TRAVIS Kelce’s upcoming gig hosting the game show Are You Smarter Than A Celebrity? is ruffling feathers in Hollywood, The U.S. Sun has been told.
The football star, 34, was unveiled as the host of the upcoming Prime Video spinoff show in April.
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And the Super Bowl champ’s rehearsals so far are believed to have won him rave reviews from studio bosses.
But pals of the original Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? host Jeff Foxworthy are calling Taylor Swift’s boyfriend out for stomping on the comedian’s turf.
A comedy world source said, “Not to take anything away from Travis’ incredible success, but this show and this format was originally tailored – pun intended – to be a Jeff Foxworthy vehicle and to play to his incredible strengths when it comes to being funny with regular people and bringing them out of their shell.
“It seems pretty unfair for Travis just to march into the franchise and do Jeff’s schtick without at least a little acknowledgment of who made the format work in the first place.”
Read more in The U.S. Sun
Jeff, 65, hosted the popular game show on Fox between 2007 and 2015.
The format featured a single contestant who would attempt to answer ten questions plus a final bonus question taken from first to fifth-grade elementary school textbooks.
Each correct answer would increase the amount of money the player could bank up to a maximum cash prize of $1 million.
The show’s second season saw the introduction of Celebrity Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?
Stars including Kiss frontman Gene Simmons and current Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings featured on the show, with winning contestants donating their prize money to a charity of their choice.
The format was briefly revived on Nickelodeon with John Cena as host in 2019.
Travis Kelce the next major figure in the hosting world?
Three-time Super Bowl champ Travis Kelce is reportedly making strides in the show business world.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end was recently tapped to host Amazon Prime’s upcoming game show, Are You Smarter Than A Celebrity?, a spin-off of the original show, Are You Smarter Than A Fifth-Grader?.
Industry Reception:
Performance Highlights:
- Kelce’s ease with contestants, audience members, and celebrities has impressed industry insiders, sources told The U.S. Sun.
- The tight end’s background in podcasting and increased fame from his relationship with Taylor Swift have prepared him well for this role.
Future Potential:
- Executives predict the show’s success and Kelce’s potential to become a leading game show host.
- Kelce is still considering acting opportunities but could have a highly lucrative hosting career.
Contract Details:
- Kelce’s current contract for hosting Are You Smarter Than A Celebrity? is relatively modest, sources disclosed to The U.S. Sun.
- The Chiefs’ star will receive around $1.8 million for the two-season deal, which amounts to around $750,000 after taxes, sources said.
- Insiders also told The U.S. Sun that Kelce signed the deal before his relationship with pop superstar Taylor Swift became serious.
- Despite the modest pay, Kelce is enthusiastic and committed to the project, sources said.
Prime said when it announced Kelce as the host of the new 20-episode spinoff, it would offer a “fun, new twist on the premise of the original popular format.”
The streamer announced last week that the all-new show will premiere on October 16 with its first three episodes.
Contestants will rely on a classroom of celebrities to help them answer 11 questions pulled from the elementary curriculum.
Celebrities who have signed up for the show include comedians Nikki Glaser and Natasha Leggero, Vanderpump Rules’ Lala Kent, podcaster Sophia Stallone, and Thursday Night Football analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Actress and producer Lilly Singh, former NFL wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Garcelle Beauvais, and comedians Ron Funches and Nicole Byer will also participate.
So far, Jeff has not spoken publicly about his views on the new show.
“You’d think Jeff himself would be interested in defending his own hard-won territory, but that’s just not Jeff’s personality at all,” The U.S. Sun’s source said.
“The guy doesn’t have an egotistical bone in his body, and unfortunately, that’s the thing that made it so easy for Travis and his team to come in, grab this franchise, and turn it into something totally celebrity-driven.
“I really wonder if Jeff’s fans are just going to sit by and let this happen or if Travis will actually get called out by them for hijacking Jeff’s bread and butter.”
The news of Travis’ TV gig came on the heels of his highly-publicized relationship with music icon Taylor.
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