Alex Trebek, Jeopardy legend, passes from cancer.

[NickyJ]

LaVar Burton and Ken Jennings don't fit to me. What made Trebek so great was his authoritative voice. Ken and LaVar just don't have that voice. Keep in mind, a fair amount of the audience is "aged", so the show benefits a lot from someone with a clear, strong voice. The people are cool, but they just didn't have voices that won me over, and I say that as someone who wanted very much to see Ken host the show.

 

I haven't had a chance to listen to Joe Buck host yet, but I'll try to hear it soon. I've always thought that sports commentators like him have the tone for Jeopardy. Katie Couric seemed to do fairly well too in my book.

[Destino]

Should have been Lavar Burton for sure.  

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

I think Ken is the one.  Well spoken and is the GOAT.

[NickyJ]

Okay, I take back what I said earlier about Buck. I just found recordings of Monday and Tuesday. He's monotone. It's what a lot of the hosts have a problem with, actually. Alex was a master at managing the tone of his voice through a single question, emphasizing different parts of the question. It seems like not many hosts have figured that out.

 

And looking back at videos from the end of LeVar's week, he improved a lot from the beginning.

Edited August 11, 2021 by NickyJ

[88Comrade2000]

31 minutes ago, PleaseBlitz said:

Not great!

 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/11/media/jeopardy-hosts-mayim-bialik-mike-richards/index.html

 

Mayim Bialik and, checks notes, some guy named Mike Richards are the new cohosts.

 

First, just ****ing pick one.  

 

Second, although they weren't the worst ones (looking at you Dr. Oz and Joe Buck), they were both middle of the pack IMO.  This isn't a hot take, but it should have been LaVar Burton or Ken Jennings.  

Mike is the show's producer. Mayim isn't hosting the regular nightly show; it's the special edition ones she's hosting.

[CobraCommander]

I know this guy is getting a lot of hate but he is a producer and first and foremost a game show host. Like that's all he wants to do. If Lavar Burton wanted the job so bad why didn't he try to become a producer before?

 

I think the internet has gotten a little out of control just trying to decide what is what when peoples private money and jobs are at stake. This isn't public office, it's a game show. 

[PleaseBlitz]

Producer and host are 2 different jobs. Sounds to me like the guy put on try outs and then picked himself, which is a bit of a dick move. 

[CobraCommander]

1 hour ago, PleaseBlitz said:

Producer and host are 2 different jobs. Sounds to me like the guy put on try outs and then picked himself, which is a bit of a dick move. 

But he has hosted other game shows. Just like Alex Trebec did. He positioned himself for the job. 

[PleaseBlitz]

5 minutes ago, Florgon79 said:

But he has hosted other game shows. Just like Alex Trebec did. He positioned himself for the job. 

 

I mean, I watched all of the hosts.  He was definitely not in the top tier.  Like, they tried out 14 people.  Some stood out (Jennings, Burton, Bialek was good but not as good as the other 2), some sucked (Dr. Oz, Joe Buck, Anderson Cooper) , some where a joke (Aaron Rodgers and Anderson Cooper again) and some were "fine."  Mike Richards was "fine."  He was not the best pick or even close.  He positioned himself for the job by being both a contestant and the guy that picks the winner.  That's bull****.  

[LadySkinsFan]

15 minutes ago, Florgon79 said:

But he has hosted other game shows. Just like Alex Trebec did. He positioned himself for the job. 

 

Just like Dick Cheney was tasked with picking 43's VP and he picked himself!

[CobraCommander]

6 minutes ago, PleaseBlitz said:

 

I mean, I watched all of the hosts.  He was definitely not in the top tier.  Like, they tried out 14 people.  Some stood out (Jennings, Burton, Bialek was good but not as good as the other 2), some sucked (Dr. Oz, Joe Buck, Anderson Cooper) , some where a joke (Aaron Rodgers and Anderson Cooper again) and some were "fine."  Mike Richards was "fine."  He was not the best pick or even close.  He positioned himself for the job by being both a contestant and the guy that picks the winner.  That's bull****.  

Do we know this was even an audition for all these other hosts? Was Aaron Rodgers or Anderson Cooper ever actually considered for the job or was this all just a way for the show to transition to a new host without doing it so abruptly after Alex passed away?  for all we know this producer was always going to be the host and they were just doing this to ease the transition. 
 

edit. Also who do you think was the best host? And did you think that person should get that job before ever hosting the show? Because I know the internet pick Lavar Burton before his episodes ever aired.
 

 

Edited August 12, 2021 by Florgon79

[PleaseBlitz]

1 minute ago, Florgon79 said:

Do we know this was even an audition for all these other hosts? Was Aaron Rodgers or Anderson Cooper ever actually considered for the job or was this all just a way for the show to transition to a new host without doing it so abruptly after Alex passed away?  for all we know this producer was always going to be the host and they were just doing this to ease the transition. 
 

 

 

That's what I'm saying.  They described it like try outs.  Sure, Aaron Rodgers isn't going to not be an NFL QB to become host of Jeopardy, nor is Anderson Cooper going to leave CNN.  Katie Couric doesn't need a day job, and Dr. Oz has scammed enough idiots that's he's set for life.  But Ken Jennings should have been in actual contention for the job.  Same with Bialek and Burton, and several others.  The way it turned out, it really looks like the producer just put on a fake contest and picked himself, which is some bush league ****.  So sure, for all we know, he was always going to pick himself.  But if that's the case, don't put on a big production to showcase half a dozen people that are better than you and then give yourself the job anyways.  

