CNN legal analyst Laura Coates said the producers of Jeopardy! rejected her offer to host the show, according to USA Today. Before and after the death of Alex Trebek, there were talks of who would host the show permanently. Coates said on an episode of Tamron Hall that when she asked to take on the job, she was told no, per USA Today.
Trebek initially suggested Coates to be a candidate for the position in an interview with TMZ. “There is an attorney, Laura Coates. She’s African American and she appears on some of the cable news shows from time to time,” Trebek told TMZ. He also suggested hockey player Alex Faust.
Coates tweeted a response to finding out Trebek mentioned her. “Incredibly honored & humbled @Jeopardy Alex Trebek 1) knows who I am 2) thinks I’d be a great host of my fave game show ever that I grew up watching w/ my family & still watch w/ my own kids (who saw him say this & now think I’m a genius) #Dying,” read the tweet. Unfortunately, when she inquired about the position, she was rejected.
From USA Today:
“I certainly raised my hand and knocked on doors and found them closed. I asked for the opportunity, I was told ‘no,’ “ Coates told Hall. “Which is one of those moments, Tamron, when you have to remember to wear your own jersey. You have to remember to continue to be your own champion in other respects.”
After Trebek’s death there have been guest hosts to fill his position ranging from journalists to football players while they continue searching for a permanent host, USA Today reported. It’s a little odd that Coates wasn’t at least invited to be a guest host. Seeing a Black lady hosting one of the biggest game shows of all time would be pretty nice, though.