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I’m a little bemused by the NY Post story today that George Stephanopolous wants to host “Jeopardy!” Maybe for a day, but George already hosts “Good Morning America” every morning on ABC and has to be available for the serious stuff on ABC Evening News. Plus, “Jeopardy!” is produced in Los Angeles with “Wheel of Fortune.” They’re a package.
So, seriously: sources tell me that Alex Trebek’s successor is likely Ken Jennings, considered the Greatest of All Time GOAT player of the game. Jennings was hired last January as a consulting producer to groom him for the job. My sources say everyone connected with the show, all the producers, “love him.”
It makes sense. Jennings is already part of the family. Since Trebek died, he’s expressed his deep sorrow and admiration for Alex. Trebek remains on the air with new shows through Christmas. My guess is that after two weeks of holiday reruns, Jennings will be announced as the new host in early January 2021.
President-elect Joe Biden has announced the members of his COVID task force. And guess what? They are all doctors and scientists.
Not included: the guy from “My Pillow” or anyone from Clorox.
Dr. Anthony Fauci can’t join until Biden and Kamala Harris are sworn in on January 20th. He’s still the head of the NIAID and he’s still got to deal with Trump and Pence until then. Dr. Deborah Birx is shopping for scarves.
Here are the members of the task force. Note: this is what it means when you say “I’ll get the best people.”
· Ezekiel Emanuel, chair of the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania.
· Atul Gawande, a surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a professor at Harvard Medical School who is a prolific author.
· Michael T. Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.
· Eric Goosby, global AIDS coordinator under President Barack Obama and professor of medicine at the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine.
· Celine R. Gounder, clinical assistant professor of medicine and infectious diseases at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine.
· Julie Morita, executive vice president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a philanthropy focused on health issues.
· Loyce Pace, president and executive director of the Global Health Council, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to global health issues.
· Robert Rodriguez, professor of emergency medicine at the UCSF School of Medicine.
Rebecca Katz, director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center, and Beth Cameron, director for global health security and biodefense on the White House National Security Council during the Obama administration, are serving as advisers to the transition task force.
It’s good news and not exactly bad news for Sting’s legions of fans.
The superstar rocker was supposed to release his “Duets” album at the end of this month. But with many configurations of CDs and LPs, “Duets”– featuring Annie Lennox, Mary J. Blige, Eric Clapton, Sam Moore, etc — has been delayed until March 2021. His PR says there were manufacturing delays due to the pandemic, which is all too common right now.
The good news is that Sting will appear tomorrow night– Tuesday, November 10th — on the 15th annual Taste of Hope cancer charity fundraiser. This annual event is usually in person at the Metropolitan Pavilion on West 18th St. A hundred or more four star restaurants serve up their delicious fare to a packed room of donors.
Alas, the event has moved online tomorrow night, where donors will get to see Sting perform one of his hits live from Italy. WCBS-TV’s Chris Wragge is hosting as usual. Many celebs will make appearances including comic Mario Cantone, and actors Giancarlo Esposito, Harry Lennix, Amy Ryan, Peter Onorati, Alyssa Reiner and David Alan Basche, and even football great Harry Carson.
The event honors chef Michael White — of New York’s Marea, Ai Fiori, Osteria Morini, Nicoletta, Costata and The Butterfly — and Harlem restaurant star chef Joseph JJ Johnson, who’s got the very popular “Field Trip” with locations in Rock Center and Queens.
Taste of Hope has already raised more than half of its goal this year, and there’s a bargain busting silent auction going on right now. (Everyone knows the best deals are at silent auctions.)
As for Sting, fans may have to wait for that “Duets” album but this performance tomorrow night is special! Plus, it’s for a good cause.
Alex Trebek taped enough episodes of “Jeopardy!” that we’ll be seeing him right through Christmas Day. That’s about seven weeks of new shows.
For a man with Stage 4 Pancreatic cancer, that’s quite an accomplishment. Trebek was literally making episodes right up to the end.
“Jeopardy!” is currently the number 2 show overall in syndication, averaging 5 million viewers every night. Expect that number to increase sharply now as fans brace themselves to say goodbye.
Choosing a successor to Trebek won’t be easy. Producers would be smart to have rotating guest hosts for a while before settling on someone. They should definitely let Will Ferrell fill in if he wants to do it.
