Has ‘Jeopardy!’ Hall Of Fame Snubbed Deserving Candidate?

Ken Jennings on Jeopardy! | YouTube

Jeopardy! launched its new annual Honors ceremony in 2022, where people will be inducted into the Jeopardy! Hall of Fame each year. Six people have been inducted so far. However, one person is missing, and fans believe the show has insulted one legendary figure.

Here is who fans feel the Hall of Fame has snubbed and why they feel it is insulting.

Has Jeopardy! Hall Of Fame Snubbed Deserving Candidate?

The Jeopardy! Honors ceremony now takes place every year, and six people have been inducted since it started in 2022.

Ken Jennings in Jeopardy! | YouTube
Ken Jennings in Jeopardy! | YouTube

The six people inducted so far include Alex Trebek (the former host), Merv Griffin (the creator), Juliann Griffin (Merv’s wife), Harry Friedman (the former showrunner), Johnny Gilbert (the announcer), and Steven Dorfman (a longtime writer). The first five were inducted in 2022, and Dorfman was inducted in 2024.

However, the fans feel that someone who should be in the Hall of Fame isn’t yet, and he might deserve it more than others in the Hall so far. Art Fleming is not in the Hall of Fame. He doesn’t even have a section on the Jeopardy.com website.

Art Fleming was the first Jeopardy! host. He ran the show from 1964 until 1975 and again from 1978 to 1979. After he left the show, Alex Trebek came aboard and hosted the show for 36 years until his death in 2020.

Fans Lash Out At Jeopardy! Honors Hall Of Fame Ommission

The fact that Jeopardy! hasn’t added its original host to the Hall but hasn’t mentioned him at all have many fans mad.

Here are random comments from fans on social media about the Hall of Fame snubbing the original host, Art Fleming.

  • “I find it infuriating. It’s been 2 ceremonies, and they haven’t honored him. He should have been honored the very first ceremony.”
  • “Jeopardy! NEEDS to honor Art Fleming at the next Jeopardy! honors ceremony.”
  • “I agree, Fleming should at least be mentioned since the current producers did acknowledge and word it as ’60th Diamond Celebration’. I’d write to [EP Michael] Davies.”

Art Fleming started his career in radio after serving as a patrol bomber in the Atlantic during World War II. He then moved on to television and appeared in many TV commercials. He was an actor and put that on hold when he began hosting Jeopardy! However, when Merv Griffin began developing the Jeopardy! revival in 1983, Fleming wouldn’t return, so Alex Trebek won the job.

Fleming criticized the show when it returned, saying it felt “superficial and anti-intellectual.” He said the new show was too easy, and too many hints were added to the clues. Fleming died in 1995.

What are our thoughts about Jeopardy! not honoring Art Fleming yet on the Honors Hall of Fame shows? Do you think he needs to be inducted ASAP? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Shawn Lealos
Follow me

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *