'Jeopardy!' Gets Backlash for Naming Dr. Oz a Guest Host

The official Jeopardy! Twitter account announced a slate of upcoming guest hosts for the show on Tuesday, but fans took issue with one name on the list: Dr. Mehmet Oz. The talk show doctor has a bad reputation when it comes to scientific accuracy, and has promoted some legitimately dangerous theories — especially since the coronavirus pandemic began. Considering Jeopardy!'s focus on objective facts, many fans complained that he is a bad fit for the show.

Oz is the next host in line on Jeopardy!'s list of upcoming appearances, followed by Anderson Cooper, Savannah Guthrie, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Katie Couric, Aaron Rodgers, Bill Whitaker, Mayim Bialik, Ken Jennings and Mike Richards. Out of all of them, viewers took the most issue with Oz. Many of his most inflammatory statements over the years have resurfaced in the wake of this announcement.

As appalled as fans were, their tweets seem unlikely to change the show's line-up. Many of those posting on social media are relatively young, at least compared to the game show's target audience. A source close to the production told Page Six that viewers' median age is 64.2 years old. "The Jeopardy! audience is very conservative. And the show has always steered clear of politics," the insider said. "Jeopardy! viewers are quite a traditional bunch."

Tradition is not a big part of Oz's brand either, but it makes sense that he would be popular with this older, more conservative crowd. Still, that did not stop fans from making themselves heard on social media. Here is a look at what they had to say about Oz guest-hosting Jeopardy!