The Jeopardy franchise announced in May that they were launching a new spinoff called Pop Culture Jeopardy, dedicated entirely to, yes, pop culture categories. But the shake ups didn’t stop there! Not only is the focus zeroed in on the world of pop culture, it will stream on Amazon Prime (instead of airing nightly on ABC), and the format will be different, featuring three-person teams instead of solo players. In a rare act of restraint before sarcasm, I have vowed to wait until seeing the team-play structure in action before rendering my (likely scathing) judgment. But of course the biggest question lingering around the series was: who will be the host? The name has just been confirmed, and to answer Jeopardy style: Who is Colin Jost?

“Saturday Night Live” Weekend Update co-anchor Colin Jost — currently in Tahiti surfing (and injuring his toes) for NBC’s Summer Olympics coverage — has another new job: Host of “Pop Culture Jeopardy!”

The “Jeopardy!” spin-off, announced in May, will run on Amazon’s Prime Video and start production in August, presumably once Jost gets back from the islands. The series, which comes from Sony Pictures Television (and its game show division), is being billed as “the first ‘Jeopardy!’ series created exclusively for a major streaming service” (sorry, Crackle).

“Colin’s sharp wit and intelligence epitomize ‘Pop Culture Jeopardy!,’” said Suzanne Prete, the president of game shows at Sony Pictures Television, said in a statement. “He’s smart and quick, like our contestants, and we know he’ll be able to keep up with them while making this new series his own. We could not be happier that he is joining us for this new journey.”

Set up like the “Jeopardy!” gameplay, the show’s “answer-and-question” format will focus on music, film, TV, stage, sports and more. Contestants will play in teams of three and compete in a tournament-style event. Episodes will premiere on Prime Video across the globe.

“We’re thrilled to welcome the multi-talented Colin Jost as the host of ‘Pop Culture Jeopardy!,’” said Lauren Anderson, head of brand and content innovation at Amazon MGM Studios. “Colin’s wry affability and pop culture fluency make him uniquely qualified as the perfect host for this new iteration of the beloved franchise.”

“Pop Culture Jeopardy!” is produced by Sony Pictures Television for Prime Video. Michael Davies is executive producer.

Jost first joined “SNL” in 2005 and has been the co-anchor of “Weekend Update” since 2014. He has won five Writers Guild Awards, two Peabody Awards and has been nominated for 14 Emmys for writing on “SNL.”

Jost also wrote the film “Staten Island Summer” and has been seen in films including “How to Be Single,” “Coming 2 America” and “Tom and Jerry.” He also released the memoir “A Very Punchable Face” in 2020.

As for hosting “Pop Culture Jeopardy!,” Colin quipped, “What is: I’m excited.”

[From Variety

Colin Jost has had an eventful summer. First he gets to “work” covering the Paris Olympics… in Tahiti! (Yes, I know it’s been one disaster after another.) And now he lands Pop Culture Jeopardy! I mean, congrats to Colin, but this isn’t gonna impede his SNL writing, will it? Because we need him this fall! Come on, it’s SNL in an election year, AND Maya Rudolph is pushing back her Loot production schedule to return as Kamala Harris! You have a duty to your country now, Mr. Jost. All kidding aside (I was deathly serious), I would like to take partial credit for CB and myself being somewhat on the right track when we were brainstorming potential hosts. CB mentioned Ike Barinholtz, who won Celebrity Jeopardy last year, and I agreed he would make an excellent host given his MADtv background. And then they pick someone from SNL. We were so close! (Yet also completely wrong.)

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not give a heartfelt shout-out to Lainey at LaineyGossip, who made an impassioned plea for this gig. I hope she does the next best thing by going on the show and killing it.

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