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Jeopardy! Host Ken Jennings Apologizes to Contestant for ‘Problematic’ Answer
Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings found himself apologizing to a female contestant after reading a seemingly inappropriate clue during the Monday, October 28, episode.
“Sorry, Heather,” Ken, 50, said immediately after reading the answer, calling the clue “a little problematic.”
The clue in question came from the “Complete the Rhyming Phrase” category, and read, “Men seldom make passes at…” The correct response was, “Girls who wear glasses.” The answer was read to a woman named Heather Ryan, who was wearing glasses.
While the quote is attributed to 1920s New York socialite and humorist Dorothy Parker, fellow contestant Will Wallace chimed in, agreeing that the remark was “very” problematic. However, Heather simply laughed it off.
Viewers were quick to take to social media to share their opinions on the matter, with one fan tweeting, “You know, if Jeopardy’s writers had simply attributed the quote to Dorothy Parker (as they SHOULD HAVE), we don’t think Ken would’ve had to apologize for it.”
“The apology demeans and diminishes her, and all women, more than the use of the quote,” another added.
The legendary Jeopardy! champ has been the face of the long-running game show since iconic host Alex Trebek’s passing in November 2020. He and actress Mayim Bialik were tasked with the hosting role in a split capacity. Ken became the solo host at the beginning of season 30 after the Big Band Theory alum exited the show in the spring of 2023.
Things have continued to be rocky for the Washington native as rumors began to swirl that executives were looking to replace him as host following Ryan Seacrest’s success on Wheel of Fortune. The former radio personality took over for Pat Sajak upon his retirement and earned a 4.88 household rating during his first week as host.
“Ryan’s looking like the game-show golden boy right now, despite a bumpy first week, and all Ken can do is hope for a miracle to turn the tide in his favor,” a source previously told Closer. “Surely, it’s just a matter of time [until] when Ken gets the boot. Ken doesn’t have any stability or a long-term contract, so the higher-ups could fire him at any time. Bosses over at Jeopardy! must be panicking by now, and word is they’re brainstorming names to replace Ken.”
The insider added, “It doesn’t look good for Ken, who’s already under so much pressure.”
In July, Saturday Night Live funnyman Colin Jost was announced as the host of Prime Video’s Pop Culture Jeopardy!
“It’s open knowledge in Jeopardy! circles that Ken feels slighted by this,” a separate source close to production told Closer. “And to be fair, he does have a right to feel insecure because it’s a clear indication that the bosses want to broaden their options and add some much-needed pizazz to the franchise.”
Adds the insider, “At the end of the day Ken’s the undisputed GOAT as far as being the top contestant, and it goes a long way that he was a firm favorite with Alex Trebek.”
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