The Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings has gotten some more bad news. The host’s perilous post as the host isn’t as popular as he or the network would like.
In fact, fans are raving about the Pop Jeopardy! host Colin Jost instead. Are we seeing the first rumblings of a changing of the guard?
Fans Gush Over Jost
Many were stunned when Jost, who is best known for his to work on Saturday Night Live!, was named as host of the Jeopardy! spinoff Pop Jeopardy! over Jennings. Last Wednesday, Jost made his debut with a three-part Pop Jeopardy! premiere.
It didn’t take long for the positive reviews to come rolling in.
“I’m enjoying him immensely, to be honest. I think Ken is really good too, but Colin is more telegenic and has a great sense of humor. Obviously has more star power than Ken too,” one fan commented.
“I feel like Colin was very polished for a newbie, and definitely funnier than Ken,” another added. A third person wrote, “Colin Jost was actually a great host—very Ken Jennings approach with the contestants with a formal yet informal way.”
Related: Ken Jennings Reportedly ‘At Risk’ Of Being Fired From ‘Jeopardy!’ Over Ratings
Rumors That Jost May Get Jennings’ Job
Rumors have been swirling for months that Jost is gunning for Jennings’ job as the normal Jeopardy! host. It’s been reported that Jeopardy! executives are interested in this potentially happening as well. They saw Wheel of Fortune ratings spike in the wake of Ryan Seacrest taking over for Pat Sajak back in September. With Jeopardy! ratings on the decline, executives are rumored to be looking into trying to replicate this same success by replacing Jennings.
Insiders said earlier this year that executives were very excited to get Jost to do Pop Jeopardy!
“At Sony TV, getting Colin to come aboard Jeopardy! was a major coup,” an insider told The Sun three months ago. “Mainly because Colin’s corporate home for twenty years has been [rival media company] NBC Universal.”
“It was a big deal for the Sony execs to get him for Jeopardy! and he’s definitely got a ton of wiggle room to do his thing and add to the humor of the shows where he sees fit,” the source continued. “And Colin has more experience with live TV than almost anybody involved with Jeopardy!“
Jennings got his start as a Jeopardy! contestant, so his experience in entertainment is limited. Meanwhile, Jost is a comedian with years of experience on Saturday Night Live! under his belt.
“He can make things work in the moment that Ken can’t, and nobody is in denial about that,” the insider explained of Jost. “Colin can interact with celebrity contestants with confidence because they seem him as a peer. Unfortunately, that’s never going to be the case with Ken [as far as Pop Jeopardy! goes].”
Related: Ken Jennings Speaks Out About Leaving ‘Jeopardy!’ Amid Rumors Colin Jost Is Replacing Him
Executives Not ‘100%’ Behind Jennings
It’s clear to another insider that executives have their doubts about Jennings.
“Yes, if they truly had 100% confidence in Ken, they would tap him for their primetime and celebrity editions, which they have decidedly not done,” this insider said. “It is what it is. Ken can’t really affect things except by being consistent on the nightly show and making sure the ratings don’t slide too badly.”
A third source chimed in to say that “it really looks like a massive no-confidence vote in Ken by tapping Colin Jost [for Pop Jeopardy!]”
It turns out that getting rid of Jennings would be easier than you may think, as he doesn’t have a long-term contract.
“Of course Ken wants to do this for the next twenty years, but he’s going to have to get comfortable with only being renewed one or two years at a time for the foreseeable future,” another source previously explained. “Sony is keeping him in the hosting job but they are also keeping their options open.”
Only time will tell if Jennings will be able to keep his coveted job. The next episodes of Pop Jeopardy! drop on Amazon Prime on Wednesday. Be sure to tune in if you’re curious about Jost’s hosting skills!
More About:TV Show News
Read This Next
