The Game Show Forum

The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: weaklink75 on September 03, 2020, 01:03:38 PM

Title: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: weaklink75 on September 03, 2020, 01:03:38 PM
https://tvline.com/2020/09/03/jeopardy-returns-new-episodes-alex-trebek-ken-jennings/

He'll be making video categories, work on show-related projects, and be a general ambassador for the show....(and maybe eventually transition to host? Anyway, this probably takes him out of The Chase I would think....)

Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: jage on September 03, 2020, 01:09:15 PM
Good for him. I guess he's done with tournaments, but you can only go to that well so many times and he's the GOAT, so what else is there to prove.
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: Joe Mello on September 03, 2020, 03:34:29 PM
I guess he's done with tournaments
Now I want them to shoot a silly wrestling-style promo about Ken un-retiring for some super mega tournament some 5-10 years from now.
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: Jeremy Nelson on September 03, 2020, 03:43:37 PM
Good for him. I guess he's done with tournaments, but you can only go to that well so many times and he's the GOAT, so what else is there to prove.
Alex alluded to the super tournaments being done for a while during the GOAT tourney, and with Ken winning the big one, it seems at least HE'S done for now. Brad and James are a different story.

With him featuring so prominently, I wonder if that means the Clue Crew is done- they still have a page on the site for now, but that's the only part of the show I felt got long in the tooth- this helps with that.

Obviously it's hard not to wonder if this is part of the succession plan- if so, I just hope it doesn't include Alex starting a game of Boar on the Floor. IYKYK.
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: Casey Buck on September 03, 2020, 05:18:43 PM
Picture of the set (https://i.imgur.com/qGqoTdA.png)

The podiums are now individual, and they brought back the globe to the logo!
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: Clay Zambo on September 03, 2020, 05:33:41 PM
Picture of the set (https://i.imgur.com/qGqoTdA.png)

The podiums are now individual, and they brought back the globe to the logo!

GORGEOUS. I'm glad for the individual lecterns. I've missed them.
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: Chief-O on September 03, 2020, 07:21:24 PM
Picture of the set (https://i.imgur.com/qGqoTdA.png)

The podiums are now individual

That is quite nice. I wonder if it's the lighting or the exposure setting of the photo, but it does look a little more like the GOAT set. I do prefer the separate lecterns over the relative monolith of recent times; hopefully they'll stay once social distancing is no longer necessary.

Quote
and they brought back the globe to the logo!

Certainly a nice nod to the old days.

With (Ken) featuring so prominently, I wonder if that means the Clue Crew is done- they still have a page on the site for now, but that's the only part of the show I felt got long in the tooth- this helps with that.

I also wonder if the Clue Crew is on the way out. It sounds like Ken will be quite busy in fulfilling the roles of the whole crew with some of these shows*/categories.

And I do wonder if he'll be top candidate once Alex decides to call it a career.

(*=Edited way after the fact. I'm not Ed Sullivan.)
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: DoItRockapella on September 04, 2020, 09:40:46 AM
Somewhat related - the full credit roll on wheeloffortune.com now lists PAT SAJAK as a Consulting Producer.

https://www.wheeloffortune.com/more/the-show

As for Ken, I'm definitely interested in seeing what happens here. If he really is being groomed as the new host, I personally would be fine with that.
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: MSTieScott on September 04, 2020, 01:25:26 PM
and maybe eventually transition to host?

Obviously it's hard not to wonder if this is part of the succession plan

And I do wonder if he'll be top candidate once Alex decides to call it a career.

In the teaser video (https://twitter.com/Jeopardy/status/1301550521208233985) posted by the show, at the 15-second mark, Alex specifically says, "Don't worry -- I'll still be the host."

Whether it's addressing the question that naturally springs to everybody's mind or it's protesting a little too much is left to the viewer's interpretation.
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: TimK2003 on September 04, 2020, 05:29:54 PM
Ken's CP title likely includes the duties of being the unofficial "Emergency Host" should Alex suddenly not be able to perform his hosting duties.

