While there have been plenty of TV sitcoms that feature stand-up comedians playing comedians, or actors playing actors, The Big Bang Theory was the rare show to feature a neuroscientist actress playing a neuroscientist character. Such is the brilliance of Mayim Bialik, who is getting to display that intelligence on the Jeopardy! stage, though not merely as one of the three contestants, but rather as a guest host temporarily filling the void left by the iconic Alex Trebek.
Mayim Bialik was previously tapped as one of the various entertainers and journalists that Jeopardy! producers wanted to bring in as a short-term host as they attempt to one day find a stable replacement for the ostensibly irreplaceable Alex Trebek. But don't think that the impermanence of this gig has dampened Bialik's excitement about the job one single iota. Here's the Call Me Kat star's spoiler-free Instagram post from the set:
A good day at work indeed. First, let's give Mayim Bialik a big thumbs up for that jacket, which is definitely as pimp as the majority of Alex Trebek's suit jackets, if not more so. We all know Trebek's tie game was truly the epitome of his signature style anyway, so it's probably best that Bialik didn't decide to get cutesy by wearing a tie herself. (I guess it could still happen while taping another episode, but still.)
Mayim Bialik was first named as one of the Jeopardy! guest hosts back in January, as the producers were figuring how to handle the beloved game show in a post-Trebek world, at least without just giving the Jeopardy! GOAT Ken Jennings the keys to the castle. And the brainy former child star seemed quick to agree to the gig, taking to social media at the time to talk about her longtime fandom, which is bolstered by the fact that she's also been namechecked on the show a few times. In her words:
I remember I have been the answer more than once and that really freaked me out as a teenager! I often get really anxious having to answer things on the spot, so the show always made me a little bit anxious, but I hope that as a host I will be less anxious!
Regardless of how smoothly it goes, I'm betting that Mayim Bialik will be a delight as Jeopardy! host, bringing all kinds of smiles and warm feelings to the trivia. We probably shouldn't expect to see any of her Big Bang Theory co-stars popping up, but it would definitely rock if there were a few themed categories that pay tribute to the actress' career on TV and elsewhere.
There's still no publicly announced plan in place for a permanent Jeopardy! host, though fans still have a selection of stand-ins to enjoy in the coming weeks and months. With Katie Couric's run as the first female Jeopardy! host ending this week, fans can next look forward to two weeks each from TV host Dr. Mehmet Oz, NFL icon Aaron Rodgers, CNN host Anderson Cooper, Today's Savannah Guthrie, 60 Minutes' Bill Whittaker, and CNN correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Bialik's episodes will be slotted between Guthrie's and Whittaker's.
