latest episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, Davies and Foss updated fans on what they can expect in the coming months, noting that the official Season 39 post-season will begin in the new year before Season 40 gets underway properly. “We cannot wait to welcome the rest of the Jeopardy! family home,” Foss said, speaking of the returning WGA writers. The show has been using recycled material and material written before the strikes for its recent Second Chance tournament and currently airing Champions Wildcard. Foss continued, saying that Davies came up...
- 10/6/2023
- TV Insider
In the latest episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, Jeopardy!‘s longtime producer, Sarah Whitcomb Foss, shared the advice she gave to Mayim Bialik when she first began hosting the show, and the ways they asked her to change. Bialik was named one of the official hosts of Jeopardy! in 2022 alongside former super-champ Ken Jennings. It was a bit of a learning curve for both, but particularly for Bialik, who found it difficult to hide her astonishment at the contestants’ vast knowledge. “I did not expect to enjoy watching while I’m up there as much as I do, and it’s hard not to get honestly starstruck by the contestants up here,” Bialik said during a Q&a with the Jeopardy! studio audience, a clip of which was shared on this week’s podcast. “And I have to remember that I can’t be exceptionally surprised when they get things right…...
- 9/14/2023
- TV Insider
Jeopardy! super champ Cris Pannullo is feeling the pressure for the 2023 Tournament of Champions as he enters as the frontrunner after becoming Season 39’s biggest winner. The former poker pro won an impressive 21 games and $748,000 during his run on the beloved game show, putting him in the top ten list for most consecutive wins and highest winnings, sitting among greats such as Ken Jennings, James Holzhauer, and Amy Schneider. This makes him the man to beat heading into the next Toc. “I was thrilled just to be able to go to the studio once for a single tape day and play in a single episode, but now I’ve had 22 games over six tape days… every time I go out there, it’s sort of like a childhood dream re-accomplished and relived. So knowing I get to go back again, it’s a dream come true,” Pannullo told show producer...
- 8/30/2023
- TV Insider
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2023 Emmy Predictions:
Outstanding Game Show
Weekly Commentary: “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune” are likely the favorites in this race. However, “That’s My Jam” is getting a big push by NBC, which could make it a possible spoiler.
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2023 Emmy Predictions:
Outstanding Game Show
Weekly Commentary: “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune” are likely the favorites in this race. However, “That’s My Jam” is getting a big push by NBC, which could make it a possible spoiler.
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.
- 8/24/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Jeopardy! super-champ Amy Schneider appeared on the most recent episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, where she revealed which fellow contestant she’d like to compete against. During the episode, hosts Sarah Whitcomb Foss and Buzzy Cohen asked Schneider if there are any contestants she’s looking forward to facing off against in the Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament — a competition that gives former champions a chance to qualify for the next Jeopardy! Masters tournament. “I don’t really want to go up against anyone that I can name. It’s all so hard,” Schneider said with a laugh. “In terms of people that have been recent… I talked a lot with Hannah Wilson and was so happy to see her. And we just really connected well.” Wilson, who, like Schneider, is a trans woman, appeared on Jeopardy! back in May, winning eight consecutive games and earning an impressive $229,801. “Of all the...
- 7/18/2023
- TV Insider
This Just In: Ken Jennings is not infallible!
On the latest episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, producer Sarah Whitcomb Foss revealed that during a recent taping of the game show Goat player-turned-host Jennings mistakenly confused a contestant with Jeopardy! Masters titleholder/supervillain James Holzhauer not once but twice.
More from TVLineJames Holzhauer Takes Swipe at Jeopardy!'s Post-Alex Trebek Host DebacleJeopardy! Champ Dings Show For Making Him Pay His Own Travel ExpensesJeopardy!'s Ken vs. Mayim Debate: EP Reveals Who Gets Better Ratings
As Foss explained, last week’s episodes — which featured one-and-done champ Justin White — were shot...
On the latest episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, producer Sarah Whitcomb Foss revealed that during a recent taping of the game show Goat player-turned-host Jennings mistakenly confused a contestant with Jeopardy! Masters titleholder/supervillain James Holzhauer not once but twice.