Here’s Will playing Trebek and Darrell Hammond as Sean Connery, who we lost last week:
“SNL” was stellar last night. Dave Chappelle’s opening monologue was just what we needed, edgy and truthful. Foo Fighters were sensational.
— keep refreshing for ratings update–
My favorite performances were Kate McKinnon as Giuliani, and Maya Rudolph as Aunt Jemima. (Rudolph has really been killing it this season considering she’s like a regular and guest star.) But the whole show felt 100 times better than recent installments. Still missing Cecily Strong and Aidy Bryant. The show felt very unrehearsed, maybe because they were changing things up til the last minute.
I LOVED the new Foo song, “Shame Shame” which has echoes of David Bowie’s “Fame.” And “Times Like These” from 2002 is a classic.
Former President George W. Bush has congratulated Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, and bids goodbye to Donald Trump in a message this afternoon.
Bush writes, “Though we have political differences, I know Joe Biden to be a good man who has won his opportunity to lead and unify our country.”
That’s pretty gracious from a man who stole his own election in 2000. It’s also a message to Donald Trump: start packing.
PS Since the Bush post, Trump has Tweeted: “Since when does the Lamestream Media call who our next president will be? We have all learned a lot in the last two weeks!”
Alex Trebek has died after a more than one year battle with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. The host of “Jeopardy” was 80 years old. He went out on top, a champion.
I’ve been watching “Jeopardy” the last few months, marveling out how he could still be hosting the show. But he didn’t let his illness stop him. He worked right up to the end and showed no signs of illness. What an amazing story. God bless him. We’ll take HERO for five thousand dollars.
We’re wiping away tears here.
A “Jeopardy!” spokesperson said, “Jeopardy is saddened to share that Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends.”
Trebek was the winner of 6 Daytime Emmy Awards for outstanding game show host and set a Guinness World record in June 2014 for most episodes (6,829) of a game show hosted.
“Jeopardy” airs in most markets at 7pm tomorrow. There should be a national moment of silence, and a standing ovation.
PS Tributes are pouring in on Twitter. Fellow Canadian Ryan Reynolds just posted: “Alex Trebek was kind enough to film a cameo for our film Free Guy last year despite his battle. He was gracious and funny. In addition to being curious, stalwart, generous, reassuring and of course, Canadian. We love you, Alex. And always will.”
With the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, Washington is coming back. So are the celebrities.
Under Trump, the presentation of the Kennedy Center Honors had no president in the president’s box. Kennedy Center inductees didn’t go to the White House because Trump was anti-culture.
Under Trump, the presidential medal of freedom was delegitimized. Among the “honorees” were hate spewer Rush Limbaugh, also the wife of Trump and GOP donor Sheldon Adelson, and noted philandering golfer Tiger Woods.
The medals of freedom probably can’t be rescinded, but they will be entered into almanacs with an asterisk. All of them.
Also under Trump, there were few state dinners. And there were certainly no movie stars, musicians, etc. Also whittled down to nothing, the White House Correspondents Dinner, which usually took place the last week of April. After Trump’s belittling at the 2011 Obama dinner, the orange menace ran for president out of anger.
After the pandemic clears, it would be swell for the WHCA to resume, with Seth Meyers– who brilliantly took down Trump in 2011– returning at the podium.
All resumption of public activities won’t be until 2022, obviously. But when it’s possible, the Washington scene will flourish. And the arts will be celebrated once again by the White House, as they were ignored and denied under Trump.
If Biden really wants to stick it to Trump, the first batch of medals should include Rosie O’Donnell. Trump has acted in the most disgusting manner to her, belittling and mocking her. Rosie has run a successful foundation for the arts for years including a theater school for kids in the Broadway district. In charity terms, she’s the literal opposite of Trump.
The number 1 song on iTunes this morning? “FDT” by YG featuring Nipsey Hussle, released on March 30, 2016. What does it mean? You figure it out. Here are lyrics:
This is the activation of the emergency broadcast system
F**k Donald Trump
F**k Donald Trump
Yeah, n, f**k Donald Trump (It’s for our people)
Yeah, yeah, f**k Donald Trump
Yeah, f**k Donald Trump (Ain’t nobody else gon’ speak up, we gon’ speak up)
Yeah, f**k Donald Trump
Yeah, na, f**k Donald Trump
Yeah, yeah, f**k Donald Trump
I got a question
How’d he make it this far? How the f**k did it begin?
