Ken Jennings seems surprised at Mayim Bialik’s Jeopardy! departure
Bialik was told she'd no longer be hosting the syndicated version of the game show earlier this month
Aux News Jeopardy!
We’ll take “a series that just keeps landing itself in the headlines” for $200, please. Earlier this month, former Jeopardy! co-host Mayim Bialik announced that “Sony has informed me” that she would no longer be hosting the syndicated version of the stalwart trivia competition moving forward (a.k.a. the main version of the show that broadcasts on primetime television). While Bialik was gracious to the series in her post and used most of her statement to express gratitude for her time behind the lectern, one doesn’t need to read too far into her use of passive voice to glean that this departure was not her choice.
Ken Jennings—now the show’s sole host—may be just as surprised by Bialik’s departure as Bialik herself. “It took me off guard, because I loved working with my Mayim and I’m gonna miss her,” the many-time Jeopardy! winner said in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “I can’t speak to her decision-making process or her opinions about it.”
He’s not really revealing his own opinions either. In an extremely diplomatic response, Jennings continued: “On my end, I’m just a fan of Jeopardy! and I’m always delighted to host when they call upon me. I just feel extremely lucky to have even been considered for this job as a non-broadcaster.”
As the dual WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes caused Hollywood to grind to an almost complete stop this summer, Jeopardy! became an unexpected lightning rod for controversy around strike rules and scabbing. Despite pushback from its own picketing writers and former winners who refused to take part in a Tournament of Champions that used recycled questions, Jeopardy! continued on throughout the shutdown. As a result, Bialik stepped down from both regular Jeopardy! and Celebrity Jeopardy! for the duration of the strikes, while Jennings stayed on.
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“Whoa!” -Ken’s actual first response when he heard the news…according to witnesses.
Ooohhh, just missed it: We would have accepted ‘Whoa?’
You think Ken, of all people, would know to phrase it in the form of a question!
Joey Lawrence declared new host of the syndicated version of the Jeopardy! game quiz TV show program of the same name.
“Earlier this month, former Jeopardy! co-host Mayim Bialik announced that ‘Sony has informed me’ that she would no longer be hosting the syndicated version of the stalwart trivia competition…one doesn’t need to read too far into her use of passive voice to glean that this departure was not her choice.”That’s…not what passive voice is. Just because something happened to Bialik doesn’t mean the clause is grammatically passive. Passive voice would be “I was informed by Sony”—i.e., the grammatical subject is the person or thing that is the target of an action rather than the instigator. “I did my homework” versus “the homework was done by me,” etc.
I’m wondering why when it seems it wasn’t Bialik’s choice, that Jennings would say “I can’t speak to her decision-making process or her opinions about it.”
Seems to me “her decision-making process” would have been to decide to keep the Jeopardy! gig.
I think Jennings is implying there that the Sony brass considered Bialik’s decision to stand with the strikers (when she was not required by union rules to do so) as effectively abdicating her position. So depending on how you spin this, Bialik made a decision to quit or was fired for participating in another union’s strike.
Yes, it does depend how you spin that.
Grammar!!! for $1000! Good job, teach!
I noticed the same thing. It’s a low bar here but still kind of shocking that a professional writer doesn’t understand the distinction.
Strictly speaking, being a “professional” writer just means you get paid to write. It doesn’t mean they’re any good at it – just good enough not to get fired, really.There are weird arguments like this in photography. Many of the best photographs I’ve seen were taken by “amateurs,” as in, it is a hobby for them, and they don’t do it for money.
“Professional” is used loosely.
Are you seriously correcting AV Club’s grammar? And expecting them to do something about it?Good luck.
Oh, I just come here on my lunch break and do this for fun.
Absolutely fair enough.And I love Mitchell and Webb.
Ken Jennings’ life story is one of those one-in-a-billion stories that would make a great movie. A humble, trivia minded computer scientist finally makes it as a contestant on his favorite tv show, Jeopardy. He almost loses the first game by not including Olympic athlete Marion Jones’ first name in Final Jeopardy. Then he goes on to win game after game for 74 games over 5 months. He becomes world famous, a household name, winning 2.5 million dollars. But then on game 75, he finally decides to lose on purpose because now he has enough money for his family to live comfortably for the rest of his life. After his time on the show, he falls back into mild obscurity, outside of tournament and tv appearances. Following the rise of James Holzhauer, interest in the show is renewed and Jennings is invited to compete in the GOAT tournament which he wins. Following the death of Alex Trebek, Jennings guest hosts Jeopardy. The studio might want him to be the new host, but due to some controversial tweets, Jennings does not get the job. Ken Jennings becomes a Chaser on ABC’s The Chase. Executive producer Mike Richards stages a short-lived coup d’état that severely damages the show’s credibility. Following the Richards debacle, Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings are chosen as co-hosts to sand over the PR. Jennings is initially the worse host, but he soon finds his feet, overtaking Bialik in popularity. The strikes happen and Bialik joins the picket line. As Jennings falls out of the purview of the strike and is under legal contract, he handles the show comfortably as the sole host. Sony ultimately decides to make Ken Jennings the permanent host of Jeopardy.
