Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune have been counterparts in the world of network television for over four decades, and the same still rings true amidst the 2024 TV schedule. Even with new-ish regular hosts Ken Jennings and Ryan Seacrest, the playful rivalry between two of the best game shows out there hasn’t died down in the least, and Jennings recently got the crowd going by poking fun at the competition. It’s good to know they’re having fun with it, because the rest of us are, too!
Jennings, who remains one of Jeopardy!''s biggest winners of all time, was joking around with the studio audience during a recent taping for the classic quiz show (via The Sun), and amusingly inquired if anyone would rather be hanging out watching that other show. As one insider shared:
After a recent taping, Ken asked the live audience if they enjoyed their time at the show, before asking if any of them wished they'd gone to see Wheel of Fortune instead.
The crowd seemed to appreciate the joke, because Jenning's comments were met with laughter. I’m just so amused and pleased that the 50-year-old seems to be as comfortable as ever enjoying his time hosting Jeopardy!, even with varying fan opinions still factoring in. I love even more that he’s including the audience, and they are loving it as much as he is.
It’s no secret that Ryan Seacrest taking over for Pat Sajak sparked a lot of conversations and opinions as the beloved word game headed into its next chapter. (Though with Vanna White still involved, of course.) Fortunately for Seacrest, and perhaps to the chagrin of Jennings, the show has started to gain more traction with viewers than it did in Pat Sajak's final seasons.
Even now, it’s still hard to believe that Alex Trebek passed away four years ago, and no amount of time can make it 100% easy to fully commit to a new Jeopardy host. The show, of course, went through a lengthy process and had many guest hosts to determine who should pick up where Trebek left off. Some of the most notable options were Mayim Bialik, Katie Couric, Anderson Cooper, Savannah Guthrie, and LeVar Burton.
Of course, it was narrowed down to Jennings, who went on to become our sole present-day presenter after sharing co-hosting duties with Mayim Bialik for a while. And while she was ousted so that he could take the reins, there's no perceived rivalry between the two. But when it comes to faux feuds that are hotter than ever, our fun-loving Jennings may want to keep an eye on his spot behind the lectern going forward.
Along with the waves on network television, it was announced that a pop culture version of the game would be rolling out on Prime eventually. Surprisingly though, Jennings or Bialik were not who the studio tapped, instead, it was Saturday Night Live’s, Colin Jost.
One thing has been cemented for the viewers, these game shows aren’t going anywhere. And, if the banter between the two network hosts continues this way, it certainly cannot harm ratings or the rivalry, so be sure to tune into both shows airing every weeknight in syndication.