# If Alex Trebek Retires from Jeopardy!, Who Should Replace Him? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 22, 2019, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804 "2019-11-22T02:30:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/1 "2019-11-22T02:30:51Z")
I have three people in mind, all who have hosted game shows: 1. Jane Lynch, although she is a wonderful actor and it would be a lot to ask her to do both. 2. Howie Mandel, known for being comical but would be mature enough and engaging enough to pull it off. 3. Brooke Burns, the one I’m most on the fence with but I think she would be great. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/2 "2019-11-22T02:36:01Z")
A little too on the nose, but Will Ferrell in character would be great. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/3 "2019-11-22T02:37:30Z")
Jeff Probst? ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/4 "2019-11-22T02:49:12Z")
I guess one question would be who \*would \*do it? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/5 "2019-11-22T03:05:44Z")
What’s Joe Besser doing? ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/6 "2019-11-22T03:08:59Z")
I know that this isnt possible unless they buried Huell in the Pet Semetary, but Tennessee native Huell Howser would have been a brilliant Jeopardy host. Im not sure that he is known outside of California, but he had a perfect balance of humor, empathy and intelligence. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/bsG0joBIb0A/maxresdefault.jpg "Glendora Castle | Visiting with Huell Howser | KCET") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsG0joBIb0A) ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/7 "2019-11-22T03:10:24Z")
Anderson Cooper ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/8 "2019-11-22T03:30:03Z")
Ken Jennings, naturally. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/9 "2019-11-22T05:30:24Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > What’s Joe Besser doing? Pushing up daisies. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/10 "2019-11-22T05:36:15Z")
Troy Stevens _SMACK!_ Ow! Runs away… ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/11 "2019-11-22T14:03:09Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Anderson Cooper > [@Smapti](#): > > Ken Jennings, naturally. Either of these two would get my vote. Also Brad Rutter or James Holzhauer. But I’m sure Trebek’s replacement has already been chosen. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/12 "2019-11-22T14:13:33Z")
Sean Connery. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/13 "2019-11-22T14:45:02Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Ken Jennings, naturally. I thought there was a consensus on this! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/14 "2019-11-22T14:50:20Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Sean Connery. That’s what I was going to say. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/15 "2019-11-22T15:06:15Z")
It really is a very difficult question. Jeopardy is a show about questions. Trebek has always been a little pompous, but he also does a great job of not trying to make the show about himself. Add even a couple extraneous minutes of vamping or comedy and suddenly you don’t have enough time to clear both boards on air. So you need somebody who can keep the show running smoothly like Trebek. But you also need somebody who is distinct, because Alex Trebek \*\*is \*\*Jeopardy. If viewers get the impression that the new host is just a cheap copy or a purposeful imitation, it won’t go over well. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/16 "2019-11-22T15:19:44Z")
I’d nominate Ryan Reynolds. I think he would make a great host. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/17 "2019-11-22T15:25:37Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Sean Connery. Who is your mother’s favorite lover, Trebek? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/18 "2019-11-22T15:33:25Z")
John Lovitz ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/19 "2019-11-22T15:43:35Z")
[Previous thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=859667) from July 2018, when Alex said in an interview that he might retire in 2020. I think this was before the cancer diagnosis. The thread includes some suggestions, including some names mentioned above. ---
**Author:** ![txjim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f07891/32.png) [@txjim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/txjim)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804/20 "2019-11-22T16:13:35Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > … > > But you also need somebody who is distinct, because Alex Trebek \*\*is \*\*Jeopardy. If viewers get the impression that the new host is just a cheap copy or a purposeful imitation, it won’t go over well. Is that what we said when Art Fleming was replaced on the second reboot? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-alex-trebek-retires-from-jeopardy-who-should-replace-him/843804.md?page=2)