To some extent, this could play out like how the final few years of The Jokers Wild (1980s) did:  Ken could be playing the role of Jim Peck as the "fill in" host (if/when needed) until Sony finds their "Bill Cullen" to become the new permanent host.
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: JakeT on September 05, 2020, 06:47:23 PM
As much as Ken is beloved as a player and a personality, I just don't think he has the gravitas to host J!  He still has a bit too much of that "aw shucks" and less of a stage command about him...

JakeT
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: Kevin Prather on September 05, 2020, 09:21:53 PM
I always figured that Brad Rutter would get offered the job before Ken, since Brad has actually hosted a quiz show before.
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: tvwxman on September 05, 2020, 09:29:52 PM

And I do wonder if he'll be top candidate once Alex decides to call it a career.

I absolutely think this is a succession plan. And even if Trebek needs to take a few weeks off, you have a  sub-host right there.

This is a good move. Much better than Anderson Cooper.
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: tvwxman on September 05, 2020, 09:31:41 PM
I always figured that Brad Rutter would get offered the job before Ken, since Brad has actually hosted a quiz show before.

What show was that?

Sorry, but outside of the Jeopardy world, no one has heard of Brad Rutter. Ken Jennings' Q score is much higher. Heck, even Jeopardy James registers more than Brad. Nothing against Brad, but, no.
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: Chief-O on September 05, 2020, 10:56:51 PM
I always figured that Brad Rutter would get offered the job before Ken, since Brad has actually hosted a quiz show before.

What show was that?

"Inquizitive" (https://web.archive.org/web/20060202223250/http://inquizitive.com/"), a high school quiz show in PA.
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: narzo on September 06, 2020, 12:51:47 AM
I always figured that Brad Rutter would get offered the job before Ken, since Brad has actually hosted a quiz show before.

Ken Jennings hosted a "quiz bowl" show for public television in 2006, in Minneapolis. 
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: goongas on September 07, 2020, 12:51:24 AM
I think this was a defensive move so Ken would not become a chaser.  I imagine he can’t do Masterminds either.
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: TLEberle on September 07, 2020, 01:12:51 AM
That’s got to be an expensive insurance policy.
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: Loogaroo on September 07, 2020, 04:20:15 PM
Sorry, but outside of the Jeopardy world, no one has heard of Brad Rutter. Ken Jennings' Q score is much higher. Heck, even Jeopardy James registers more than Brad. Nothing against Brad, but, no.

His performance in the GOAT tournament certainly didn't help.
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: Stackertosh on September 07, 2020, 05:09:11 PM
I was hoping Ken would be a Chaser.


I kinda wanted Dan Patrick to be a back up host.
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: knagl on September 07, 2020, 06:16:51 PM
As much as Ken is beloved as a player and a personality, I just don't think he has the gravitas to host J!  He still has a bit too much of that "aw shucks" and less of a stage command about him...

I think being given this "assistant" role could in fact be partially to give him more experience to shape and mold his on-camera personality, and help him become the next host. Time will tell.
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: tvwxman on September 08, 2020, 07:36:39 PM
I was hoping Ken would be a Chaser.


I kinda wanted Dan Patrick to be a back up host.
Is there anything that says he can't?  I would imagine him on both shows benefits both parties - save for overexposure. One he plays, one he produces. Both he gets paid .
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: Mr. Armadillo on September 08, 2020, 10:59:44 PM
Sorry, but outside of the Jeopardy world, no one has heard of Brad Rutter. Ken Jennings' Q score is much higher. Heck, even Jeopardy James registers more than Brad. Nothing against Brad, but, no.
True, but James doesn't rank very high on the likability scale.  People would be far more likely to watch a hypothetical "Win James Holzhauer's Money" than they would a Jeopardy! hosted by him.
Title: Re: Ken Jennings becoming J! Consulting Producer...
Post by: clemon79 on September 09, 2020, 01:26:29 PM
True, but James doesn't rank very high on the likability scale.  People would be far more likely to watch a hypothetical "Win James Holzhauer's Money" than they would a Jeopardy! hosted by him.

James was a dominant player, but we've seen dominant players before. The main reason for James' accomplishments was simple: his chosen profession involves risking his own money that he already has. When it comes to risking money someone else is giving him, he had no problem being reckless AF because when you are a pro gambler and the worst-case scenario is leaving a game with the same amount of money you had coming into it, you can't lose.