This actually sounds like a very standard biopic (was going to say good movie, but there’s no way any studio would make anything more than a paint-by-numbers version of this).Who plays Ken? Michael Cera would probably work well enough. Jim Parsons has a similar feel, but his participation would probably depend on how they portray Mayim. I expect she would be a fairly minor character if they’re not going to pit her against Ken.Pedro Pascal as Trebek, Melanie Lynskey as Mayim, Glenn Powell as Mike Richards. Since Glenn Powell’s in there, I’d like to see Richard Linklater direct. I think he could do some stunt like have the actors actually answer real questions or something like that.
Michael Richards as Mike Richards or GTFO.
Nerds gonna nerd, I guess.
“What is a scab?”
“Something your children get AFTER THE IMMUNISATION CAUSES WEEPING SORES ALL OVER THEIR BODIES.”
damn, Pete.
I don’t really care who hosts Jeopardy, would have been nice if it worked out for Levar Burton, but whatever. I came here for the anti-vax joke, and nothing else. I can now go on with my day. Thank you, good citizen.
The question for me is, will Ken get a spot on this generation’s X-files alongside a wrestler?
See that? That’s his surprised face.
That Hollywood Reporter article wasn’t an interview. It was PR. Jennings and his chinless wonder-bread face and slightly adorable lisp, will never have what it takes to be an effective host of this game.
Seems like he’s more effective than Mayim at least.By the way, what’s your obsession with PR?
He then smiled, shrugged, and said a small prayer to convert another dead Palestinian to Mormonism against the wishes of their family
Who cares? Unless you’re genuinely worried they’ll end up a confused ghost with their own planet, the stakes here seem low.
Dude.Wait, can that happen? And if so, why convert one person at a time. Just convert everyone at once and we can all be secret Mormons.
I think they can only do it with the dead but they do it all the time and pick pretty much everyone. I recall hearing that even Hitler “converted” after he died
Either Ancestry.com or 23andMe, I forget which, is owned by a Mormon organization explicitly trying to collect data on deceased people for the purposes of post-humous conversion. They will also grab lists of deceased from disasters and other events and convert them.
“I can’t speak to her decision-making process or her opinions about it.”He’s talking as if it was her choice to leave the show, which is not what she has said.
As a result, Bialik stepped down from both regular and Celebrity Jeopardy! for the duration of the strikes, while Jennings stayed on.She stepped down during the strike, which was her choice. When you voluntarily leave a job, it’s not always there when you want to come back.
“I can’t speak to her decision-making process or her opinions about it.”He’s talking as if it was her choice to leave the show, which is not what she has said.
Her statement indicates that she was fired/released. His statement indicates that she decided not to continue as co-host. Which means ONE of these is likely true:Jennings is lying: he was asked if he would go full-time so they could fire Bialik. He said yes, then lied about it to appear surprised and innocent.Sony fired Bialik and lied to Jennings: “Mayim, you’re out.” then: “Ken, Mayim decided to move on, the job is yours.”Bialik quit and lied to make Sony look bad. Both are kinda true: She set some conditions for her job that Sony didn’t buy into (big raise, sole host, etc.). Hypothetically: “Make me the sole host and pay me or I leave.” Sony said no thanks, you will no longer be the host.Personally, I think the last option is likely closest to the truth. Keep in mind that Jennings options are 1) host Jeopardy, or 2) sell shoes. Bialik’s options are host Jeopardy or look for another hit TV show or movie. So… she said something along the lines of “if I am going to continue co-hosting I want flexibility to take on other shows, more money, etc.” Then Sony asks Jennings if he will go full-time if Mayim continues with her “unrealistic” demands. Sony tells her that her demands are too much and they are moving on without her. She says “Sony informed me I am done” and Jennings says “I am puzzled by her thought process.”