More from TVLineJames Holzhauer Takes Swipe at Jeopardy!'s Post-Alex Trebek Host DebacleJeopardy! Champ Dings Show For Making Him Pay His Own Travel ExpensesJeopardy!'s Ken vs. Mayim Debate: EP Reveals Who Gets Better Ratings
As Foss explained, last week’s episodes — which featured one-and-done champ Justin White — were shot...
- 7/17/2023
- by Michael Ausiello
- TVLine.com
After being on the air for almost 60 years, Jeopardy! is a tightly run ship, but that doesn’t mean mistakes never happen, including flubs from the show’s hosts while reading questions. Earlier this year, some Jeopardy! viewers accused Ken Jennings of giving a hint during a Literary Title Characters clue and misspeaking when quoting a clue about Palmolive’s slogan “You’re soaking in it.” Meanwhile, fellow host Mayim Bialik has been slammed for disallowing answers that should have been deemed correct. Speaking on the latest episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, the show’s producer Sarah Whitcomb Foss opened up about what happens when mistakes such as these happen. “Of course they make mistakes; we are human, they are human,” Foss said. “Basically, we tell our contestants to go off of the game board, so no matter what the host says, knowing that the clue copy is almost always totally correct,...
- 7/6/2023
- TV Insider
Jeopardy! contestant Ben Goldstein has criticized the long-running game show for not covering players’ travel and hotel expenses when they appear on the show. Goldstein, who featured in the show’s current season, took to Twitter, suggesting the show should make changes to be more “accessible.” “Interesting discussion of the ‘Why doesn’t #Jeopardy pay airfare and accommodations’ question here,” Goldstein tweeted. “Personally, I think covering travel/lodging would make the show more accessible to a wider range of contestants. Not everyone can afford a trip to LA with no guarantee of payback.” In a previous episode of Inside Jeopardy podcast, producer Sarah Whitcomb Foss confirmed that contestants must pay for their own airfare in order to try to win some money on the game show. “Our contestants are asked to fly themselves out to Los Angeles for their first appearance,” Foss told a fan asking about the process. “If...
- 6/27/2023
- TV Insider
Jeopardy! fans might have been disappointed that former champ Brad Rutter wasn’t a part of the recent Masters tournament, but they may finally see the show’s highest-earning contestant again next year. Rutter, who won the 2001 Tournament of Champions and is Jeopardy‘s highest-earning contestant ever, is back in the limelight due to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel series finale, which featured a clip of Rutter on 2005’s Ultimate Tournament of Champions. The scene clearly got Rutter in the mood for more Jeopardy, as he told Vulture he’s “always down” to compete on the show again. On the latest episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, the show’s producer Sarah Whitcomb Foss reacted to Rutter’s statement, hinting that he could return to the show for next year’s Masters. “I know our listeners know we got this little thing called the Jit, the Jeopardy Invitational Tournament,” Foss said,...
- 6/6/2023
- TV Insider
James Holzhauer is still on a high after winning the Jeopardy! Masters tournament this past Wednesday (May 24), and he is now opening up about his success on the show. “I knew coming in this was going to be an incredibly high-level competition, but even I was blown away by the great performances out there, especially Mattea [Roach] in the final,” Holzhauer told producers Michael Davies and Sarah Whitcomb Foss on the Inside Jeopardy! podcast. Holzhauer claimed the $500,000 grand prize on Wednesday, but the final was close, with Holzhauer clinching the victory with 43,795 over Roach’s 41,685. Matt Amodio finished in third place with 15,200. “For [Roach] to put up the performance they did with all that’s on Mattea’s mind right now is just an incredible achievement,” Holzhauer continued, referring to the news of Roach’s father passing away during filming. Foss asked Holzhauer how he’s changed since the last time he appeared on Jeopardy!,...
