Ken Jennings Admits Most “Unfortunate” Part of Jeopardy!

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Ken Jennings will take “Terrible Clothes” for $1,000.

Ken Jennings, the host of *Jeopardy!*, recently revisited his wardrobe from when he was a contestant back in 2004. He famously won 74 games in a row at the time, setting a record, but he wasn’t very impressed with what he used to wear.

Okay, so I was recently looking back at some old footage – a clip from about 21 years ago – and let me tell you, my fashion choices weren’t exactly my best! I spotted myself wearing a beige shirt, and paired with it… well, a truly questionable tie. It was covered in Coca-Cola bottles, and honestly, the color combination was just…off. It’s definitely not something I’d ever choose to wear now! We all have those moments, right?

Describing the outfit as “really unfortunate,” the 51-year-old playfully added that she felt like she should be wearing sweaters instead.

For his next outfit, Ken wore a pinstripe jacket with a cream shirt and a bright pink tie. He mentioned the tie was one of many inexpensive ones he bought while living in South Korea.

Oh my gosh, Ken was *so* right! He pointed out you could totally find fake clothes for next to nothing around here. He said, and I swear I almost fainted, that none of the ties probably cost more than three American dollars! And honestly? You could *tell*. It was… tragically obvious, but also, kind of perfect in a way? It just added to the whole… aesthetic.

When another contestant appeared wearing a maroon shirt and an olive green striped tie, the *Jeopardy!* champion commented that the combination looked surprisingly bad.

Looking back at how he used to dress, Ken jokingly admitted his outfits made him look like he was playing dress-up in his father’s wardrobe.

He said he was trying to wear a lot of different outfits. He didn’t want to repeat the same clothes too often, because he thought the viewers would notice.

The host jokingly added, “So, instead I wore new, worse shirts.”

Okay, let’s be real – while some of the contestant outfits on *Jeopardy!* can be…interesting, there’s something else that still bothers Ken Jennings, who stepped in as host after the incredibly sad loss of Alex Trebek in 2020. It’s just something that gives him a bad feeling, even now!

You know, I’ve been a fan for ages, and I was so surprised to hear the host admit on the *Lovett or Leave It* podcast that he used to *hate* watching the *Jeopardy!* contestant interviews as a kid! He actually said he’d leave the room it was so awkward. That’s how his whole *Jeopardy!* journey started – by avoiding it! It’s a funny story, and I totally get it now, looking back.

That’s why Ken now focuses on minimizing problems and finishing things quickly.

He joked that he’s always been good at quickly ending conversations – in about 25 seconds, to be exact – and that’s precisely why he’d be perfect as the host of *Jeopardy!*

For a slew of Jeopardy! behind the scenes secrets, keep reading.

The game show *Jeopardy!* originated with Merv Griffin in the 1960s. He and his wife, Julann Wright, were talking about the quiz show scandals of the 1950s when she playfully suggested a show where the host provides answers, and contestants have to formulate the questions.

 

Griffin claims he took the concept directly to NBC, and they immediately agreed to it, even without seeing a test episode.

 

The show wasn’t originally called *Jeopardy!* Merv Griffin first titled it *What’s the Question?*, but network executives felt that title didn’t convey the risk and excitement of the game, suggesting it lacked any “jeopardies.” That led to the now-famous name *Jeopardy!*

 

Art Fleming was the original host of *Jeopardy!* when it debuted in 1964. Alex Trebek became the host in 1984 when the show began airing in syndication.

Throughout his 37 years hosting the show, Alex Trebek only missed one recording session. This happened in 1997 when he and Pat Sajak, the host of *Wheel of Fortune*, jokingly switched roles as an April Fool’s Day prank.

 

It’s just… heartbreaking. Alex taped his final *Jeopardy!* episode on October 29th, 2020, and then, just ten days later, he was gone. He lost his battle with pancreatic cancer, he was only 80 years old. You know, his daughter, Nicky, has said she really thinks he *knew* that would be his last time on set. It’s like he was saying goodbye, and it absolutely destroys me every time I think about it.

In a 2023 episode of the official *Inside Jeopardy!* podcast, she remembered driving him home and asking if he planned to return. He responded, ‘I don’t think so, Nick,’ she recalled.

 

Alex Trebek passed away at his home on November 8, 2020. His daughter, Nicky, shared that he spent his final days surrounded by family, enjoying time on his favorite swing and reminiscing over old photos.

Before Alex Trebek’s death, the *Jeopardy!* team had already prepared for him to take time off for a planned surgery, as explained by supervising producer Lisa Broffman. Ken Jennings, a former contestant and consulting producer at the time, was going to fill in temporarily. However, rehearsals were canceled when the staff learned of Trebek’s passing.

