Ken Jennings Throws Shade at ‘Jeopardy!’ Over New Pope Selection
Ken Jennings took an unexpected jab at Jeopardy! in relation to their host selection. The swipe came after Pope Francis‘ death, and someone suggested they pick the new pope like they pick game show hosts. Pope Francis died at the age of 88 on Monday, April 21, in Vatican City. According to the Vatican, the pontiff died of a cerebral stroke that led to a coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse. After a pope dies, a new one is voted on by the cardinals of the Catholic Church.
Executive Producer of John Oliver‘s Last Week Tonight, Tim Carvell, posted on BlueSky on Monday April 21, after he learned of the pope’s death. “I’m just saying, maybe try a rotating cast of celebrity Cardinals each doing it for a week until you find the one you like,” he wrote.
This was in reference to Jeopardy!, when after Alex Trebek‘s death, the game show had rotating hosts, until they settled on Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik and then eventually just Jennings.
Musical comedic duo Paul and Storm quoted Carvell’s post, adding, “Unfortunately, the executive producer of the Vatican just appointed himself the new pope.”
Jennings resposted the conversation to his account. After Paul and Storm saw that the Jeopardy! great reshared their post, they shared a screenshot of his repost. “Mission accomplished,” they wrote above it.
[P] <mission-accomplished-banner.jpg>
— Paul and Storm (@paulandstorm.bsky.social) April 21, 2025 at 5:32 PM
“How could I not?” Jennings replied.
In June 2023, Jeopardy! champion James Holzhauer mocked the show’s host fiasco. On the day it was announced that Ryan Seacrest would be the new host of Wheel of Fortune, Holzhauer tweeted about Jeopardy! having two hosts and the drawn out process to pick one.
“Wheel of Fortune went about this all wrong. First you subject the contestants and viewers to an endless parade of temps who don’t prepare before hosting. Then the producer in charge of the search says ‘Actually, *I* would be the perfect host.’ Then ‘jk we have two hosts now’,” he tweeted.
Fans were quick to agree with Holzhauer in his Twitter feed.
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