- 5/26/2023
- TV Insider
Jeopardy! has been around for almost 60 years, much of which as the premiere quiz show on television. However, a portion of its tried and proven format has been scrutinized as a product of a bygone era, according to former Jeopardy! champion Buzzy Cohen and recent 2-day champ Lisa Sriken. Indeed, Sirken admitted that she was “thrilled” to lose just so she didn’t have to do any more contestant interviews. Her confession has reopened the door of conversation on that “excruciating” topic, sparking Cohen to share his views on the Inside Jeopardy! Podcast which he hosts alongside show producer Sarah Whitcomb Foss. “ I get it, and it is fun, and it’s great to get to know the contestants,” Cohen said. “It just feels, I don’t know, there’s something, it breaks up the game a little bit, and maybe that’s good, maybe it allows some contestants a...
- 4/13/2023
- TV Insider
There has been some confusion among Jeopardy! viewers about who exactly is hosting the show over the coming months, as Mayim Bialik recently took over from Ken Jennings to helm the High School Reunion Tournament. However, on Monday’s Inside Jeopardy! podcast, the show’s longtime producer Sarah Foss cleared things up, revealing the dates of Jennings’ upcoming return and Bialik’s remaining schedule. The Jeopardy! G.O.A.T. will handle things until the end of April before the Call Me Kat star takes over for the remainder of the season. “Ken Jennings will be back on March 10th, and then he’s going to continue the rest of his syndicated run, which will take us through April 28th,” Foss said. “And then Mayim will take over on May 1st, and she will take us all the way through to the summer.” Bialik is currently hosting the High School Reunion Tournament,...
- 2/28/2023
- TV Insider
Ken Jennings is currently on hiatus from Jeopardy! as Mayim Bialik is back at the helm for the currently airing High School Reunion Tournament, but fans won’t have to wait too long to see the Jeopardy! Goat again. On Monday’s (February 20) edition of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, long-time producer Sarah Foss revealed that reigning champion Stephen Webb “will return along with Ken Jennings on March 10th in syndication,” adding, “We’re looking forward to seeing if Stephen’s streak can continue.” Foss didn’t reveal how long Jennings will be back for, though some Jeopardy! fans have noted that he is expected to head up the show until at least April 14. It was previously believed Jennings wouldn’t be back hosting until September. “I thought he’d come back for at least a while after the tourney. Nice to see it confirmed,” tweeted one fan. “Great news that...
- 2/22/2023
- TV Insider
Jeopardy! producers Michael Davies and Sarah Foss are considering making a change to how categories are displayed on-screen, following a thread discussing the issue on the Jeopardy! Reddit forum. Davies brought up the topic on Monday’s (February 13) edition of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, noting, “In the era of 16:9 HD television, whether or not we should be putting the categories on screen when our clues appear.” As it currently stands, the categories are listed at the top of the board, but once a contestant chooses a dollar value from a particular category, the clue pops up without the category listed anywhere on the screen. “Because very often we don’t cut back to the wide shot of the board when players select; we don’t have time, the game is moving so fast,” Davies continued. “Clues pop out; people select them very fast; they often don’t say the whole name of the category.
- 2/16/2023
- TV Insider
Jeopardy! viewers had plenty to say about recent champion Jake DeArruda, both positive and negative, but now the show’s producers have shared their thoughts on the polarizing contestant. The delivery dispatcher from Ludlow, Vermont, won three games in a row last week, earning 86,00 in the process. But some fans were irritated by his on-screen behavior, including his facial expressions and interruptions of host Ken Jennings. On Monday’s Inside Jeopardy! podcast, long-time producer Sarah Foss spoke with the 2017 Tournament of Champions winner Buzzy Cohen about DeArruda and the online reaction to his performance. “Let’s just talk about Jake,” Foss said after recapping last week’s episodes. “He’s only 23 years old. Ken joked in a post-game chat he’s got t-shirts older than Jake. [He] was inspired by Matt Jackson, who was another very strong champion back when he was 23 and just mowed down the competition.” She then asked...
