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Absent ‘Jeopardy!’ Host Mayim Bialik Feels “Useless,” “Irrelevant,” “Worthless,” Fans Still Furious

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Posted on by Nathan Kamal 2 Comments
Mayim Bialik on Jeopardy

Credit: CBS

Jeopardy! host Mayim Bialik revealed via her YouTube series Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown that she suffered feelings of being “useless, irrelevant, and worthless” in response to a question in a Ask Me Anything episode.

Mayim Bialik has been in the news of late for her controversial tenure as co-host of the long-running ABC game show Jeopardy! along with former champion Ken Jennings.

'Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings asking the Final Jeopardy! clue
Credit: ABC

Recently, Bialik stepped away from hosting duties due to the Writers Guild of America strike, which is shutting down production on innumerable TV programs and movies.

Ken Jennings himself has received criticism for crossing the picket line and continuing to host the program during the ongoing WGA strike. However, viewers of the show seem to continue to reserve their harshest feelings for Bialik.

Related: “A Big Advantage Every Show” ‘Jeopardy’ Champion Says There’s a Secret Trick to Winning

Mayim Bialik: “I’m Still a Human”

When asked, “What do you do when you feel useless, irrelevant, and worthless, or do you not ever feel that way,” to which Mayim Bialik’s response was lengthy and a bit complicated.

The Jeopardy! host said that “I do feel that way, and it’s kind of a hard question to answer because I know from where I’m sitting, obviously, I have a platform and I get to talk to people,” which seems honest enough.

She continued, “I would say I am grateful I have the opportunity to be here, and I’m still a human and I often feel like what I’m doing is not what I’m supposed to be doing, or I’m not doing it well enough, or I’m not reaching enough people, or I’m not doing it right, or I look stupid…”

“Some people like to surround themselves with people who will not make them feel useless, irrelevant and worthless, but because I’m an actor person, I grew up in a world where everyone was like, ‘You’re amazing,’ and it’s sometimes hard for me to lean into believing people.”

‘Jeopardy!’ Host Transition Has Been Rocky

The Big Bang Theory and Call Me Kat star Mayim Bialik was tapped to replace Alex Trebek as host along with Ken Jennings after the death of the iconic game show host.

However, the transition from one Jeopardy! host to another was fraught, to say the least.

Initially, Jeopardy! (which is currently produced by Sony Pictures Television) announced that there would be a series of familiar faces serving as hosts, which was largely taken to be an audition process for a potential permanent replacement.

Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings each had appearances, as did past Jeopardy! champions like Buzzy Cohen and fan-favorite television personalities like LeVar Burton.

Controversially, Jeopardy! producer Mike Richards then announced he would be taking the role, only to step down shortly after fan pushback and a number of past controversial statements resurfaced.

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Unknown Whether Mayim Bialik Will Return to ‘Jeopardy!’

The Writers Guild of America strike has no end in site, which is causing production companies to scramble for new content overseas. It also means there has been no announcement if and when Mayim Bialik will be returning to the Jeopardy! podium.

Despite not currently hosting the program, there is still a vocal contingent of Jeopardy! viewers out there who seem infuriated by Mayim Bialik’s frequent on-air gaffes and her general presence. It seems unlikely that this latest admission of hers will change that.

Should Mayim Bialik return to Jeopardy! Use the buzzer to answer in the comments below.

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Nathan Kamal

Nathan Kamal is a Chicago-based writer and comic, who enjoys cooking, hanging out with his cat, and seeing as many movies as possible.

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