Did you know that Ken Jennings hosts a great podcast called Omnibus for trivia nerds? Sure, he has become a staple of the 2025 TV schedule as the host of Jeopardy! and even before he was the host, most people still knew him best from his time as the winningest champion (a record which he thinks could be broken) in the iconic game show’s history.
Jeopardy! is certainly where I first knew him from, of course, but today, not only am I a fan of his hosting work on the show, I’m an even bigger fan of his podcast, The Omnibus Project, or simply Omnibus, alongside his co-host, John Roderick. Here’s why everyone who loves history and trivia should be tuning in each week.
Years Before He Was Named Host Of Jeopardy!, Jennings Started A Podcast
The premise of Omnibus is that the two hosts are “preserving” bits of history that they worry could be lost to the sands of time. They are building a time capsule to protect those stories so that when the tapes are discovered in the distant future, “futurelings,” as the show describes them, can learn about these historical tidbits. With wide-ranging topics, like Dungeons and Dragons, the 1904 Olympic marathon, The Great Bell of Dhammazedi, and U.S. mail trucks, the show does deep dives into the history of each and why it’s so important that they be remembered.
The show releases new episodes weekly on Thursdays, after being launched in late 2017. I discovered the show very early in the COVID lockdowns in the spring of 2020, and I’ve been a die-hard listener ever since. Like Jennings, I’m part of what he describes as the “last generation that can justify having nerdy interests,” I love esoteric history and trivia facts, and Omnibus scratches those itches like no other podcast I’ve found. If you love weird history, tuning into “America’s smartest boy” (as Roderick called Jennings) and getting some deep knowledge on things you may never have heard of is a must.
It’s Also A Great Way To Hear A Different Side Of Jennings
Omnibus has a very laid-back approach. The show usually starts with Jennings and Roderick just riffing on whatever comes to mind. This can go on for a long time and is often the most fun bit of the show. It’s not usual for it to take 30 minutes or more to finally come around to the topic of the show, and for me, that’s a great thing. The hosts never seem to know where the conversation will take them, but in a great way.
Both hosts have a plethora of random knowledge, and their chemistry is fantastic. John Roderick is a musician and podcast host from Seattle who became friends with Jennings years before they decided to do a show together, and their friendship is a big part of that chemistry. They talk about their family lives, including Ken Jennings’ wife, Mindy, and his two children. As Jeopardy! doesn’t often allow viewers to see a more personal side of Jennings, who admits even he doesn’t like the “cringy” interviews, it’s great to hear how witty and funny he is, as is Roderick.
So as you patiently wait for Jeopardy! to finally start streaming, which you’ll be able to watch with a Peacock subscription in September, search for John Roderick and Ken Jennings’ podcast, Omnibus, and listen. I think you’ll love it.
