Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings appeared on Live With Kelly and Mark and shared whether or not the questions for the celebrity version are “dumbed down” or not.
Season 4 of Celebrity Jeopardy! premieres on ABC on Friday, March 13. In the midst of the press tour, Jennings is speaking out about the All-Star season, after fans have speculated about the difficulty of the spinoff.
Live host Kelly Ripa asked him on March 5, “Let me ask you this. Do they make the questions easier for celebrities?”
“That’s a nice way to say that,” Jennings replied. “You didn’t say ‘dumbed down.’” He laughed.
“No. Celebrity Jeopardy! is for real Jeopardy! Our brand is ‘smart people knowing smart stuff,’ and that’s true even if it’s the celebrity version,” the host confirmed.
He went on to say that they typically ask harder questions about movies or theaters to celebrities. “Well, yeah, because that’s their business,” Ripa replied.
“We know they’re playing for charity. Even in the regular show, we want people to be correct. Jeopardy! is never trying to stump anyone,” Jennings confirmed.
“The show kind of fails if it’s three people doing this.” Jennings stood there, pretending to hold a buzzer, staring blankly. “We want somebody to know it, and that’s true of the celebrity shows, but it’s still for real knowledge.”
Jennings went on to say that it is not the Saturday Night Live version, where the categories are “A Word That Rhymes With Urple.”
“I always crush that one,” Ripa joked, which made Jennings laugh.
Jennings theory for those who win is that they are comedians because they can come up with answers quickly and are not embarrassed to yell at a heckler or embarrass themselves in public. “Everything bad has happened to them on stage,” he said.
Season 1 winner, Ike Barinholtz, will compete with Abbott Elementary star and Season 2 winner, Lisa Ann Walter, as well as comedian and Season 3 winner, W. Kamau Bell.
They will be joined by Margaret Cho, Macaulay Culkin, Rachel Dratch, Mark Duplass, Sean Gunn, Mina Kimes, Cynthia Nixon, Katie Nolan, Patton Oswalt, Andy Richter, Mo Rocca, Ray Romano, Tim Simons, Mira Sorvino, Robin Thede, Jackie Tohn, Steven Weber, and Roy Wood Jr.
Celebrity Jeopardy! All-Stars, Friday, March 13, 8/7c, ABC, Streaming on Hulu Next Day
Jeopardy!, weekdays, check local listings, stream next day on Hulu and Peacock