Top 10 Jeopardy Guest Hosts
#10: David Faber
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There was little initial buzz over business journalist David Faber as a “Jeopardy!” host, that was, until he hit the stage. The CNBC personality brought a grounded and informative voice to the show, with a strong focus on explaining more complex questions. Faber also delivered every question with powerful diction and a rhythm that helped keep up the pace amidst many first-time hosts. His understated energy on the show felt less in-your-face, which helped him draw comparisons to Alex Trebek from fans. Faber’s subdued performance also gave more focus to the players themselves. His previous win on “Celebrity Jeopardy!” lent him some respect as well. Factual and modest, David Faber proved himself as a surprisingly strong pick.
#9: Savannah Guthrie
As a longtime reporter and daytime personality, Savannah Guthrie hit the ground running as a guest host. Her enthusiastic and well-spoken question reads gave a more lively tone to the show. Guthrie’s warm persona helped avoid the occasionally awkward flow of player interviews, and her calls to have audiences return was a thoughtful touch. Intentional or not, her repeated use of “You got it” played out as a personal catchphrase to set her apart. Though she’s stated that she doesn’t want the job full-time, her punchy, educational voice helped her fit the show like a natural.
#8: Robin Roberts
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Many hosts tried to liven up “Jeopardy!,” while Robin Roberts injected a sense of fun and fan-like giddiness to the show. The ESPN and “Good Morning America” favorite won us over with her supportive spirit towards players. The celebrations of correct answers and sad reactions to mistakes helped each question feel important. Roberts’ enthusiasm during Final Jeopardy! ramped up the tension with each player, and the final scores sounded really exciting. Despite some slower delivery, Roberts used this time to offer silly and grin-inducing responses to anything and everything. Player interviews came alive as well, as Roberts joked and hollered to her co-stars. Roberts’ contagious attitude and cheering towards the players gave her one of the most positive hosting runs in recent memory.
#7: Dr. Sanjay Gupta
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With a more laid-back approach to the job, Sanjay Gupta played a more friendly and relatable host. His credentials from a career in neurosurgery and reporting earned him trust with audiences. After reportedly turning a hotel room into a mock-studio, Gupta was calm enough to be all smiles in his episodes. He would deliver interesting details on certain questions, and rehash rules often, which lent his performance more to new viewers. Low-energy aside, Gupta got a largely excited reaction on social media due to his down-to-earth and cheery take on the role. With his fun demeanor, Gupta could have even dropped a few “it’s not brain surgery” jokes without losing fans.
#6: Aaron Rodgers
After taking home a win in a 2015 celebrity game, Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers proved to be an MVP as a “Jeopardy!” host. The NFL player was collected and to the point, with bits of sports knowledge to add to many questions. Rodgers’ celebrity status prompted some funny football-related Final Jeopardy! answers, and his laughing reactions really livened up the show. He also turned a missed Green Bay Packers’ question into a long gag, which consistently riffed on his fame rather than insulting the players. Rodgers laced this humor into his otherwise straightforward performance in much the same way Alex Trebek would laugh with contestants. Since Rodgers has eagerly discussed hosting while continuing his football career, he could easily take over the mantle. #5: Anderson Cooper With years of news broadcasting under his belt, Anderson Cooper’s stint on “Jeopardy!” felt like business as usual. It wasn’t shocking given his four appearances on the show, though it was entertaining to hear him poke fun at his own losses. Cooper’s episodes were about as typical as you could expect, and his great vocal cadence kept the show running smoothly. This machine-like operation did not please everyone, as Cooper received some of the lowest guest TV ratings. Though less of a standout, Cooper’s charisma and previous hosting gigs like “The Mole” showed he had the finesse to continue the “Jeopardy!” we know and love.
#4: Buzzy Cohen
Known for dropping sassy answers during Final Jeopardy!, Buzzy Cohen was dubbed Mr. Personality by Alex Trebek. Cohen had the extra challenge of running the Tournament of Champions, which he did with a uniquely geeky charm. He punched up the smaller moments of the show and even emphasized when players dropped a guess two questions too early, and then redeemed it. This effort to highlight the ups and downs helped players’ actions feel important, and separated Cohen’s games from the pack. His style earned him plenty of social media kudos from fans and former players alike, especially through early games. With or without his usual taunts, Cohen had us thinking, “once more Buzzy.”
#3: Ken Jennings
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Before hosting “Jeopardy!,” Ken Jennings had appeared on 75 back-to-back episodes, so he had a lot of on-set experience. His victory on the “Greatest of All Time” special, gave him prestige over other veteran players. Long seen by executives at Sony as an ideal successor for Alex Trebek, Jennings proved his worth with the strongest TV ratings of the guest-host era. He clued in on players’ habits and delivered comical remarks when they changed pace. Jennings’ kept things from getting too serious with additional goofy reads, and banter with players. And he dropped a respectful, “Thank You, Alex” at the end of his episodes. Though mean tweets damaged his reputation next to other guests, the scandal around Mike Richards has arguably helped Jennings’ image since.
#2: Mayim Bialik
There have been celebrity picks, and academics, and then there was the double threat of Mayim Bialik. The “Big Bang Theory” star brought a PhD in neuroscience to the table, which lent her palpable confidence for hosting and dishing out facts. Bialik delivered consistent and fluid reading on the show, and her giddy reactions during Final Jeopardy! kept us glued to every second of her broadcasts. She also admittedly used fashion to bring more flourish to the show, while respecting Trebek through blazers and suit-oriented looks. Plus, Bialik’s years playing a nerd on TV didn’t hurt her ability to bring new fans to the trivia series. Mayim Bialik has secured hosting specials, so she has landed a good shot at the full-time slot.
#1: LeVar Burton
If anyone had the educational and celebrity nerd credit to combine for a “Jeopardy!” host, LeVar Burton was the best pick. Burton’s run on the popular edutainment series “Reading Rainbow” and franchises like “Star Trek” endeared him to fans. This gave him the single-most notable fan-driven campaign for host long before he went on air. Burton’s loud shouts of “Yes” had a surprising range of energies, and his very casual ability to explain more complex questions was impressive. Though some fans were actually bothered with the animated vigor he brought to the table. Ryan Reynolds has also chimed support for Burton since his own fan-driven run for Deadpool paid off so spectacularly. For fans of all ages, we think Burton still deserved the permanent gig.
