KEN Jennings has no plans to move to Los Angeles for Jeopardy! despite admitting the distance from his family is the hardest part of the job, The U.S. Sun can reveal.
The beloved host has spent a large chunk of the year down in Southern California while his wife and two kids remain in the Seattle, Washington area – where Ken was born.
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Since Ken, 50, took over hosting duties from Alex Trebek after his passing in November 2020, he has had to fly down to Los Angeles weekly to film the show.
Filming for Jeopardy! typically takes place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays on the Sony Studios lot in Culver City, CA.
The show tapes fives games each day – three in the morning and two in the afternoon.
Ken reportedly has a smaller home in Los Angeles that he stays in for work but he continues to primarily reside in Washington – something he has no plans on changing anytime soon.
An insider told The U.S. Sun that behind-the-scenes at a Jeopardy! taping, Ken confessed to the audience that being away from his loved ones is the toughest part of the gig.
“Ken was honest about being away from his family being the hardest part of the job.
“He said that despite how tough it is to be away, which only gets harder the busier his schedule was, he has no plans on moving to LA.
“He was adamant that his family has built a great life in Seattle they’re happy with. LA is not for them,” the source said.
The flight from Seattle to Los Angeles is just under three hours.
Ken was born in the suburbs of Seattle in May 1974 but due to his dad’s work as an international lawyer, he lived overseas much of his childhood.
When Ken was in first grade, the family moved to South Korea and later lived in Singapore.
He returned to his home state for college where he attended the University of Washington – and later transferred to Brigham Young University.
Ken met his future wife, Mindy, at BYU and the couple wed in 2000.
They share two kids together – daughter Caitlin and son, Dylan.
Ken, who won over $4 million as a contestant on Jeopardy! before being crowned as host – primarily lives in a stunning 4,500 square foot home just outside of Seattle.
The luxury three-story house, worth over $2,900,000, has views that span over the Washington mountains and a beautiful lake.
It also includes a large patio deck with gorgeous mountain views and a relaxing spa space.
The primary bedroom includes a big, full-sized bathtub and tons of natural light from the large windows.
The lakefront estate, which was built in 2008, also boasts a media room and two full-sized kitchens.
Jeopardy! Set Secrets
Jeopardy! fans don’t see everything behind the scenes from watching on TV. These hidden set features make the show run smoothly:
- Each podium has a hidden riser so that all contestants appear to be the same height.
- After each clue is read, signal lights go off around the game board, indicating players can buzz in and respond.
- Buzz in too early, and you’re locked out for .25 seconds.
- The podiums have a small white light in the lower left corner, which tells Ken Jennings who goes next.
- Contrary to popular belief, the player with control doesn’t have a buzzer advantage on the next clue.
- To the game board’s left is a scoreboard so the players can see their opponents’ scores.
- All contestants must bring three outfits to the studio, but only the host and returning champion change for the next episode.
- There are wardrobe rules, including restrictions on busy patterns, solid white, purple (like the background), and logos.
- Five episodes are taped in a single day, and sometimes more.
- The categories, players (aside from the returning champion), and Final Jeopardy! for a tape day are all drawn randomly to ensure fairness.
- Female contestants are asked not to wear makeup, which is applied backstage, and don’t wear mascara because of sweat.
- Contestants fill out a questionnaire, and producers select five Q&A topics for the host.
- Host Ken isn’t allowed to interact with the contestants until after the game.
- Players can request to sit in a chair while competing without question.
Despite his grand home, the millionaire typically lives a modest lifestyle – and even continues to drive his Toyota Corolla to work.
A studio insider previously revealed that although glitz and glamour are not his thing, Ken is working hard to improve his fan interactions.
“Ken is a national celebrity, and has been for years, but he is decidedly not a creature of Hollywood and has purposely chosen to raise his family in Seattle instead of Los Angeles,” the source shared.
“But he isn’t a hermit and loves interacting with real Jeopardy! fans that he crosses paths with online and during his frequent commutes.
“People have misconstrued his tweets in the past, and it’s been an issue he’s had to work on.
“But he’s very good with off-camera, in-person interactions – people who meet him out in public usually come away with a smile on their face.”
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