'Jeopardy!' Permanent Host: How Buzzy Cohen Beats Celebrities For Permanent Host Position
Buzzy Cohen, whose real name is Austin David Cohen, will host the two-week tournament.
On Monday, Cohen will officially preside for the two-week Tournament of Champions. His newest gig as the show's host finally granted his long-time quest, as other guest hosts have.
But among the previous and upcoming guest hosts, Cohen outshined them all while people asked why "Jeopardy!" chose him for the tournament.
Why "Jeopardy!" Chose Buzzy Cohen For Tournament of Champions
Before starting his two-week stint, Cohen and executive producer Mike Richards sat down for an interview with USA Today where they talked about the job.
According to Cohen, the "Mr. Personality" nickname, Trebek gave to him made him want to host the show even more. He revealed that he once jokingly told the late host that he would take over once he retired.
Still, "Jeopardy!" people knew that being a host has been Cohen's dream job.
"I didn't think anything would come of it, and I certainly wasn't calling Sony, being like, 'Hey, can I get a shoutout?'" he said.
Cohen joined the 15 other guest hosts who also want to lead the game show permanently.
As to the reason why he became the top pick for the position, Richards explained that Cohen's nerdy appeal and playful statements made him one of the great personalities to be ever discovered on the show.
"For me hosting is about being reverent to the clues, being reverent to the contestants. I think that what Alex was good at, and what I really tried to embody, was when there are moments where you can bring levity, I do it," the executive producer added.
He went on to say that Buzzy could pull off jobs both as a contestant and as a host despite having different responsibilities.
Cohen and Richards already worked together for "Who Wants to be a Millionaire." Even during that time, the producer saw Cohen as someone "funny, charming, and great."
Because of these traits, Richards believes that Cohen can put contestants at ease during the Tournament of Champions.
When asked whether he would take the job permanently, Cohen quickly said he would love to "in a heartbeat."
"I'd love to be the host of this show that I've loved since I was like, 9 years old and is such a part of who I am," he continued.