- 2/7/2023
- TV Insider
Jeopardy! executive producer Michael Davies has revealed some exciting new details about the recently announced Masters tournament, in addition to a new invitational tournament. Speaking on Monday’s (January 16) edition of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, Davies shared that the Masters’ tournament will be aired primetime on ABC with 10 one-hour shows hosted by Ken Jennings. And he has high hopes he new series will become an annual Super Bowl-style event. Last week, Jeopardy! revealed the six invited competitors for the first Masters tournament, which included last year’s Tournament of Champions winner Amy Schneider, along with fellow fan-favorites Matt Amodio, Sam Buttrey, Andrew He, James Holzhauer, and Mattea Roach. According to producer Sarah Foss, each hour-long episode will feature “two half-hour games.” Adding to that, Davies said, “We’ve experimented with a few different formats since I’ve joined Jeopardy… but we felt that the true test of our Jeopardy Masters...
- 1/17/2023
- TV Insider
On the latest edition of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, Jeopardy! producers Michael Davies and Sarah Foss not only revealed a new tournament in the works but shared details of how tournaments will be aired in the future. The discussion came as the producers shared their new year’s resolutions for the long-running game show. This included the previously reported Masters tournament and forming stronger relationships with affiliate stations across the U.S. to increase the show’s availability — it was announced Wednesday (January 11) that Jeopardy! has been renewed for five years through the 2027-2028 season. One of the more intriguing resolutions was a plan to restructure the scheduling of the show, specifically in regard to tournaments. This would mean airing the tournament spin-offs at the beginning of Season 40 before the regular syndicated episodes begin, meaning fewer interruptions. “We had a slightly weird thing where we kicked off the regular season for five weeks,...
- 1/12/2023
- TV Insider
Jeopardy! producers have shed some light on the show’s upcoming schedule, including when co-host Mayim Bialik is expected back and a new tournament. Speaking on Monday’s (January 9) edition of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, producer Sarah Foss said, “We know there’s been a lot of discussion around our hosting schedule. We want to let you know when you can watch Mayim, [and] when you can watch Ken [Jennings] in the coming months.” The Call Me Kat star was originally scheduled to be back in the New Year, as Jennings was expected to finish his current run at the end of December. However, the former Jeopardy! super-champ continues to host new episodes as of writing. “Ken will be hosting in January and into February before Mayim comes in to host our High School Reunion tournament,” Foss explained. “That’s the one where we’re very excited to welcome back 18 teen tournament...
- 1/11/2023
- TV Insider
Jeopardy! producer Sarah Foss and senior researcher Michael Harris have addressed the controversy stemming from last Wednesday’s (November 16) edition of the Tournament of Champions, where fan-favorite Sam Buttrey was deemed incorrect after a divisive clue. The moment came during Final Jeopardy! as Buttrey went up against the tournament’s eventual winner Amy Schneider and fellow contestant Andrew He. The clue under the category “The New Testament” read: “Paul’s letter to them is the New Testament epistle with the most Old Testament quotations.” Schneider’s answer of “Hebrews” was accepted as correct, while Buttrey’s “Romans” was said to be wrong. However, many fans thought Buttrey should have been deemed correct, as there is still heated debate among Biblical scholars over whether Paul actually wrote the letter to the Hebrews. Had Buttrey’s answer been accepted, he would have won the episode; instead, He finished with the most money.
- 11/23/2022
- TV Insider
In a decision that is sure to make some Jeopardy! fans breathe a sigh of relief, producer Sarah Foss has revealed that a controversial rule change will no longer be happening. The game show’s executive producer Mike Davies had previously suggested adding a cash bonus for contestants who swept an entire category of clues without jumping around the board. However, some fans felt that this would drastically affect the gameplay strategy. On Monday’s (October 17) episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, Foss confirmed that the cash bonus idea had been nixed, for now, at least. “We’re not doing anything at this point. There’s no [cash] bonus; nobody get upset,” she said. Not only will the show not be adding the cash bonus idea, but it will also stop celebrating those who run a category. “We actually decided we’re not going to call out the running of a category,...
