Why I Fell Out of Love with Jeopardy
Poor contestant behavior and a jabbering Ken Jennings put an end to a decades-long fandom.
Recently, the internet called out Aaron Craig, a Jeopardy contestant, for pumping his fists and celebrating wildly during his win on last week’s Champion’s Wildcard tournament. It seemed fitting and no surprise that he was singled out for his behavior because I saw it on TV myself and was appalled. If he planned to act like a jerk and an a** on national TV, he succeeded. While some excused his actions as just being “over-excited,” there is a reason that most viewers might find Craig’s behavior rude. After all, non-Red Sox fans might have labeled Manny Ramirez arrogant when he posed after a homerun (remember that?). Tennis spectators also do not clap after double faults. Craig’s obnoxious self-celebration came after the other two contestants lost all their money on the final clue.
Since the 1980s when I started watching Jeopardy with my college suitemates, I’ve been a huge fan of the show. I was always wowed by the brainy contestants with their lightning-quick buzzers in hand providing answers, or should I say questions, to very difficult clues. I wish I could say that I am one of those brainiacs who can rattle off answers as quickly as the contestants on TV, but mostly, I draw blanks. Even when I’m certain I know the answers, they come to me in slow motion, and by then, the players have moved on to the next clue. I get so excited when I’m able to rattle off an answer correctly and quickly. The fact that my best category is more in the realm of “1980s Pop Culture,” rather than more impressive categories should tell you that I would make a poor contestant. But ultimately, what makes Jeopardy a satisfying watch is trying to solve the clues at home while being dazzled by the speedy answers and intense competition between the bright players. It was always about the intensity of the game itself.
Of course, Alex Trebek was part of the show’s appeal. I always thought he looked and acted smug with his little mustache. Oh, how he recited the answers as if he knew them all along. But watching Alex night after night during the week was a comforting ritual. There was a certain sameness to his approach, night after night. I could never remember what Alex said or how he reacted to the contestants. I don’t want to call Alex boring because he’s not, but he was always balanced, polite, and low-key in his delivery and during his interactions with the players. It turned out that this demeanor was deliberate on his part: Alex never wanted to outshine the players because he always put them first. They were the main attraction; he was just their guide who moved the show along. Over the years, I softened towards Alex and no longer thought him and his mustache (which was later shaved) smug. He was a consistent presence who stood to the side, an integral part of the show who nonetheless never overshadowed the three players.
Boy, did I take Alex for granted. We all cheered for him and willed him to survive his cancer as we watched his final season. When he passed, there was a long period with guest hosts — a viewing experience I actually didn’t mind. There were surprising but genuine fans of the show trying out, like Aaron Rodgers, and lots of other TV hosts, like my personal favorite Bill Whitaker, whom I nicknamed “Black Alex,” whose even-toned manner seemed most like Alex’s in my mind. I didn’t love the eventual winner Mike Richards, who was on the search committee but gave himself the job?? He always seemed too slick and commercial. I was actually glad when they gave the job to Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik.
I always thought Ken was trying too hard to be witty, to be liked. But given that he seemed to be auditioning for the host job, it was understandable. Watching him nightly after he became the permanent host, however, I realized that it had nothing to do with auditioning; Ken was ALWAYS trying to be funny. His banter with the contestants went on far too long because he consistently had a long response to whatever they were saying. He always wanted the last word, so the exchange went even longer. Soon, my husband and I were complaining every night about how Ken goes on and on, and in essence, overshadowing the players and certainly ruining our viewing experience. It was the Ken Jennings show. Mayim is much better, as she seems more at ease and does not seem to feel the need to appear smart or banter as much.
I’m sure there were times that Alex had witty responses, but for the most part, he let the contestants do the talking. While Alex’s philosophy of letting the contestants be the focus of the show was well-publicized in his final season, I was surprised that Ken seemed to be doing the exact opposite. Rather than letting the three players be front and center, Ken acted as if he wanted to be the show’s shining focus.
There are also too many Jeopardy iterations which I can’t keep straight. Second Chance tournament, Champion wildcard tournament, nightly Celebrity Jeopardy, the list goes on. Don’t get me wrong, I used to watch Alex’s Celebrity Jeopardy, which always had interesting guests — Jodie Foster and author Jonathan Franzen are names you would not expect on prime-time game shows. And they most certainly would not appear on today’s Celebrity Jeopardy which mostly features not-too-famous TV stars on ABC.
Tragically, the show also declined in terms of contestant behavior. I always loved that Jeopardy contestants were kooks, like Austin Rogers, the quirky NYC bartender who had a winning streak or James Holzhauer, the game-changing super-champ who seemed a bit odd and off-putting. But I have a problem when contestants start acting like they run the show. The worst offender was Mattea Roach, the Canadian champion. I started screaming at the TV when she started to groan audibly and even talk after she missed a clue, while other contestants were still ringing in. This happened several shows in a row, which meant that the producers did not bother to stop this behavior.
Perhaps it’s unfair to blame poor contestant behavior, like Mattea’s and Aaron Craig’s, on the host. But under Alex, it’s hard to imagine contestants talking over one another while the game is being played, loud groaning after missed clues, or someone celebrating other people’s losses. Alex was able to maintain a baseline decorum and foster sportsmanship among the players by always moving the show along in an even-keeled, unemotional manner. Ken, on the other hand, thrives on making smart-alecky remarks and invites people on The Alex Trebek Stage to marvel at his charm and jokes. Why wouldn’t the contestants feel free to scream emotionally or celebrate inappropriately in such a free-wheeling atmosphere?
Not all contestants have been bad. There were a few notable old-school-type champions like Matt Amodio, Amy Schneider (an old-school contestant who happened to be trans), and Cris Pannullo. They reminded me why I loved Jeopardy in the first place — quick minds, quick answers, and the competition. It’s like watching sports.
The excitement of Jeopardy was always the game itself. These days, it feels like I’m watching a sideshow of objectionable contestants, endless banter, and a host who’s trying his hand at standup comedy. And there are too many tournaments that eat into the continuity of the season. Maybe this is what the producers want — a looser, louder, more colorful game of Jeopardy, with many special editions, to attract new viewers. They may consider this the more fun, engaging show. But I miss the Jeopardy of old, with competition at its core, which was far more entertaining.
