Drew Carey and Ken Jennings have a surprising connection that fans of both shows just found out

Drew Carey and Ken Jennings are two of the most popular game show hosts in the country today, and both are also known for their supportive and kind demeanor towards contestants. Their respective shows, “The Price is Right” and “Jeopardy!”, have been fan favorites for many years now, however, there is something else that’s common between the two beyond their roles as game show hosts. Fans of both seemed to have no idea about this similarity, but when they realized it, they couldn’t help but talk about it on social media.

According to a report in The Mirror US, both hosts were born on May 23. In 2025, Carey celebrated turning 67 while Jennings turned 51. A year earlier, fans had taken to Reddit to talk about the matter. A post in r/gameshow on Reddit read, “I was today years old when I learned that Drew Carey and Ken Jennings share the same birthday (May 23).” Several users commented under it, a lot of them being surprised.

"Kind of incredible that the hosts of the two most popular and well-known game shows have the same birth date," one user wrote. "Ken Jennings and Drew Carey on the same day? That's incredible. Happy Birthday to the both of ya!" quipped another. “Drew Carey and Ken Jennings were born on the same day 16 years apart (5/23/58 and 5/23/74),” one more fan wrote.

Jennings has been in the game show hosting business for a shorter period of time compared to Carey. However, before he took over as the host of “Jeopardy!”, it is reported that the “Price is Right” host rooted for someone else to take the job. He eventually did come around to supporting Jennings, as per a report in The US Sun. “Back when it was an open seat and an open job, Drew was fiercely in his friend Mike Richards' corner,” an insider said to the publication.

"He felt that Mike was the best prepared to replace Alex and keep the franchise going. But that's because Drew and Mike were friends. Now that Mayim has bowed out, Drew has really come around to Ken, even though they are merely acquaintances and colleagues,” they added. Carey’s approval of Jennings also reportedly might help him secure a long-term deal from Sony as the host of the popular trivia game show.

“The perception inside the Jeopardy! bubble right now is that Ken needs all the help he can get,” the insider explained. “Drew does see Ken as a guy who fought for the job, proved his worthiness, and deserves a fair shot from audiences. What's important about Drew's approval is that it really does resonate with the executives at Sony. He is taken incredibly seriously at that place, and his takeover of The Price is Right is the model for a smooth game show host transition.”

However, the insider also noted that Carey’s approval wasn’t the only thing that made the Sony executives stick with Jennings. His work as a host has been exceptional, and while a more experienced host’s approval goes a long way, one needs to do a solid job to prove their worth. The “Jeopardy!” host has certainly done that in his tenure.