Regarding reality TV hosts, everyone has a story of different origin. Some have passed a good old -fashioned hearing process. Others come from journalistic or news history. Ken Jeongon the other hand, won his role as master of ceremonies in the new series 99 to beat After going to March Madness.
“I was approached to co-host the show because people had seen me in the Final Four this last season of basketball,” reveals the actor in an exclusive interview with Parade. “”Stand I made a segment on me where they made me microser during a match. And so when I was approached to make the show, they had referred to this. And they were like: “We see the passion and the energy you bring to the games like a fan. Would you be interested in doing this in 99 to beat? ‘”
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Indeed, Jeong will direct this passion that he and Erin Andrews Overplace a whole new series of competitions. First this evening on Fox, the show takes 100 competitors, which go from perfect strangers to pre -existing relationships, from television beginners to the legends of reality. During the season, they will participate in deceptively simple challenges, being eliminated if they finish last. The last standing person obtains the price pot of $ 1 million and, given the issues, there should be a lot for Jeong – and all of us – to comment this fall.
Read on ParadeComplete interview with Ken Jeong. 99 to beat Broadcast on Wednesday evenings at 9:30 p.m. He / PT on Fox.
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How was 99 to beat Have you presented for the first time? And what decided to connect?
This is a great question. I was approached for co-organizing the show because people had seen me in the Final Four in the last season of basketball for March Madness. I went to university in Duke, and I therefore presented myself to many qualifying matches that we had on the road in New Jersey. And I believe that in San Antonio was the place where the Final Four was, and Stand I made a segment on me where they had microsé for a match; I think it’s the Elite Eight match that Duke played. And they just saw the energy I had by simply rambling Duke, and how in the competition I was. I mean, I was a fan of Duke all my life, because I went to school there. I was one of the original “Cameron Crazies”, I would like to say. I think people don’t know this side of me, just how I get into the gameplay, just like a fan.
And so when I was approached to make the show, they had referred to this. And they said: “We see the passion and the energy you bring to the games like a fan. Would you be interested in doing it in 99 to beat? But in this case, you would comment and bring this energy as a commentator.” And it was music to my ears. I had always wanted to do this, and it was the perfect vehicle for me. And to ensure that Ecrin Andrews, who is the touch journalist of the NFL line, I mean, it was a dream come true. So you had someone with real sports and expertise, and it is a genius diffuser, then you combine it with the energy and the passion I bring. Honestly, it was the perfect mix. And we are so proud of the way this show has evolved and produced. We are really, really, really excited about this.
This is not the first time that you have been commenting or serving as a host. But it is sure to say 99 to beat is very different from The masked singer Or I can see your voice. So, how was your approach different?
Again, another big question. Because the only other reality competitions that I have hosted or the scholarship were music competition shows, and this one, I approached very differently. We have 100 competitors, 100 players in the series. I saw everyone’s hearing band. I did my homework before the first day of filming, I was really able to understand and take notes on the background and the history of everyone. So you had candidates who were on Survivor Before; I think we had two candidates who won Survivor. And we have someone who was on Big brother. We had someone who was on The challenge. And so you had these veterans, for lack of a better word.
And then you also had someone who has the most world records Guinness in general. And then you had people where it is their first time to do something like that. You have people who are retired and who do this for fun. You have people who wanted to reset their lives again. You had 100 different players from different backgrounds, which made me even more convincing in terms of creating the scenarios. It reminded me, honestly, from March Madness. You start with a field of 68 teams, then in a month or two, you go down in the Final Four, then finally the national champion. So there was this kind of algorithmic scale, and I approached it like that.
I mainly knew something about each competitor that contributed before I started filming, and I think it really helped. And then natural scenarios have evolved. Erin is so good to find a dynamic play-by-play. “Oh, look at them. They argue. Oh, look at them. They get along. Oh, look at them. They talk to each other. We didn’t even think they were friends.” It is a natural genius to do this. Combined with his skill to describe the game by game in general, it was something to see.
And so you had my energy and my passion, and also my preparation, as well as Erin’s abilities, I really wanted to approach it unlike something else. When I play a character in a film I don’t know, I will do my research. I will do my homework. So, being prepared for something before filming is nothing new for me as an actor. So I applied this work ethics to this show, and it’s different from Masked singer Or I can see your voice without fail.
You mention the number of veterans in reality TV that participate in this program. Do you think they had an advantage, given their previous experiences?
If I am honest with you, you cannot be fully prepared for this contest. Because I believe in the end, the people who were finalists, it occurred naturally, regardless of their context of reality competition. So I would not necessarily say that it was a washing, because I am sure that this kind of preparation and that having this temperament in competitions in front of a camera helps some of these competitors. But at the end of the day, it was much more than that.
I mean, there have been a total of 50 games, 50 apparently simple games in this competition. And you couldn’t prepare for everyone. And there are curve balls that are launched. Even in the games they thought they could manage or manage, there was always a different stipulation or curve, so you can never prepare yourself completely. And I had noticed that some candidates came just with a wide experience and with an excellent work ethics and preparation, but that’s more than that. You really have to be in the moment. And I felt like people who have evolved and who have continued, you must be present, as in any sport. Yes, the preparation helps, but that’s not all. It is really the execution.
We also have candidates for pre -existing relationships. Tell me about how these dynamics remain.
You have everything, relations, family, husband and woman, father / son, mother / daughter, colleagues, everything under the sun. And it’s the best part of this. Thus, each permutation you can think of, then some exist in this umbrella. And of course, you have people who are alone, or just for the first time, because they just wanted to prove something to themselves. It’s a bit like the Avengers of Reality shows. Because you have literally 100 players, there is no dynamic that Ecrin and I have not seen in this program.
Given the challenges of competition, you have been able to experience incredibly emotional moments in 99 to beat. How did you have been able to reconcile the feelings you had while hosting the show?
It was the best part of this! Because Ecrin is such a professional, I allowed myself to be emotional. There are times when I was crying. I would be upset. I wanted to be emotional in many ways. I have the impression that in these cases, I represent the spectator. I just wanted to be myself, and I was given free reins to be myself. When they announce the eliminations, I think it is completely normal to be emotional on this subject. Not during the competition, but when the results occur.
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This story was initially reported by Parade on September 24, 2025, where it appeared for the first time in the TV section. Add the parade as a favorite source by clicking here.
