Written By: William Morales
Green Bay Packers Quarterback and NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers has shown he has the talent to host Jeopardy! after a very successful two-week stint.
After the unfortunate passing of Alex Trebek, the legendary Jeopardy! game-show host, in November, the producers have been looking for a new host to carry on his legacy. Many interim hosts have been given the chance to, not replace, but follow in the footsteps of Trebek. Ken Jennings hosted for 6 weeks through January and February and is well known for winning 74 straight games on the show. Mike Richards, the executive producer of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, hosted two weeks behind the famed podium. Following them, were Katie Couric, a journalist for CBS, and the well-known Dr. Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon with his own television show. These last two weeks have been special for sports fans, as future NFL Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers has taken the reins of the show.
Many sports fans see Aaron Rodgers as a very monotone and normal man. His first Jeopardy! appearance easily verified this belief. I, and many others, sat down to watch the first show and notice that Aaron was very relaxed and encompassed very little personality, until final Jeopardy! Scott Shewfelt, the defending champion, referenced the Packers’ loss in the NFC championship that was questioned heavily with his final answer: “Who decided to kick that field goal?”. This answer caught Rodgers completely by surprise and left him with a witty response and a soft smile.
After day one, the quarterback turned TV host looked like a new man. Spitting out witty remarks, speaking with confidence, and conversing strongly with the participants are all reasons why Jeopardy! ratings have jumped back up. One of the clue creators that has been with the gameshow for 20 years, Jimmy McGuire, had some interesting things to say in an interview. Lindsay Wilcox reported: “He said Aaron Rodgers was the best guest host they had seen so far.” (CBS) The way Rodgers has presented himself over the past two weeks has wowed audiences, executives, and contestants. Don’t be shocked if you see Rodgers on Monday Night Football and 7:30 Jeopardy! at the same time (The show is filmed in advance!).
The great Alex Trebek was known to be inspirational and he once said “Take your job seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously. After one of the shows, Aaron Rodgers posted a photo of the podium and all of the sticky he kept handy. This photo is the epitome of the previous quote. While the sticky notes along the bottom give him important yet simple reminders, the top one says, “Don’t pick your nose/butt.” Rodgers said he put it there in case “anyone was looking at my podium between games.” It was extremely light-spirited and funny to see. His most recent post on Instagram shows his appreciation and enjoyment and he finalizes it by using two hashtags: #lovethisshowsomuch and #somuchgratitude.
The consideration that Rodgers is getting is higher by a decent margin according to several Jeopardy! employees. At this rate, if none of the upcoming interim hosts can compete, Rodgers may have found a post-retirement job. He has showed great respect towards the show and a strong passion as well. It will be weird seeing the Packers legend on a gameshow each night, but it would definitely be a great tribute to both Jeopardy! and Alex Trebek.