Ken Jennings Shares His Love for Elvis Costello in ‘Track Star’ Music Quiz

Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings is used to asking questions, but he was in the hot seat when he appeared on the latest episode of the web series quiz show Track Star.

For those unfamiliar, Track Star, hosted by Jack Coyne, sees contestants offered a double-or-nothing wager on whether they can identify music artists and bands from chosen songs. Several celebrities have taken on the challenge, including Jimmy Fallon, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Oprah Winfrey, Olivia Rodrigo, and even former Vice President Kamala Harris.

“I have very fond memories of having to answer this stuff… but not in the middle of the street,” Jennings said after correctly identifying an Animal Collective song. The game show host rose to fame as Jeopardy!‘s winningest contestant, winning 74 consecutive episodes in 2004.

Jennings proved to know his music, correctly recognizing The Velvet Underground. He admitted to loving the “alternative stuff,” growing up as a Gen-Xer who didn’t care about what was in the Top 40.

 

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Next, he identified “Mystery Dance” by Elvis Costello and said he first learned of his music through Saturday Night Live. “Elvis Costello was actually banned from SNL for a long time,” Jennings said, because of a dispute over what song he should play on the NBC show.

But when Jennings was a teenager, Costello returned to SNL for the first time in a long time, and he was instantly hooked. “This is amazing. Who is this guy?” Jennings remembered thinking at the time.

Now, Jennings said he’s seen Costello live “more than any other artist… I’ve seen him like five times… six times.” However, while the game show host said he enjoys going to concerts, he’s “a little older now,” so he likes a show where he can “sit” and where the headliner goes on “before 8 pm.”

“I’m at the concert at the zoo where all the moms are drinking wine,” Jennings joked. “That’s my scene now.”

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Fans loved the video and were impressed by Jennings’ music knowledge.

“This is a big day for members of the Ken Jennings fan club,” said one Instagram commenter.

“KEN JENNINGS KNOWS MUSIC BALL AND IVE BEEN SAYING THIS,” another added.

“He knows the Chumbawumba lore,” one fan wrote.

Another added, “I can confirm Ken Jennings goes to zoo concerts because I saw him at the Elvis Costello one last year!”

“Ken Jennings is a stud,” one commenter added.