Mayim Bialik ‘Clearly Taunting’ Ken Jennings by Teasing Future With ‘Jeopardy!’: ‘Psychological Warfare’
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Edge at Hudson Yards, Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Mayim Bialik is getting a lot of attention after a recent interview in which she seemed open to a possible return to Jeopardy!, but sources exclusively tell Closer she’s just stirring the pot to get a rise out of host Ken Jennings.
“The consensus is she’s playing a pretty nasty game of psychological warfare,” an insider says. “People around her are wondering what she’s talking about. She’s clearly taunting Ken because everyone knows she has absolutely no intention of going back, even if they begged her.”
The drama began after the Blossom alum, 48, and the former computer programmer, 50, were announced as cohosts in 2021, following the death of Alex Trebek. They continued rotating the position into 2022 and 2023.
However, in December 2023, Mayim shared a statement on her Instagram account announcing she would not return to cohost Jeopardy! in the new year, explaining, “Sony has informed me that I will no longer be hosting the syndicated version of Jeopardy!.”
Ken became the permanent sole host of Jeopardy! starting with the show’s 40th season.
“It really sticks in her throat how shabbily she was treated towards the end,” says the Closer source, adding that she felt “hung out to dry and backstabbed by the bosses.”
Mayim did, in fact, seem a bit miffed when she wasn’t set to return as Jeopardy! host, noting in her 2023 statement, “I am incredibly honored to have been nominated for a primetime Emmy for hosting this year and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the Jeopardy! family.”
The source points out, “She left on bad terms, but she’s still got a lot of pride.”
Corey Nickols/Getty Images for IMDb
Since Ken took over, however, he’s been criticized for his interactions with contestants — and it seems as though Mayim is getting the last laugh.
“Ken’s under so much pressure and this close to falling flat on his face, and she feels it’s karma,” the source explains. “She’s enjoying it with a bowl of popcorn.”
While Mayim “insists she doesn’t hate Ken,” the insider adds, “she’s not cheering him on either.”
Mayim’s abrupt departure from the show came as a shock to its longtime fans, but the network decided to move forward with only one.
“Mayim Bialik has announced she will no longer be hosting the syndicated version of Jeopardy!,” a spokesperson for the show previously said in a statement. “We made the decision to have one host for the syndicated show next season to maintain continuity for our viewers, and Ken Jennings will be the sole host for syndicated Jeopardy!.”
In her recent interview with Fox News, Mayim said, “I’m definitely still a fan of the show and very honored that I was nominated for an Emmy for my work there. That is something that I got to change my bio, that I was nominated for Jeopardy!.”
As for her future with the game show, she teased, “Yeah, it’s something I’m still very proud of. And yeah, we’ll see what happens this season.”
The 41st season of Jeopardy! returned on September 9.
