A podium is a stage or platform; you stand on a podium. The contestants on Jeopardy! (like me) stand behind lecterns with fixed mikes.
Assuming no one’s adverse to WAGs: (oops)
He doesn’t know what to do with his hands, and thus needs a mike, but doesn’t want a big fat phallic symbol there all the time.
It’s probably in security-blanket territory by now. Barker likes it, he feels comfortable with it, he’d feel uncomfortable without it, so why mess with it?
:smack:
Aaagh!
Don’t I feel like the dolt!
Slight hijack:
Hey, Walloon, if that really is your background, would you care to chime in on my thread about Dutch and Flemish not being separate languages?
I have now asked in that thread whether Belgium should be carved up between France and the Netherlands. Any thoughts? (Post 'em over there.)
BTW, no offense, it’s a silly question, I know.
And now back to your regularly scheduled thread. 