“Saturday Night Live” Weekend Update co-anchor Colin Jost — currently in Tahiti covering 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 write 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.”
