Former The Big Bang Theory star Mayim Bialik said she’s worried about her upcoming stint as guest host of Jeopardy!. She’s not scared of the questions though — she has a Ph.D. in neuroscience from UCLA — or even getting the tricky pronunciations wrong. No, what she fears is something closer to the vest; a worry she wears on her sleeve. That’s because she’s freaking out about blazers.
She told the hosts of The Talk recently that her biggest worry about stepping into Alex Trebek’s shoes is finding 10 outfits to go along with them.
“I like to remind people I don’t have to write the questions or answers or even understand them,” she told them. “But I do think it’s very important that I get ten blazers together. I need ten outfits. So, I’m trying to compile outfits that include different, fun blazers, because it’s my own nod to the tradition of Jeopardy!”
Bialik, who has a new show named Call me Kat, joins a list of celebrities filling in as hosts on the popular game show until a permanent replacement is named. So far Katie Couric, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and 60 Minutes correspondent Bill Whitaker have been tapped to host, among others.
Couric will guest host Jeopardy! March 8-19. Subsequently, Dr. Mehmet Oz takes over from March 22-April 2. Then Packers quarterback Rodgers hosts April 5-16. Though, no dates are set for the remaining guest hosts Bialik, Anderson Cooper, and Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Follow the schedules on Jeopardy!‘s website.
Mayim Bialik is a Lifelong Fan, and was an Answer Twice
When it was first announced, Mayim Bialik posted on Instagram that she was overwhelmed. She’s previously only been an answer on the show. But to step in for Trebek was scary but “an honor.”
“#DreamComeTrue for $500 please. 🤩😍,” she wrote on Instagram when it was announced. “From watching my whole life… to being an answer on the show… to guest hosting… this is literally a dream come true for me. I’ve been such a fan of @Jeopardy and Alex Trebek since I can remember. It will be an honor to guest host this iconic show and celebrate his great legacy.”
Bialik is a lifelong fan of the show, she told TODAY. Partly because it gave people who obsessed over facts could find a community.
“The show has made an impact on our culture,” she told TODAY. “The song is arguably one of the most ubiquitously known tunes and the notion of answers coming in the form of questions is endlessly entertaining. I also love the fact for those of us who love facts and factoids, there’s a place where we can really try and shine.’
