Ken Jennings Apologizes After Sexist ‘Jeopardy’ Question, Yikes!

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When Ken Jennings apologizes for a painfully gross Jeopardy question, you cognize that someone’s going to person to explicate what happened.

Sometimes, Jeopardy can beryllium weirdly insensitive successful an effort to beryllium topical.

Other times, it’s a small harder to recognize however the taste touchstone crippled amusement could truthful wide miss the mark.

This time, Jeopardy‘s question was sexist. It besides sounded arsenic if it were astir a contestant. Thankfully, Ken Jennings offered a swift apology.

Ken Jennings connected  April 18, 2024.Ken Jennings speaks onstage astatine the screening of “The Small Back Room” during the 2024 TCM Classic Film Festival connected 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 occurrence of Jeopardy, contestants participated successful the class of “Complete the Rhyming Phrase.”

The archetypal portion of the operation was: “Men seldom marque passes astatine …” Though determination are respective (worse) ways to implicit the rhyme, the close reply was “girls who deterioration glasses.”

The punctuation is really by writer and satirist Dorothy Parker, dating back to a period ago. However, the rhyme became a taste adage beyond Parker’s intended meaning and context. It is simply a sexist (and, lest we forget, ableist) rhyme and has been utilized arsenic specified for astir of its history.

The question was capable to marque radical cringe. However, it became much awkward successful airy of contestant Heather Ryan, a wellness programme manager from New York, was a pistillate — who was precise overmuch wearing glasses.

Ken Jennings instantly labeled the question “a small problematic.” He past added an apology, saying: “Sorry, Heather.”

Fellow contestant Will Wallace added his ain “very” for emphasis. And not inaccurately.

Ken Jennings connected  April 12, 2024.Ken Jennings participates successful the Inaugural Inside JEOPARDY! unrecorded lawsuit astatine Edge astatine Hudson Yards connected April 12, 2024. (Photo Credit: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Edge astatine Hudson Yards)

After that ‘Jeopardy’ gaffe, did Heather Ryan astatine slightest win?

Though Heather Ryan received the apology from Ken Jennings (who surely did not prime the question), she did not extremity up winning.

She came successful second.

In fact, arsenic you whitethorn person seen for yourself connected the occurrence oregon connected societal media, she came successful 2nd by a specified $1 difference.

Truth beryllium told, the apology was due and proportional. The punctuation is simply a memorable portion of culture. And galore radical watching astatine home, who mightiness person completed the rhyme to notation to posteriors large and small, would person gotten the question wrong.

It’s not each time that Ken Jennings apologizes for a blunder similar this. But they bash happen. Sometimes, radical picking questions get caught up successful gauging the world challenges and hide astir basal decency.

Just for the record, untold millions of women with glasses are the targets of uninvited flirting by men. Some bask it. Many would similar for it to stop, and mightiness privation for the rhyme to beryllium a spot much accurate.

Ken Jennings connected  January 6, 2020.Ken Jennings visits SiriusXM Studios connected January 06, 2020. (Photo Credit: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Is Ken Jennings doing a bully occupation arsenic host?

Following the tragic passing of Alex Trebek successful 2020, Jeopardy rotating assorted impermanent hosts. There were immoderate large missteps — the worst being a arguable shaper who concisely thought to capable the relation himself.

From inspired options similar LeVar Burton and Ken Jennings to much polarizing choices similar Mayim Bialik and Aaron Rodgers, Jeopardy explored a batch of options.

Ultimately, Ken Jennings was a sensible prime for the role. A champion nether Trebek, helium has stepped up to big the crippled show. Winning implicit an assemblage similar this is ne'er easy.

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