As a lifelong fan of Jeopardy!, I must say I was taken aback by the controversial clue that surfaced during the October 28 game. The rhyming phrase “Men seldom make passes at…” felt outdated and uncomfortable, not only for me but also for the contestants and host Ken Jennings himself.
Following the filing of discrimination complaints against Sony Pictures by two former ‘Jeopardy!’ employees, the popular quiz show has faced backlash from its fans. Many viewers, myself included, found a clue on the October 28th game about the 2024 TV schedule inappropriate and labeled it as sexist. Even Ken Jennings acknowledged it as problematic, leading to the question of why such a clue was incorporated into the show at all.
On any given day, Jeopardy! is hailed as one of television’s finest game shows, and its fans hold it to an exceptional standard. So, it didn’t come as a shock when I saw a particular clue from Monday’s episode sparking discussion on Reddit. In the category “Complete the Rhyming Phrase,” the clue went, “Men seldom make passes at…
In a slightly reluctant manner, the reigning champion Will Wallace responded to the question, “Who are ;Girls who wear glasses’?” Everyone on stage seemed to notice that Heather Ryan, another contestant, was wearing glasses. This action prompted an apology from Ken Jennings, who acknowledged:
A little problematic, sorry Heather.
Wallace concurred, saying simply “Yes,” before moving on to his next choice. The four individuals on stage seemed uneasy with the quote from poet Dorothy Parker, and it seemed peculiar to me that Jeopardy! would incorporate it into the game. It appeared that Ken Jennings was ill at ease with it too, as he wouldn’t have apologized to Heather Ryan unless so. Furthermore, we know that alternatives are available in such cases where Jennings missed a clue.
Fans seemed to agree they could have just subbed thsi one out, with Redditor jaysjep2 writing:
frankly, there’s no necessity for Ken to share a clearly antiquated and unsuitable riddle, labeling it as ‘controversial’. Perhaps he could utilize his role to have it replaced prior to its broadcast.
As a devoted fan, I’ve always wondered if Ken Jennings scrutinizes all clues before episodes are filmed. Since he or any Jeopardy! producer hasn’t confirmed it, we can only speculate that the host might have flagged the question in advance. Perhaps he had concerns and was outvoted? Regardless, the whole scenario seems preventable if they had simply replaced the clue, which apparently didn’t occur. Many fellow fans echoed this sentiment, expressing their dismay online.
- It was a weird choice. There are plenty of other rhyming phrases to choose from that don’t make your contestants, your host, and your audience visibly uncomfortable. – rye_bread_h
- I was very surprised they included it! “Heather is not going to like this” – wordyplayer
- Poor Heather catching strays in the rhyming category! – conrthomas
- Rhyming phrases category was awful, especially the sexist clue – WaterTower11101
This uproar arises during times when there are complaints about discrimination as well as debates among fans regarding their sentiments towards the Ken Jennings tenure on Jeopardy!. Some have appreciated the fresh atmosphere that Jennings offers, while others find it challenging since a highly esteemed Jeopardy! champion replaced the beloved game show host Alex Trebek.
If you’re near Ken Jennings and his popular trivia game show, look up your local television schedule for weekday air times during syndication.
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2024-10-29 20:07