 

After Alex Trebek passed away, Ken Jennings was among the first celebrities to temporarily host *Jeopardy!* while producers searched for a new permanent host. Other guest hosts included Mayim Bialik, Anderson Cooper, Katie Couric, LeVar Burton, Robin Roberts, and Savannah Guthrie.

 

In August 2021, Mike Richards, an executive producer for *Jeopardy!*, was chosen to replace Alex Trebek as host. But just weeks later, he resigned due to criticism surrounding past sexist comments he had made.

 

Almost a year after Alex Richards left, Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings were named permanent co-hosts. However, Bialik left the show in 2023, making Jennings the only host.

Interestingly, the stand Jennings uses while hosting is technically a lectern, not a podium. The podium is the platform where the contestants stand.

 

Contestants on the show can choose to stand or sit while competing; chairs are available if requested. According to producer Sarah Whitcomb on the *Inside Jeopardy!* podcast, the show doesn’t question a contestant’s choice – if they want a chair, they get one.

 

Whether contestants prefer to sit or stand, they all stand on adjustable platforms hidden behind their podiums. This ensures they appear to be the same height on television, which avoids the need to constantly adjust the cameras, as explained on the official Jeopardy! website.

 

A subtle feature could be added to the game show podiums: a small white light in the bottom left corner. This would illuminate to indicate which player most recently answered a question correctly, helping the host keep track.

The lectern is equipped with modern technology, including a screen displaying all the gameboard clues. When Aaron Rodgers guest-hosted *Jeopardy!* in 2021, he took a photo showing his view from behind the lectern. The photo revealed that he had covered the computer screen with sticky notes as reminders to maintain good posture and stay calm.

 

Even with all the technology, some parts of the *Jeopardy!* set still need a person to operate them. Specifically, when a contestant chooses a clue, a crew member has to manually trigger it to appear on the gameboard.

 

During each recording, a team of judges watches closely to make sure the buzzers work correctly, the clues are read properly, and the answers given are acceptable. If there’s a technical problem or a question about the scoring, they’ll signal the host with colored lights at the podium to call for a brief pause.

 

Stagehands also control the buzzers. When the host finishes reading the clue, a crew member presses a button to open the floor to answers. This action also turns on lights near the gameboard, signaling to the contestants that they can now buzz in.

One thing you rarely notice on TV is the scoreboard positioned where contestants can see it. It helps them figure out how much to bet during Daily Doubles.

 

While quick reflexes are helpful on *Jeopardy!*, simply buzzing in first doesn’t guarantee a win. The show’s website explains that if a contestant tries to ring in before their buzzer is ready, they’re temporarily blocked for a quarter of a second. This system, referred to as a “digital policeman,” ensures the game runs smoothly.

 

When it comes to Jeopardy!, Ken Jennings is the most successful player. He won 74 games in a row back in 2004 – a record that still stands. He also earned the most money during regular play, totaling $2,520,700 throughout his winning streak.

James Holzhauer won the most money in a single game of Jeopardy!, earning an impressive $131,127 on the April 17, 2019, episode. Remarkably, this professional sports gambler-who won 32 games in a row that year-holds the top 10 spots for highest single-game winnings in the show’s history.

 

There’s also a record for the lowest game score. On the July 26, 2021 episode, Patrick Pearce lost $7,400.

 

While rare, ties have happened on the show before. When two or more players have the same score after Final Jeopardy!, a tie-breaker clue is used. The first contestant to answer correctly wins the game.

 

If all three contestants have zero dollars remaining at the end of Final Jeopardy!, the next episode will start fresh with three new players and no returning champion, as stated in the official Jeopardy! rulebook.

 

According to the official rules, if all three players have zero or a negative score after Double Jeopardy!, the Final Jeopardy! round will not be played.

According to Jennings, you can’t bet $69. Former Jeopardy! players have also said that bets of $666, $14, $88, and $1488 aren’t allowed because these numbers are linked to a white supremacist group.

 

One of the most well-known rules of Jeopardy! is that all answers must be phrased as a question. However, the question doesn’t have to be grammatically correct. Interestingly, if the correct response is *already* a question-such as the name of the band The Who-contestants don’t need to change it.

 

During the first round of *Jeopardy!*, contestants who don’t answer in the form of a question will be gently reminded. However, if an answer isn’t phrased as a question during Double Jeopardy! or Final Jeopardy!, it won’t be accepted, according to the show’s website.

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2025-09-25 04:20