‘Jeopardy!’ host Ken Jennings explains how show works for ‘red states, blue states’: ‘Bizarrely universal’

"Jeopardy!" host Ken Jennings is celebrating the long-running game show’s broad appeal with audiences.

In a new interview with "CBS Sunday Morning," Jennings said, "The great and the odd thing about 'Jeopardy!' is, it's kind of universally popular. Old people like 'Jeopardy!,' young people like 'Jeopardy!,' red states, blue states. It's bizarrely universal." 

He continued, "America still agrees that there's, like, a half-hour every day where facts do matter, and we are allowed to adjudicate things as right or wrong actually based on science and history. And I do think that's an important bulwark."

Jennings reflected on his long-standing interest in game shows, which began as a Mormon kid growing up in Korea. 

"Jeopardy!" host Ken Jennings told "CBS Sunday Morning" that the show is "bizarrely universal," and is "a half-hour every day where facts do matter." (Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images)

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"I think it was actually the gameplay itself," he said of their appeal. "It was a version of the world with well-defined rules, where you could watch a few of them and understand the format. And as a kid, dealing with a confusing world, game shows are different. You know, questions get answered almost immediately. You know, for a right answer there's a nice little ping; for a wrong answer there's an immediate buzz. It's not like life, which is messy. Game shows are neat and fun and easy."

After scoring a record-setting 74 straight wins and $2.5 million in total, Jennings was tapped to become a part of the show as host.

"It's kind of the plot of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,' I guess: a retiring leader of a franchise takes, you know, five little boys and girls to see which one of them really loves his chocolate the most. And I was the one that didn't get sucked up the pipe or whatever," he joked.

Jennings said he taking over hosting duties feels like "the plot of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.’" (Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images)

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Jennings began sharing hosting duties with Mayim Bialik in 2021 as part of the show’s audition process following the death of Alex Trebek. In 2022, they were announced as new permanent hosts, and took turns hosting regular episodes and tournaments, while Bialik solely handled "Celebrity Jeopardy!"

Bialik announced she was let go from the show in December 2023, and Jennings has been handling the role solo since.

Jennings shared hosting duties with Mayim Bialik for a time before taking over full time in 2023. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

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He told "CBS Sunday Morning" he still looks to Trebek for guidance, after having watched, and later played with him for so many years.

"If I was ever at sea, I would just think, 'What would Alex do here?'" Jennings said. "And often, it was to do less."

Jennings said he still looks to Trebek's example for guidance as host of "Jeopardy!" (Jeopardy Productions via Getty Images)

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Jennings continued, "He had this amazing minimalist kind of light touch, where he never wanted the focus to be on himself, which is such an unusual, beautiful thing in show business. I kind of feel like even now. I want to be Alex Trebek when I grow up, because nobody's ever gonna do that job as well as he did it."