Being big Jeopardy fans, MrsBlue and I are fascinated by the process of replacing the late, great Alex Trebek as the show's host. Alex was beloved, so these are big shoes to fill. So I cannot fathom the thinking that led to Dr. Oz being one of the guest hosts. His history of peddling snake-oil and bad medical advice is well-known, so he lacks the credibility for such an intellectual show. And that aside, he is just a terrible host. His delivery is weird, and personality-wise, he brings nothing. We have continued to watch through his stint, but it is like not being able to look away from a car wreck. We'll be very happy when his run ends after this week.

As for the others who have stepped in, Ken Jennings was first up. I assumed he was being groomed for the spot when he joined the show last season, and was optimistic. He was fine for the most part. Precise, empathetic for the contestants, and, importantly, humble. But, we were surprised to come away realizing how much being a professional broadcaster (or in this case, not being one) plays into the experience. His delivery had a certain rushed, tense quality to it, and his voice is not really suited to being a TV host. We were not cognizant of how much those details would affect the experience. Executive producer Mike Richards did much better than we expected. He handled things well and was smoother than Ken, which is surprising when you learn that he was sort of thrown into the spot at the last minute. Katie Couric also exceeded expectations. In her case being a TV professional really helped. Her pacing was great, and she exuded a lot of her trademark warmth. I've seen some vocal complaints about her, so maybe we were in the minority, but we thought all told she probably was the best of the guest hosts so far.

Based on those experiences, it's hard to be optimistic about Aaron Rodgers, who steps in next week, as he also has limited broadcasting experience. But he is smart, funny, and coolly charismatic, so he may end up doing great. We'll stay open-minded and see how things work out.

Obituary: G. Gordon Liddy, convicted Watergate conspirator, dies at 90.

Round-up in the Form of a Question
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.

Science

• Purple Urchins Devour Kelp Forests, So Divers Fight Back. Thanks RedEye9.
• Birds make you as happy as money, study finds. Thanks Max.
• Physicists Learn to Superfreeze Antimatter (Hint- Pew Pew!) (may require registration or subscription).

Media

• The Elephant's Foot - Corpse of Chernobyl. Thanks The Flying Penguin.
• Engineer's Son Realizes His Dad is Driving Passing Train.

Follow-ups

• Killer T cells boost immunity to coronavirus variants: study. Thanks Acleacius.
• New York legalizes recreational marijuana, expunges former pot convictions.