Change is never easy. When a beloved icon like Alex Trebek passes away, it’s even tougher to accept that one day in the near future, another person will be selected to inherit the clue grid and black crayon. With multiple news sites circulating the same five or six names over the past several years, I thought it might be interesting to see who the people in my social circles felt deserved a shot at the podium.
Respondents were encouraged to fill out general information about themselves (hometown, gender, race, engagement with the trivia community. Respondents were then asked to rank their top 5 choices for the new permanent host of Jeopardy!. Votes were weighted, with first place votes earning a nominee five points, second place votes earning four points, and so on.
About The Respondents
Respondents were prompted to answer general information about themselves – here’s a closer look at their makeup.
- 52% of survey takers compete in trivia-based competitions (Learned League, HQ, Quiz Bowl, etc.)
- Nearly 60% watch Jeopardy at least once a week; 4% never watch the show.
- 87% of the survey takers identified as male.
- Respondents are pretty evenly spaced out among geographic regions (East, West, Midwest, South)
Additional Insights
- The average age of the nominees was 54, a full 10 years older than Alex Trebek when he began hosting Jeopardy in 1984.
- Roughly 1/3 of the nominations were for women; however, none placed in the top 5.
- 45% of the votes cast by women were for other women!
- There were more incorrect surname variations for Meredith Vieira (4) than George Stephanopoulos (3).
- While some high-profile actors received nominations(Bryan Cranston, Mindy Kaling, Tina Fey), none got more than a single vote.
Each nominee’s score is posted, with number of first-place votes in parentheses.
10. Aisha Tyler- 20(2)
The multi talented Aisha Tyler kicks off the Top 10, and won’t be the last woman of color you see on this list. With experience on The Talk and Whose Line Is It Anyway, and a Celebrity Jeopardy win to boot, she could be a great fit to take Jeopardy through the next two decades.
“What’s not to like? She’s already proven she can host a show, and has the personality to boot.”- Kankakee, IL
9. Meredith Vieira- 22(1)
Don’t let the age fool you; though Meredith is the oldest nominee in the Top 10 at 66, she’s taken on tough quizzes like Millionaire and light word games like 25 Words or Less with ease. One of the more versatile picks on the list, Meredith’s body of work should be enough to land her any job of her choosing, including this one.
“…maybe too old, but trusted and liked by the likely contestant pool as well as the audience.” -Chicago, IL
8. Laura Coates- 24(1)
The youngest nominee on the list, Coates saw her profile rise in 2018 when Trebek mentioned her as a potential successor. An author and a CNN legal analyst, Coates definitely has the brains and a sharp wit to keep up with Jeopardy contestants.
“It would be wonderful to see a journalist and woman of color get the nod. I worry that her being affiliated with CNN would hurt her slightly though.” -Akron, OH
7: Brad Rutter- 26(1)
The biggest money winner in game show history, and one of the most visible Jeopardy champs of all time, Rutter’s place on this list comes as no surprise. He’s hosted a local high school quiz show since his original appearances on Jeopardy, but what might be most telling is Brad’s style evolution. While most people sport different looks over 20 years, go take a look at Brad’s first episodes from 2000 and look at pictures of him in 2020- he’s seemingly been preparing for this moment.
“Ken’s a nice guy. Brad’s the guy who’s spent serious time working on his camera skills.” -Houston, TX
6: Jeff Probst- 33(2)
The only person on the list with a track record for actually hosting Jeopardy, the Survivor stalwart ably hosted four seasons of Rock and Roll Jeopardy on VH-1. If there’s anyone on this list who could slide right into this role with minimal prep time, Jeff is it.
“His hosting of Rock & Roll Jeopardy shows he has chops for the real thing.”- Fairfax, VA
5: Tom Bergeron- 41(3)
Tom isn’t the last person you’ll see on this list in his sixties, but he might be the most available. The Hollywood Squares vet gained a huge chunk of free time after getting let go from Dancing With the Stars earlier this year. Though he’s not known for doing more serious, cerebral television, respondents seem attracted to his professionalism and longevity.
“Although he has a background in entertainment rather than news, a humble, charming man like him would be a great fit for Jeopardy. He is also a very familiar face to people, as he has been on television for over 20 years now.” – Seattle, WA
4: Pat Kiernan- 48(6)
Though more often seen as a local celebrity for his work as the morning news anchor of NY1, Pat has hosted a few game shows, including the World Series of Pop Culture and Studio 7. A fellow Canadian, it would be rather humorous if the host of Jeopardy continued to be a Canadian export.
“I know he’s not even on most people’s radars, but he was excellent when hosting “The World Series of Pop Culture” back in 2006-07, and he’d have the cadence down cold.” -Kankakee, IL
3: Anderson Cooper- 65(5)
Considered for years as the frontrunner for the job based on emails from the 2014 Sony email leak, Cooper has been the face of CNN for at least a decade. His association with the network may be seen by some as a drawback in a divided America, but his intellect and personality scored well with respondents.
“Cooper has the credibility and experience to run a “serious” game show and the charisma to keep it light. And at 53, he’s still young enough to be viewed as a long-term solution.”- San Diego, CA
2: LeVar Burton- 103(9)
There is a clear jump from third to second place, and it’s not even close. Between his work on Roots, Star Trek, and Reading Rainbow, Burton is definitely an on-brand pick for a show that champions those who love to learn. Though a left-field pick due to his lack of recent camera time, a recent Change.org petition requesting that Burton be named the next host of Jeopardy has gained more than 100,000 signatures.
“While perhaps a little older than I would like for such a long-term job, Burton is trusted and beloved by what will rapidly become Jeopardy!’s key demo. I think he’ll have great rapport with the contestants as well.” -Chicago, IL
1: Ken Jennings- 116(13)
When Ken Jennings was announced as Jeopardy’s official ambassador at the beginning of Season 37, many interpreted the move as a direct path to Alex’s podium. That seems to have temporarily been the case, as Jennings was announced as the first in a series of guest hosts who will fill in this season, with a permanent replacement named down the road. That being said, people have floated Ken’s name as Alex’s replacement for years, so this concept isn’t a new one. Will he get the permanent job? Time will tell, but his association with the program and familiarity with viewers has got to make him a serious frontrunner.
“I think he’s the leader right now for a reason. Players respect him. He doesn’t have to fake having knowledge and being super smart. He’s a nice person. And he certainly knows how it feels to be a contestant.” -Wilmette, IL
JUST OUTSIDE THE TOP 10
- Mark L Walberg (18 Points)
- Mike Richards (16 Points)
- Marc Summers (16 Points)
- George Stephanopoulos (16 Points)
Shiny Black Floor 