- 10/19/2022
- TV Insider
Jeopardy! executive producer Mike Davies, who took on the position full-time earlier this year, continues to learn what fans like and don’t like about the long-running game show. The latest revelation? Beep-boops! During a Q&a session with the studio audience ahead of Tuesday’s (October 4) episode, host Ken Jennings told the crowd that he missed the “beep-boop-boop-boop-boop” sounds on the game board, which he noted were removed due to time constraints. As reported on TV Insider yesterday, many fans felt similarly to the former Jeopardy! champion. “Always learning something new producing Jeopardy,” Davies tweeted Wednesday alongside a screenshot of a text exchange with fellow Jeopardy! producer Sarah Foss. “Boop boops. We need to discuss on inside,” Davies messaged Foss, referring to the weekly Inside Jeopardy! podcast where the producers discuss the behind-the-scenes of the show. Always learning something new producing @Jeopardy pic.twitter.com/50AKGgHOM3 — Michael Davies (@embassydavies...
- 10/7/2022
- TV Insider
Jeopardy‘s executive producer Mike Davies has responded to criticism over a new format change he’s considering for the long-running game show. Last month, Davies brought up the idea of offering cash bonuses to contestants who correctly answer an entire column of clues under one topic without bouncing around the board. Some fans, including former Tournament of Champions winner Buzzy Cohen, worried that this new rule might have a negative impact on the gameplay. Davies touched on these concerns on Monday’s (October 3) Inside Jeopardy! podcast, where he spoke with fellow Jeopardy! producer and former Clue Crew member Sarah Foss. While the new rule is something Davies is seriously mulling over, he stated that it hadn’t yet been implemented, so people don’t need to be worried. “A lot of response, we should say, to my, let’s say, positing the not yet reined-in idea that I floated.
- 10/5/2022
- TV Insider
Jeopardy! is back, and Season 39 is well underway. But America’s favorite quiz show has a few changes as it adjusts to fit a new era post-Alex Trebek. While announcing former champion Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik as the full-time hosts of the game show, executive producer Michael Davies has implemented even more changes behind the scenes. Along with introducing the Second Chance Tournament, which will allow strong players to compete for a spot in the Tournament of Champions, there’s also been talk about changing game rules. Michael Davies and Sarah Whitcomb (Credit: Amy Sussman/Getty Images) Davies, who helms the Inside Jeopardy! podcast gets candid about ideas that the team is toying around with. And a recent concept that came up included a rule change offering cash bonuses to players who answer an entire column of clues under one topic. The Tournament of Champions is also changing...
- 9/22/2022
- TV Insider
Jeopardy!‘s executive producer Mike Davies is toying with an interesting format change to help shake up the long-running game show, but not everybody is on board with the idea. Speaking on the Inside Jeopardy! podcast on Monday, September 19, Davies brought up the concept of offering cash bonuses to contestants who correctly answer an entire column of clues under one topic. The producer, who took over from the ousted Mike Richards in 2021, first touched on the idea last week but went into more detail on this week’s podcast. “I have been thinking about trying out, perhaps in one of our other tournaments this season, experimenting with giving out a cash bonus for contestants who run a category,” Davies said in conversation on the podcast with show producer Sarah Foss and Jeopardy! alum Buzzy Cohen. “It’s a moment in the studio; it’s a great thing.” Cohen, however, seemed apprehensive,...
- 9/21/2022
- TV Insider
Jeopardy! bosses have revealed some juicy details about the upcoming season of Celebrity Jeopardy!, including format changes, bigger prizes, and new celebrity competitors. There’s also a promo video, below, featuring host Mayim Bialik. And new celebrity contestants’ names have been revealed for the hour-long prime-time show. Perhaps the biggest format addition is the introduction of Triple Jeopardy. “For the first time ever, dollar amounts are tripled. And there are three daily doubles hidden on the board,” said producer Sarah Foss in a video shared on Twitter. Let’s make it a triple. We’re excited to announce a whole new format for Celebrity Jeopardy! See what’s in store pic.twitter.com/qr4YTK8d15 — Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) September 15, 2022 “It’s the first time it’s been done in the United States,” added executive producer Michael Davies. “It’s not the first time it’s been done anywhere in the world.
