Ken Jennings Apologizes After Sexist ‘Jeopardy’ Question, Yikes!
When Ken Jennings apologizes for a painfully gross Jeopardy query, you realize that somebody’s going to have to elucidate what occurred.
Sometimes, Jeopardy will be weirdly insensitive in an effort to be topical.
Other instances, it’s a little bit tougher to grasp how the cultural touchstone recreation present may so broadly miss the mark.
This time, Jeopardy‘s query was sexist. It additionally sounded as if it had been a couple of contestant. Thankfully, Ken Jennings provided a swift apology.
Ken Jennings speaks onstage on the screening of “The Small Back Room” throughout the 2024 TCM Classic Film Festival on April 18, 2024. (Photo Credit: Jerod Harris/Getty Images for TCM)Why did Ken Jennings apologize to a ‘Jeopardy’ contestant?
During the Monday, October 28 episode of Jeopardy, contestants participated within the class of “Complete the Rhyming Phrase.”
The first a part of the phrase was: “Men seldom make passes at …” Though there are a number of (worse) methods to finish the rhyme, the proper reply was “girls who wear glasses.”
The quote is definitely by poet and satirist Dorothy Parker, courting again to a century in the past. However, the rhyme grew to become a cultural adage past Parker’s supposed which means and context. It is a sexist (and, lest we overlook, ableist) rhyme and has been used as such for many of its historical past.
The query was sufficient to make individuals cringe. However, it grew to become extra awkward in mild of contestant Heather Ryan, a well being program director from New York, was a lady — who was very a lot carrying glasses.
Ken Jennings instantly labeled the query “a little problematic.” He then added an apology, saying: “Sorry, Heather.”
Fellow contestant Will Wallace added his personal “very” for emphasis. And not inaccurately.
Ken Jennings participates within the Inaugural Inside JEOPARDY! dwell occasion at Edge at Hudson Yards on April 12, 2024. (Photo Credit: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Edge at Hudson Yards)After that ‘Jeopardy’ gaffe, did Heather Ryan a minimum of win?
Though Heather Ryan acquired the apology from Ken Jennings (who actually didn’t choose the query), she didn’t find yourself profitable.
She got here in second.
In truth, as you might have seen for your self on the episode or on social media, she got here in second by a mere $1 distinction.
Truth be instructed, the apology was acceptable and proportional. The quote is a memorable a part of tradition. And quite a few individuals watching at house, who may need accomplished the rhyme to confer with posteriors nice and small, would have gotten the query fallacious.
It’s not day by day that Ken Jennings apologizes for a blunder like this. But they do occur. Sometimes, individuals choosing questions get caught up in gauging the tutorial challenges and overlook about fundamental decency.
Just for the document, untold thousands and thousands of ladies with glasses are the targets of uninvited flirting by males. Some take pleasure in it. Many would love for it to cease, and would possibly want for the rhyme to be a bit extra correct.
Ken Jennings visits SiriusXM Studios on January 06, 2020. (Photo Credit: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)Is Ken Jennings doing a very good job as host?
Following the tragic passing of Alex Trebek in 2020, Jeopardy rotating numerous visitor hosts. There had been some main missteps — the worst being a controversial producer who briefly thought to fill the position himself.
From impressed choices like LeVar Burton and Ken Jennings to extra polarizing selections like Mayim Bialik and Aaron Rodgers, Jeopardy explored quite a lot of choices.
Ultimately, Ken Jennings was a good selection for the position. A champion beneath Trebek, he has stepped as much as host the sport present. Winning over an viewers like that is by no means simple.
