Dr. Oz Debuts on ‘Jeopardy!,’ and Fans Have Plenty of Feedback

Dr. Mehmet Oz is the latest individual to step into the hosting seat on JEOPARDY!. The doctor and talk show host made his debut on the program on Monday’s episode (he will be the guest host through the April 2 episode). What did fans think of his turn as the host? Based on the reaction amongst viewers, they’re not exactly clamoring for Oz to be made the permanent host of the show.

When Oz was initially announced as one of the guest hosts for JEOPARDY!, the decision was met with some criticism. Many individuals noted that the doctor has promoted dangerous conspiracy theories on his talk show, including ones tied to the coronavirus pandemic. Due to his past controversial statements, many did not believe that he was the best choice to step into Alex Trebek‘s shoes for the quiz show program. Following his first episode as the guest host, JEOPARDY! viewers, once again, voiced their feelings on his turn behind the lectern.

“Dear [Jeopardy], Having a guest host like Dr. Oz on #Jeopardy is a disgrace. He’s the antithesis of Alex Trebek,” one viewer wrote. Another fan wrote on Twitter, “#Jeopardy this Dr oz guy was so bad I might skip the next 2 weeks. Last time I missed jeopardy was after emergency surgery a decade ago. Watching him would be more painful.” Several other JEOPARDY! viewers also commented to say that they would not be tuning in to the program again until Oz’s time as the guest host was complete. While viewers were clearly not pleased about the talk show host being on the longtime series, Oz himself shared how excited he was about the opportunity with CBS Boston.

“Never in my wildest dreams thought I’d be able to come on this stage and host the show. It’s just special. It’s iconic in the psyche of America,” Oz said. “I was anxious about hosting Jeopardy! because I didn’t actually understand all the parts and how they moved. But I also wanted to make sure that I showed up in the way that the show needed me to show up.” When asked about his approach to hosting JEOPARDY!, Oz said that he wanted to make sure that knowledge was the focal point, as he said, “My main goal on the show was to make sure people knew that knowledge was accessible. We all know something. You all have something that you could be the world expert at – go do that!”