Well, last night was the first episode of Jeopardy! with Ken Jennings guest hosting.

I'd say he did OK. Of course, I don't know how much they might have had to fix in post (and FYI, I attended a taping, before the pancreatic cancer diagnosis, when Trebek was at his best, and there were still one or two reshoots).

Any thoughts?

(I'm old enough to remember the Art Fleming era, and I also remember Alex Trebek as the host of High Rollers. Then again, I'm old enough to remember the Bud Collyer era of To Tell the Truth.)

 

I too remember those things.
(Bob Barker on Truth or Consequences.)
Last Friday was so sad. I watched the ending tribute again the next day and cried again.

The main thing I noticed last night was how he seemed to read answers so quickly. Maybe that will help contestants not leave clues unrevealed. I also took note of the probability that he did not need cue cards as he knows the questions. (Most of the time anyway.)

 

Regarding the correct responses, the usual drill has been that the host has a large sheet of paper on the desk, with the necessary information formatted as a diagram of the board.

And of course, the host's camera for a game show almost certainly has a teleprompter on it; even "local origination" studios at cable head-ends typically have teleprompters on one or two cameras. Years ago, when I used to help a local cable company put on their nightly newscast as a way to unwind after work (earning me the distinction of being the only non-employee with practically the run of the building), I ran teleprompter and floor-directed almost as often as I ran the audio board.

 

I didn't cry, myself, but then again, I don't think I cried at the end of Star Trek II, either. And even though the theatre owner was passing out Kleenex before a screening of Won't You Be My Neighbor, I didn't need them for that, either.

I did, however, snap off a salute. The same way I do whenever I hear -- or see the packaging of -- a recording of Jacqueline du Pre.

 

Yes, I know the host has the answers. I just figured that most of the time; Ken won't need it.

 

Jennings got officially teased on camera, in Final Jeopardy.

It was the Final Jeopardy about the company with a dollar figure in its name that, if adjusted for inflation, would be up to 51 ("What is Motel 6"). The winner had a runaway going, and responded with "What is H&R Block?"

"What is H&R Block?" was the correct response with which Nancy Zerg ended the original Jennings streak.

 

We nearly fell on the floor laughing.
"Even though you brought back some bad memories for me, you’re still going to go home with $13,201."

 

We are really enjoying Mike Richards. But I posted mainly to say that I knew Jack Teagarden was a trombonist. I knew that because he gave my father trombone lessons when he was a kid. (my father not Jack)

 

How about last night's Final!?! I was literally yelling at the TV, "Wager $0!!"

 

All in all, I think I prefer Jennings to Richards.

Katie Couric has the advantage of more experience in front of the camera than Jennings and Richards combined, but it seems to me that her voice is sounding just a little bit choked. And in spite of her claims of being a Jeopardy fan, in some ways, she comes off (for me at least) like most of the contestants on "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune."

 

Couric is getting better. She seems to have gotten rid of the frog in her throat, and she seems to be getting the hang of hosting Jeopardy as well.

 

I agree, she has improved.
We loved Ken because, well, he's Ken Jennings.
But we really felt like Richards seemed to get right into the role of gameshow host.

Not looking forward to Dr. Oz at all.

 

Dr. Oz did OK. Not thrilled with his Fox News connections, or his endorsement of outright quackery (which may yet get him expelled from a few hospitals), and wouldn't like to see him as permanent host, but he did OK.

Aaron Rodgers really needs to curb his enthusiasm. For pity's sake, this is a game show, not a funeral.
During Monday's Final, about all I could come up with was a very uncertain "Who is Mister Rogers?"

 

I am not at all sad that Oz is done. The fact that he did a good job notwithstanding! (He is basically an entertainer and it showed.)
Rodgers was a little heavy handed on the Alex adulation. (Maybe not the best reference but what I could come up with.)
My best guess was George Burns. Go figger!
I just want the show to succeed as it has been a part of our lives for so long.

 

Walking Dead Poet Society was much too easy for a daily double!! IMHO.

 

Rodgers seems to be improving a bit. But he's still a tad slow in recognizing correct responses, and his delivery is still a tad dull.

 

Agreed

 

Rodgers had a pretty strong finish.

Anderson Cooper seems to have made a decent enough start. Kind of like Rodgers a few days into his tour.
With his current glasses, he kind of reminds me of Allen Ludden, hosting Password, circa 1967.

 

I had that same thought.
I just love Anderson Cooper anyway. I feel like it has taken each of them a bit to hit their stride. Anderson is not trying to be a "performer" I feel. But he is doing a really good job at being a responsible host.

 

I am really looking forward to seeing Mayim Bialik next week.

(Oh! I knew the final in the finals on Thursday and my husband and son did not. That is something for me. I am not really very good at trivia type stuff. I did not, however, get Friday's. Geography is my absolute worst.)