Writer of Pop Culture

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This Day in Pop Culture: March 30

A TV game show favorite debuted on this day in 1964 and it was a very dark day for Americans 17 years later.

March 30, 2026

2–3 minutes

Who knew that when Jeopardy debuted in 1964 that we would all still be talking about the game show all these years later. Ken Jennings wouldn’t be born for another 10 years. But March 30 is known as a very dark day in American history. Even so, one president still found a reason to smile four days later.

Ken Jennings on Jeopardy — Ken Jennings *(TVDB)*

1964: ‘Jeopardy!’ Airs For the First Time

Jeopardy!’s long-held gimmick was that instead of the host asking trivia questions, he would give the answers, and the contestants would reply with the correct question. Those who are younger may not realize how long the game show Jeopardy! has been on the air. The very first airing of show was on this day in 1964 as a daytime game show for NBC.

Created by Merv Griffin and hosted by Art Fleming, the original show had a long run from 1964 to 1975. A revival of the show, The All-New Jeopardy! ran on NBC from 1978 to 1979, but it is the current syndicated show that most are familiar with. Winning 39 Daytime Emmy Awards, the current version of the show began airing on September 10, 1984, with Alex Trebek serving as host and Johnny Gilbert as the announcer.

Trebek recorded his last show on October 29, 2020, which didn’t air until late December. In 2021, the show was hosted by a variety of smart people including George Stephanopoulos, Katie Couric, and Dr. Oz., but it was the show’s executive producer, Mike Richards who won the title of permanent host. However, after just one day of filming, he stepped down due to fact that he didn’t click with fans and that he was known for making disparaging remarks about Jews and women. So, Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik traded hosting duties for a time, but today, Jennings is the show’s only host. And rightly so.

1981: President Ronald Reagan is Shot

Many still remember where they were when they first heard that President Ronald Reagan had been shot on this day in 1981. John Hinkley Jr. shot at Regan outside of a Washington D.C. hotel. Other victims included Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy, policeman Thomas Delahaney and James Brady who was left with permanent brain damage.

Ironically, the 70-year-old wasn’t even aware that he had been shot at first. Even though he was suffering from a collapsed lung, he walked into the hospital under his own power. He told his wife Nancy just before surgery, “Honey, I forgot to duck.”