A Trump rally sounds like Hitler in Berlin
Or KKK shit, now I’m goin’ in
I’m just sayin’ what’s real, I don’t give a f**k who I offend
‘Cause it’s gotta be said, it’s gotta be said
It’s off the top like the toupee on Donald Trump’s head
This man’s not peaceful, racism’s evil
This man hates Muslims, that’s a billion fuckin’ people
If truth be told, Donald is a terrorist
Reasons why the world’s got a problem with Americans
The fuck is goin’ on? People just passed
A mass murder happened, you said thanks for the congrats
You tryna get your votes up, you don’t got class
Orlando was a tragedy, you react fast
And then made it ’bout you, to boost your campaign
It’s goin’ all bad if he wins this damn thing
Man America is fucked if he’s next up
Take a day to undo what Obama fixed up
It’s Young Gerald so you know who said it
And Ivanka can get it, straight up
F**k Donald Trump
F**k Donald Trump
Yeah, nigga, f**k Donald Trump
Yeah, yeah, f**k Donald Trump
Oh we ridin’, check it
Now, we protest when we see the tour bus (Bang, bang)
Too scared to get out, that’s why the door is shut (Bang, bang)
Your politics are like a Starburst pack (Why?)
Nobody f**ks with the orange one (Biatch!)
Bannin’ all Muslims? Aiight, bool (This guy)
What if we ban all the white dudes?
Because a couple have run up in trenchcoats and rifles
And killed in the name of Jesus Christ at the high school
How ’bout we stop sellin’ automatic guns?
You got rich ’cause your daddy gave you automatic funds
Add it up, you an automatic punk, what it is?
I’m just tryna make America great again! (Mothafucka)
Party in the streets when Hillary wins
If she don’t, my girl’s half Canadian
Actually nah, I’m not gonna stay with them
I got an eagle on my arm, I’m a patriot
I’mma stay right here, I ain’t livin’ in fear
With my people who are Muslims, Mexican and queer
And we ain’t gonna let you fuck up four years
Ain’t gonna let you fuck up for years
Fuck Donald Trump
Yeah, f**k Donald Trump
Yeah, nigga, f**k Donald Trump
Yeah, yeah, f**k Donald Trump
Yeah, f**k Donald Trump (Send it over)
Yeah, f**k Donald Trump (Ain’t nobody feelin’ your ass)
Yeah, na, f**k Donald Trump (Ain’t nobody feelin’ you)
Yeah, yeah, f**k Donald Trump (Here we go again)
Thought I was makin’ songs just to ride to?
But come to find out your own kind don’t even like you
Macklemore don’t like you, G-Eazy don’t like you
The rest weenies, they scared to say it, but they don’t like you
Obama don’t like you, Michelle don’t like you
Been tryna make it to one of your rallies but I ain’t have time to, punk
Piss on your golf course just to find you
Like where you hidin’ at? Who you lyin’ to?
Fuck your get rich scheme, I’ve been ballin’ out
You’re too old, you keep lyin’, that’s why your hair fallin’ out
Donald Trump, call him out, KKK supporter
His favorite phrase, “Deport ’em, ” how the fuck y’all endorse him?
Since America is fucked up anyway
Give Obama a third term, that’s what plenty say
Just left Texas, hit the stage for a couple thousand
And had your same color people hollerin’
F**k Donald Trump
F** Donald Trump
Yeah, na, f**k Donald Trump
Yeah, yeah, f**k Donald Trump
Yeah, f**k Donald Trump
Yeah, f**k Donald Trump
Yeah, na, f**k Donald Trump
Yeah, yeah, f**k Donald Trump
Yeah
He still doesn’t get it. Donald Trump lost the election. He’s a loser, baby. The cry baby doubled down on the crazy this morning with a series of Tweets that show someone who has lost touch with reality. Twitter, however, has put blue warnings on each Tweet indicating that they are untrue and must be viewed that way.
Jared, Ivanka, Donnie Jr, get him some medication and get him out of there, please. The movers are coming.