9 minutes ago, LadySkinsFan said:

 

Just like Dick Cheney was tasked with picking 43's VP and he picked himself!

 

EXACTLY!!!!!

[CobraCommander]

I will say that I only caught a few episodes of each guest host but nobody really can fill those shoes. I think I liked Jennings the best to be honest. 
 

I think this Richards guy has set himself up for a rough ride. If ratings go way down because people don’t respond well then he will be out as both host and producer IMO. 
 

 

[CobraCommander]

17 minutes ago, PleaseBlitz said:

 

That's what I'm saying.  They described it like try outs. 

I’m not really trying to argue with you I’m just interested in this for some reason, I found this tidbit from after Alex’s passing.

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mic.com/p/jeopardy-reveals-its-graceful-transition-process-to-the-next-host-45828461/amp

 

We will honor Alex's legacy by continuing to produce the game he loved with smart contestants and challenging clues,” executive producer Mike Richards said in a statement. “By bringing in familiar guest hosts for the foreseeable future, our goal is to create a sense of community and continuity for our viewers.”

 

 

 

 

 

I think we all made it into a try-out contest when it was really never going to be that. 

Edited August 12, 2021 by Florgon79

[PleaseBlitz]

11 minutes ago, Florgon79 said:

I will say that I only caught a few episodes of each guest host but nobody really can fill those shoes. I think I liked Jennings the best to be honest. 
 

I think this Richards guy has set himself up for a rough ride. If ratings go way down because people don’t respond well then he will be out as both host and producer IMO. 
 

 

This is a fair take. Nobody is replacing Alex Trebek, and I agree that the process was botched. 
 

I really love Jeopardy’s, so it’s all just very disappointing. 

[Fergasun]

It should have been Jennings, in fact, only an idiot producer wouldn't think that one of the winningest players, who acquitted himself well during guest hosting duties shouldn't have been the front runner. 

 

Buzzy Cohen, David Faber and Jennings all did the best as guest hosts and much better than Richards. 

[skinswillwin06]

Lavar Burton was terrible. One of the worst of the guest hosts. Really was hoping they didn't pick Richards though. What a shame.

[PleaseBlitz]

The best part about Ken Jennings, even moreso than his being a Jeopardy champion a zillion times over, is he just gets what its like to be a contestant. The pressure, the newness of the situation, all that stuff. He’s both a great host for the audience and a great shepherd for the contestants. 

[Springfield]

Jeopardy is dead to me

[TheGreatBuzz]

2 hours ago, skinswillwin06 said:

Lavar Burton was terrible. One of the worst of the guest hosts. Really was hoping they didn't pick Richards though. What a shame.

 

I agree.  I really wanted to like him as the host.  But it was just bad.  

[AlvinWaltonIsMyBoy]

4 hours ago, PleaseBlitz said:

Producer and host are 2 different jobs. Sounds to me like the guy put on try outs and then picked himself, which is a bit of a dick move. 

He was literally the worst one out of all of the special hosts. He just reeks of a smug LA producer.
 

This is gross. 

 

[The Evil Genius]

Long time watcher who thought Mike Richards was by far the best of the guests hosts. Polished. Didn't have speech problems. Understood the game dynamics.

 

But yeah, his past is problematic.

 

Don't get me wrong, Jennings was fun but his speech problems would bug me every time I watched. 

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

On 8/12/2021 at 12:21 AM, The Evil Genius said:

Long time watcher who thought Mike Richards was by far the best of the guests hosts. Polished. Didn't have speech problems. Understood the game dynamics.

 

But yeah, his past is problematic.

 

Don't get me wrong, Jennings was fun but his speech problems would bug me every time I watched. 

 

I'd like to know, in your opinion, what Jennings speech problems are.  I notice a subtle lisp, his voice is not dominant.

 

My biggest problem with him is that he knows he'd smash the players he's giving the clues to.  It's awkward.

 

I sense he will go back to being a contenstant at some point.  Destroy...conspiracy...and continue.

 

Blah.  We miss you Alex.

[The Evil Genius]

30 minutes ago, d0ublestr0ker0ll said:

 

I'd like to know, in your opinion, what Jennings speech problems are.  I notice a subtle lisp, his voice is not dominant.

 

My biggest problem with him is that he knows he'd smash the players he's giving the clues to.  It's awkward.

 

I sense he will go back to being a contenstant at some point.  Destroy...conspiracy...and continue.

 

Blah.  We miss you Alex.

 

His lisp was definitely more noticeable as the host than as a contestant. Tbh it's not nor should it be a disqualifier but it also doesn't scream host to me (and maybe that's an outdated view).

 

I still think Richards (and you can tell he had hosted other shows before) came across as the best. 

[Dan T.]

On 8/11/2021 at 10:50 PM, Springfield said:

Jeopardy is dead to me

 

Did you mean  "What is Jeopardy is dead to me?"

~~

If it wasn't Ken Jennings I am fine with Michael Richards as host.  He was unknown to me when I first saw him and I remember thinking "this guy is GOOD.  He could step right in and be the guy." 

 

And as for him "picking himself," I doubt - with a multi-million dollar franchise like Jeopardy - that he had the pull to make that call entirely on his own.