Jeopardy!'s Ken Jennings given three-word 'bratty' label by staff after first season as solo host

Filling the shoes of the late Alex Trebek was never going to be easy, and Ken Jennings is quickly learning how hard it might be to earn everyone's respect. The Jeopardy! host is reportedly working to shed the image of being a "bratty little brother" amid the game show's longtime staff.

Ken became Jeopardy!'s permanent host in December after actress Mayim Bialik's departure . Ken just finished his first season as the show's solitary host and while he has been a fan favorite for some time, he still has ways to go to reach the long tenure and legacy that the beloved original host left behind.

"Ken has a lot of fans on the staff because a good number of the crew members who saw his rise to game show fame 20 years ago on the show are still in those jobs," a Sony source told The Sun. "They've all grown old together, and he may have a 'bratty little brother' vibe to him sometimes, but Ken is still an important part of the family. It remains to be seen if he can evolve into the father figure and leader that Alex was for almost his entire run."

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The team's current goal has been to retain Jeopardy!'s reputation as America's most respected and most beloved game show with Ken at the helm. "Right now the focus for everybody, but especially Ken, is: 'Don't kill the golden goose.' Everybody working on the show right now wants it to keep going for another 20 years, ideally with Ken in the hosting seat," the insider said. "The crew, like the audience, values consistency in the ratings and in the production."

Fans have been somewhat critical of the show as of late, having strong opinions about the host giving away clues and even calling the Celebrity Jeopardy! spinoff a "failure," saying that it cheapens what the show is about because of its focus on the famous contestants left them feeling "irritated."

Ken is still regarded as the show's best contestant of all time after he won a record 74 games straight. Still, Alex hosted the show for 35 years, starting in 1984 and ending at the time of his death in 2020. Ken is about to embark on a new season where he will have to continue proving himself. Jeopardy!'s season 41 premieres on Sep. 9.