‘Jeopardy! Host Ken Jennings Reveals Who He Wants to Play Him on ‘SNL’

Jeopardy!, Inc.

Ken Jennings has become one of the most famous faces on television thanks to Jeopardy!  Carrying the torch of Alex Trebek has taken him to another level in terms of celebrity. So surely the time is right for Jennings to get the Saturday Night Live treatment.

During the iconic NBC sketch show’s run Jeopardy! bits have given audiences some of the most memorable moments. Who could ever forget those “Celebrity Jeopardy!” segments that ran from the mid-1990s up to almost a decade ago?  Will Ferrell stepped into the legendary shoes of Trebek. The comedic actor provided major LOL moments alongside Darrell Hammond as Sean Connery.

Now Ken himself has revealed who he would like to portray him on SNL. And his choice will not only surprise most people, it’s pure genius. Sure, a fun way for the late-night sketch show to poke fun at Ken would be to have SNL regular Colin Jost take part in a skit. After all, he already has an obvious link with Ken through his gig hosting Pop Culture Jeopardy!

Now it’s been revealed that during a recent Jeopardy! taping, someone actually asked Ken who he’d like to see portray him on SNL. His answer, according to the Inside Jeopardy! podcast was none other than former cast member Kate McKinnon.

Kate McKinnon. Photo Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Universal Pictures International

Of course, the actress is no stranger to impersonating famous faces who happen to be male including pop star Justin Bieber and political figures Rudy Giuliani and Jeff Sessions.

But there are also other Ken Jennings doppelgängers out in the wide world of showbiz.

Back in 2022, Ken recalled the time he was confused with veteran actor Richard Jenkins. The 50-year-old was asked to sign photos of the Emmy winner from the 2008 film Step Brothers, which ironically also stars Ferrell. So there are your degrees of separation connection, but maybe the now 77-year-old Jenkins would not be the best fit.

Mikey Day (NBC)

There are some names on the current SNL roster who have the potential to do a good job playing “The Professor.” Among them is Mikey Day, who started with the show in 2013 as a writer before going in front of the camera. Stepping up to repertory player in 2018, he certainly showed his ability to tackle roles that are not only human like Donald Trump Jr. or President Joe Biden but animated as well when he played MTV’s Butt-Head with Ryan Gosling’s Beavis.

James Austin Johnson during the “British Cavemen” sketch on Saturday, May 11, 2024 — (Photo by: Will Heath/NBC)

However, when adding in a specific look for Jennings, you have to admit that James Austin Johnson would be a great choice for the job. The relative newcomer to the group, starting with SNL in 2021, certainly brings the quiz host aura. Much like Day, Johnson also made headlines impersonating a president in Donald Trump for the series.

Who do you think should play Ken Jennings on SNL? Let us know in the comments.