- 9/16/2022
- TV Insider
What is...nostalgia? This fall, Jeopardy! will honor former host Alex Trebek with tribute episode. Executive producer Michael Davies and producer Sarah Whitcomb Foss said the special will come on Nov. 8, the second anniversary of Trebek's passing—which also happens to be Election Day. "Overall, we owe him a fantastic episode of Jeopardy! on that day," Davies told the Inside Jeopardy! podcast. "It may well break the internet. I don't want to give too much away." Trebek passed away in 2020 after battling pancreatic cancer for over a year. Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik, who were named permanent Jeopardy! co-hosts July...
- 9/1/2022
- E! Online
Jeopardy! is gearing up for a strong Season 39 lineup this fall and the team behind the fan-favorite game show has big plans in the works, including a special episode to mark the second anniversary of Alex Trebek’s death. In the latest Inside Jeopardy! podcast, executive producer Michael Davies and producer Sarah Whitcomb Foss offer a peek into what’s on the horizon. The pair reveal that filming is well under way for Season 39, and Davies and Whitcomb Foss teased that 25 episodes are already in the can. ‘It’s a very exciting period coming up,’ declares Davies. As they prepare for the Second Chance Tournament, Tournament of Champions, and an Election Day plan, Davis promises fans can look forward to something “really tremendous.” The Election Day episode happens to fall on November 8, coinciding with the second anniversary of former host Alex Trebek‘s death. Davies and Whitcomb Foss promise that...
- 9/1/2022
- TV Insider
Jeopardy! will be introducing some format changes for its upcoming 2022 Tournament of Champions, including byes to the semi-finals for three of its most winningest contestants. The new details were revealed during the third episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, where executive producer Michael Davies and producer Sarah Foss were joined by 2017 Tournament of Champions winner Buzzy Cohen, who hosted last year’s Tournament of Champions competition. During the episode, Davies and Foss unveiled the line-up for the upcoming champions tournament and explained some of the new formatting, which includes byes to the semi-finals for Amy Schneider, who won 40 games in January, Matt Amodio, who won 38 games when Season 38 began in September 2021, and Mattea Roach, who won 23 games in May. These three players will proceed automatically to the semi-final round, meaning they do not have to play in the quarter-final rounds. Davies explained that this is to make the contest fairer,...
- 8/17/2022
- TV Insider
Ibm's computer Watson tied with the show's all-time winner in a special challenge tonight. In this week's Newsweek, Daniel Stone writes that the real match may be between Watson and Trebek.
Alex Trebek bounds across the blue-toned stage, past the giant board of clues, eager to take questions from the studio audience. It's somewhere around the 6,000th episode of Jeopardy! he has hosted, and interacting with the crowd, he says, is his favorite part of the job. As he approaches the bleachers, he stops short. "Oh my!" he bellows when he sees about 30 fourth-graders in the top three rows. "We usually have mostly senior citizens, but today we have young people!"
Related story on The Daily Beast: Why Game-Show Hosts Vote Republican
Trebek, of all people, would know. For 27 years, the dapper emcee has hosted the dinnertime quiz show, whose nightly audience of 10 million is larger than the population of Arizona.
Alex Trebek bounds across the blue-toned stage, past the giant board of clues, eager to take questions from the studio audience. It's somewhere around the 6,000th episode of Jeopardy! he has hosted, and interacting with the crowd, he says, is his favorite part of the job. As he approaches the bleachers, he stops short. "Oh my!" he bellows when he sees about 30 fourth-graders in the top three rows. "We usually have mostly senior citizens, but today we have young people!"
Related story on The Daily Beast: Why Game-Show Hosts Vote Republican
Trebek, of all people, would know. For 27 years, the dapper emcee has hosted the dinnertime quiz show, whose nightly audience of 10 million is larger than the population of Arizona.
- 2/14/2011
- by Daniel Stone
- The Daily Beast
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