In terms of star power, he definitely falls below everyone else on this list. Mike Richards was an underwhelming choice for just about everyone. Most people were hoping for just about anyone else to take the reigns, but the producers clearly felt different and chose him as the host of Jeopardy, along with one other whom he'd be sharing the spotlight. Since 2020, Richards had been the executive producer for both Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. And before that, he had spent decades working as a producer on other high-profile game shows like The Price is Right.
Richard clearly knew the game show business, and his tributes to Alex Trebek were moving. But that's certainly not enough to be worthy of the title of Jeopardy host. It turns out, his personality left much to be desired. Shortly after he was chosen as host for the show, some nasty details about his past were unearthed. On multiple occasions, Mike Richards has made disparaging comments about women, Jews and other groups of people. Yikes! Now that this has been brought to light, he's decided to return the Jeopardy crown so a new permanent host can be selected in the future.
I'm sure the producers have a method to their madness, but I have no idea why so many journalists and news anchors have gotten the honor to guest host Jeopardy. Does anyone really get excited when George Stephanopoulos appears on screen? Nonetheless, the Good Morning America anchor gave it a try...and didn't do great.
His run as guest host was filled with plenty of awkward pauses and blundered clue readings. That might be forgivable for some guest hosts, but Stephanopoulos' job is literally to talk into a camera every day. You would think his decades-long career in TV would have prepared him to, you know, say words correctly.
Unlike some on the list, we can say this about Anderson Cooper--there were no major hiccups or blunders during his time as Jeopardy guest host. Everything went smoothly and according to plan. Unfortunately for Cooper, things almost went too smoothly--to the point where his stint was entirely boring and forgettable.
Many people have pointed out that Cooper was an imminently safe choice for guest hosts. He's got plenty of TV experience, so there was very little chance that things would go completely off the rails. However, a safe choice for anything is rarely an interesting choice, and this was true with Cooper's hosting duties.
Of all the news figures who got their shot at guest hosting Jeopardy, Robin Roberts was definitely the best out of the bunch. It still seems weird that the show would go in such a media figure-heavy direction with hosting duties, but they couldn't have made a better pick than Roberts.
It was clear from the get go that this wasn't just another gig for Roberts--she's definitely a personal fan of the show. That enthusiasm for the game really shined during her run of episodes, and she ended up being one of the most high energy and fun guest hosts the show has ever seen.
On Jeopardy, Dr. Sanjay Gupta managed to do what a lot of other guest hosts couldn't--be a calm, professional presence without also being a total snooze-fest. When Gupta stepped up to the podium for his run of episodes, it was as if he had been doing this job for years already.
He might not have been the most animated and excited guest host, but he absolutely nailed it in terms of continuing the vibe that Alex Trebek had established for the show as its longtime host. He might just find himself with a job offer from the show, and we're not mad about it!
No one would have ever imagined that NFL legend Aaron Rodgers would be hosting Jeopardy, but here we are! The Green Bay quarterback took his surprise turn at the job and ended up being one of the best celebrity guests to ever grace the stage. It was unorthodox, but it definitely worked.
One of the best things about Rodgers' hosting duties was the fact that he wasn't just another low-energy news anchor sleeping through the gig. Despite being a football player, Rodgers made it seem like he was made to be a TV host with his professional demeanor and warm energy.
Dr. Oz was definitely an odd choice for Jeopardy guest host, and the controversial doctor definitely made some waves among fans of the show. However, that's exactly why he has been one of the best so far. Hosts like Anderson Cooper or Robin Roberts are so boring and inoffensive that people don't give them a second thought. But people like Dr. Oz know how to create outrage--and that's fun to watch.
On top of all that, Dr. Oz wasn't one of the most put-together guest hosts that Jeopardy has ever seen. But once again, it's way more fun to watch a hot mess than it is a perfectly put-together person. Objectively, Dr. Oz did terribly during his stint as host, but that's what made his episodes so much fun to watch. At least he wasn't boring.
"Wait a minute," I hear you saying, "Pat Sajak hasn't be a guest host of Jeopardy!" It's true that he's not been part of the lineup of guest hosts that have filled in since Alex Trebek's death, but he has definitely done some time behind the podium, thanks to a late '90s game show switcheroo.
On April Fools' Day in 1997, Sajak and Trebek had a little trick up their sleeves for viewers--they switched places. So, while Sajak was guiding contestants through the clues on the board at Jeopardy, Trebek was busy asking Wheel of Fortune contestants if they wanted to buy a vowel. The switch was obviously only a one-day thing, but it made for memorable episodes of both game shows!
There's no one more deserving of Jeopardy hosting duties than Ken Jennings. He currently holds the record as longest-running contestant on the show, and it's highly unlikely that anyone will break that record any time soon. He knows the game inside and out and definitely should be the show's permanent pick in the future.
When Jennings began his guest run, he proved that he was just as capable as a host as he was a contestant. He didn't do anything too terribly out of the box while hosting, but he did differentiate himself from Alex Trebek enough to make his performance stand out among all the others. It's a no-brainer--Jennings should have the job full time!
Actress Mayim Bialik began her run as Jeopardy guest host with a few bumps along the way. Her ability to over-pronounce each and every word coming out of her mouth was cringey to watch and listen to, but she eventually found her stride and became one of the best guest hosts the show has ever seen. Now she has been chosen as a permanent host for the show.
What saved her performances was definitely her obvious love for all things trivia. She was much more animated and enthusiastic than Alex Trebek ever was, but since it came from a genuine place, it felt very appropriate. It was clear that her infectious, positive energy was lifting the spirits of the contestants, too.
