Jeopardy’s Controversial Guest Host Has Contestants Furious

While Ken Jennings seems to be the most popular guest host of Jeopardy! so far, there already seems to be a clear least favorite. The show is cycling through guest hosts this season after the tragic death of the iconic Alex Trebek, and the show just announced the next four guests to temporarily assume the role of question master.

Videos by Suggest

The latest four include Today‘s Savannah Guthrie and CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, as well as Dr. Mehmet Oz. Dr. Oz, of course, is famous for The Dr. Oz Show, and while he is indeed a medical professional with both an MD and MBA, he’s by far the most controversial of the new crop of guests. The TV host has been called out by scores of professionals and publications alike, with the New Yorker questioning whether or not he was doing more harm than good all the back in 2013 and fellow doctors begging Columbia University to distance itself from the host due to his promotion of pseudoscientific treatments and alternative medicine.

Even the American Medical Association’s Journal of Ethics had nothing kind to say about Dr. Oz for making multiple inaccurate statements regarding treatment plans and dietary concerns. The TV host has also been branded a snake-oil salesman for using his show to promote things like fake cancer treatments and “gay reparative therapy” designed to turn a gay person straight. Jelisa Castrodale, a former Jeopardy! contestant, wrote for Vice regarding the decision to bring Dr. Oz on as host and said that there were multiple alumni of the show expressing frustration and confusion over the situation in a Facebook group. For a program dedicated to facts and knowledge, it does seem a bit baffling to let someone with a history of misinformation take the role.

While Ken Jennings had a brief bit of controversy himself, his Twitter troubles pale in comparison to the allegations against Dr. Oz’s role in harming public health. That being said, Dr. Oz still commands a massive audience and influence, and we ultimately doubt that his guesting gig will be taken away. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Katie Couric, and actress Mayim Bialik will all be serving as guest hosts as well. Unsurprisingly, the announcement of those guests was met with excitement. A permanent replacement host has not been selected and likely won’t be announced for several months.